Strawberry Jell-O Fluff

Light as a pink cloud, this two ingredient strawberry Jell-O and Cool Whip dessert is refreshing by itself, or served with an Oreo Cookie crust.

When I was a kid, I remember always making cups of jiggly Jell-O. It was one of those things kids could make by themselves. It was also one of those things that was something my generation grew up eating. I wonder how much that little box cost back in the fifties.  

Just googled that and couldn’t find the answer. Bet it cost a nickel.

Anyway, the next generation came along and still, that familiar box found a home in my cupboard. The girls’ favorites were strawberry and lime. Somewhere along the way, I started making a dessert just using two ingredients…Strawberry Jell-O and Cool Whip. For decades we called it Pink Cloud, but honestly, I don’t remember if it was a recipe I found, or if I made it up. But when you dip your spoon into it, it’s so light, it’s like a cloud.

I googled Pink Cloud and Jell-O recipes and found tons of recipes, but besides the Jell-O and Cool Whip, they all contain canned or fresh fruit, cottage cheese, nuts, and other stuff. That’s why I renamed this dessert for my blog……so it wouldn’t be confused with those Pink Clouds.

But for my family, this will always be OUR Pink Cloud.

When the girls were little, I’d either put it in individual parfait cups, or in a large bowl for scooping out. Sometimes I added fresh strawberries, but if you do that, you have to eat it right away. The berries will soften and liquify somewhat.

​For this blog, I served it in individual cordial glasses with a small strawberry slice on top. That could be a beautiful presentation for a dinner party, shower, or luncheon. It’s so light, everyone will have room in their tummies for this. I also made some in cupcake papers with a Vanilla Oreo crust, which hubby Kerry loved. I have to admit, the cookie crust turned it into a whole new dessert.

​Well, summer is not over, so if you need a light and refreshing dessert, try my version of Pink Cloud.

Makes 8 cupcakes and 4 Cordials

• 1-6 oz. box of Strawberry Jell-O
• 16 oz. Cool Whip
• 10 Vanilla Oreo Cookies
• 2 T butter, melted
• Strawberries for garnish

Crush the cookies in a food processor and combine with the melted butter. Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers. Place one and a half tablespoons of the crumbs in each cup. Use the bottom of a small drinking glass to press in place. Refrigerate for about an hour.

Dissolve Jell-O in a small pot with one cup of boiling water. Add one cup of cold water. Place in the fridge for about one hour. At that point, the Jell-O should be thick and smooth like a loose jam, but not solid or lumpy. Take a peek once and awhile to make sure it doesn’t solidify. If it does, place the pot back on the stove to melt it a bit.

Place the Cool Whip in a large bowl. Use a whisk to stir the Jell-O to make sure there aren’t any lumps. Fold into the Cool Whip.

Use a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip (1M or 1G) and pipe over the cookie crust. Garnish with a strawberry.

For cordials, pipe into glass and garnish with a small slice of strawberry. Refrigerate for about an hour or more before serving.

Note: For more cupcakes, the ratio for the crust is 5 cookies to 1 T butter.