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A cool, crowd-pleasing “salad” that tastes like dessert. Our Blueberry Jello Salad layers juicy blueberry filling with a bright blue gelatin base and a fluffy cream-cheese topping. It’s picnic-perfect, potluck-proof, and always the first dish to disappear.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“This has to be the best Jello salad EVER! Perfect summer potluck recipe. I love this!” – Christine
“Awesome! Jello and blueberries 🫐 topped with a thick, rich, tasty fluffy creamy sweet treat. Our family’s favorites.” – Elizabeth
“I tried this recipe and was amazed at the wonderful flavor. Thinking this is more along the lines of a dessert, I first layered the pan with a graham cracker crust, the proceeded with the recipe. Instant hit. Thank you.” – Sarah
Why I Love This Recipe
I grew up on classic Jello salads, and this blueberry version is the one I bring to picnics, parties, barbecues, and even holiday dinners like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. The gelatin layer has a deeper, fruitier flavor thanks to crushed pineapple and blueberry pie filling, and the pillowy cream-cheese topping makes every bite taste a little like cheesecake. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can omit the pineapple—still delicious!
What to serve with it: It pairs beautifully with homemade grilled burgers, BBQ pulled pork, smoked baby back ribs, honey baked ham, or a turkey breast dinner. Add some sides like Candied Carrots, Oven Roasted Asparagus, or Scalloped Potatoes and you have a full meal.
🩷 Elise
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Berry blue or blackberry-style gelatin – Berry blue gives that bright color; blackberry/black cherry/grape gelatin adds “blueberry-adjacent” flavor and a deeper hue.
- Crushed pineapple (drained) – Folds into the gelatin for extra fruitiness and a soft, juicy texture.
- Blueberry pie filling – The key blueberry flavor; look in the baking aisle for canned pie filling.
- Cream cheese (softened) – For a smooth, tangy, cheesecake-style topping.
- Sugar – Lightly sweetens and stabilizes the creamy layer.
- Whipped topping (Cool Whip) – Makes the topping fluffy and easy to spread.
- Fresh blueberries (optional) – A simple garnish that signals the flavor.
- Chopped pecans (optional) – Adds crunch and a toasty, nutty finish.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Gelatin flavors: Can’t find blackberry? Use black cherry or grape; or stick with berry blue for color—the blueberry pie filling carries the flavor.
- No-pineapple option: Skip it for a smoother set; replace with 1 cup cold water if the mixture seems too thick.
- Crust twist: For dessert vibes, press a quick graham cracker crust (or pecan-shortbread crust) into the pan and chill before adding the gelatin.
- From-scratch whipped cream: Swap Cool Whip with ~3 cups lightly sweetened whipped cream (fold gently for a stable topping).
- Nut-free: Omit pecans; try granola crumbs or crushed vanilla wafers for texture.
- Dairy-free topping: Use plant-based cream cheese and whipped topping.
How to Make Blueberry Jello Salad
- Whisk gelatin into boiling water in a large bowl until fully dissolved.
- Stir in drained crushed pineapple and blueberry pie filling until evenly combined.
- Pour into a 9×13-inch dish; refrigerate about 2 hours until firm.
- Beat softened cream cheese with sugar until smooth; gently fold in whipped topping.
- Spread the creamy topping over the set gelatin in an even layer.
- Chill 30–60 minutes to set the top; finish with fresh blueberries and pecans, if using.
Recipe Tips
- Smooth topping: Room-temperature cream cheese = no lumps. If needed, beat in 1–2 Tbsp milk to loosen before folding in whipped topping.
- Faster set (carefully): A 15-minute freezer stint can jump-start the gelatin—but don’t let it freeze or it will turn icy and grainy.
- Clean slices: Dip a sharp knife in hot water, wipe dry, then cut for tidy squares.
- Pan size: A 9×13 gives classic bars; use a trifle bowl for a showy layered dessert.
- Color check: If using blackberry/black cherry/grape gelatin, expect a deeper purple-blue hue (very “blueberry”).
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a retro potluck term for fruit-and-gelatin dishes, more dessert than salad, but the name stuck!
Yes. Omit the pineapple for a smoother texture; if the mixture feels too thick, add up to 1 cup cold water after the gelatin dissolves.
You can, but the flavor will be lighter and less jammy. For deeper blueberry flavor, keep the pie filling and use fresh berries as a garnish.
No, freezing breaks the gel structure and ruins the texture.
You can put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes to speed along the setting process but don’t leave it in for too long or it will freeze. If your jello freezes, it will be ruined.
Yes, use dairy-free cream cheese and whipped topping, and skip the optional pecans if there’s a nut allergy.
Yes, this recipe is gluten-free. Just be sure to use gelatin that’s labeled gluten-free, a blueberry pie filling thickened with cornstarch (no wheat), cream cheese, sugar, whipped topping, crushed pineapple, fresh blueberries, and pecans.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance; keep covered in the fridge.
- Leftovers: Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 3 days. The topping can begin to weep after day 3.
- Transporting: Chill well first; keep cold with an ice pack for picnics.
More Recipes with Jello
This Blueberry Jello Salad is simple, nostalgic, and crowd-pleasing. It’s perfect for potlucks, holidays, and weeknight “just because” desserts. If you make it, I’d love to hear how it went! Leave a rating and your favorite swaps or serving ideas in the comments. 💙🫐
Blueberry Jello Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups water, boiling
- 6 ounces berry blue Jello
- 16 ounces crushed pineapple, drained
- 1 can blueberry pie filling
Topping
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 16 ounces Cool Whip, softened
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- fresh blueberries, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine Jello and boiling water. Stir until dissolved.
- Mix in drained crushed pineapple and blueberry pie filling.
- Pour into a 9×13-inch pan and refrigerate for about 2 hours until firm.
- Beat softened cream cheese and sugar together until smooth.
- Stir in Cool Whip and spread topping over set Jello.
- Refrigerate at least half an hour before serving. Top with pecans and fresh blueberries if desired.
Equipment
- 9×13 inch pan
Notes
- Flavor swap: If blackberry gelatin is hard to find, berry blue works great for color; the pie filling supplies blueberry flavor.
- No-pineapple: Omit for a smoother set; add up to 1 cup cold water if needed for consistency.
- Crust option: Press a graham cracker crust into the pan first for a dessert-style version.
- Storage: Refrigerate, covered, 2–3 days; do not freeze.
- Clean cuts: Warm the knife in hot water, wipe dry, then cut.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I have made this salad before and loved it! Was wanting to make it for 4th of July and had forgot it takes crushed pineapple, my daughter in law is allergic to pineapple, any ideas for a substitute?
Thought it would be cute to decorate top with blue berries and strawberries to look like a flag on top for the holiday..
I’m not sure what a good substitute would be since you use the liquid in the pineapple as some of the liquid to make the jello. Maybe canned mandarin oranges would work?
I know it’s past July 4th, but my SIL has used both diced pears and diced peaches with excellent results.
OOh I love the idea of both of those add-ins! YUM!
Used to make this but lost the recipe. Made it today for Memorial Day get together. Can’t wait until tomorrow to dig in! I used a box of black cherry & berry blue jellos to create mine. I only had the 3 oz size of each so I combined them! Pretty color! It’s going to be wonderful!
We’ve been making a variation of this for generations.
The story is great grandma ran an apartment building in DC in the 60’s which was a hippy commune. They loved their sweets!!!
I have the same recipe but I don’t drain the pineapple. Because it’s a large box of jello, you would normally use 2cups hot water 2 cups cold if you were making jello, but you are only using 2cups in this recipe so your recipe is the only one where I’ve seen it say drained. It’s sets up just fine without draining the crushed pineapple. And this is fantastic made with raspberry jello Fyi
Awesome! Jello and blueberries 🫐 topped with a thick, rich, tasty fluffy creamy sweet treat. Our family’s 👪favorites.
I found blackberry flavor in Royal Gelatin, but the box is 1.41 oz Is there a difference in measurement size between Royal Gelatin and Jello? Royal comes in 1.41 oz box vs Jello in 3oz box. You used two boxes of Jello, would I use 4.25 boxes of Royal to get to the six oz, or use two boxes of Royal?
I would use enough to get to the 6 oz of gelatin mix.
I tried this recipe and was amazed at the wonderful flavor. Thinking this is more along the lines of a dessert, I first layered the pan with a graham cracker crust, the proceeded with the recipe. Instant hit. Thank you.
It’s a family favorite and so delicious!
The recipe calls for 6oz of blackberry jello but the video shows using 2 6oz packets of jello. Should I use 1 or 2 6oz packages? I made this years ago and loved it but can’t remember. Thanks!
I believe in the video we used (2) 3oz packets because we couldn’t find a 6 oz packet that day.
This is a wonderful jello salad recipe. My family loved it and I’m sure it will be a big hit at Thanksgiving.
OH my goodness, why haven’t I ever heard of anything like this?! This looks absolutely delicious.. once again, another wonderful recipe!