Winter Fruit Salad Cinnamon (Print Version)

A bright blend of mandarin, apples, and pomegranate with a spiced vanilla dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit

01 - 10 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
02 - 4 large Fuji apples, cored and diced
03 - 2 pomegranates, arils removed

→ Cinnamon Vanilla Dressing

04 - 1 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 cup water
06 - 2 cinnamon sticks
07 - 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped, or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean with seeds and pod. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved.
02 - Remove from heat and allow the dressing to cool to room temperature for approximately 1 hour. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks and vanilla pod.
03 - In a large bowl, combine the mandarin orange segments, diced apples, and pomegranate arils.
04 - Drizzle the cooled cinnamon vanilla dressing over the fruit and gently toss until evenly coated.
05 - Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The dressing is so simple yet transforms ordinary winter fruit into something that tastes fancy enough for holiday gatherings.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, which means everyone at your table can enjoy it without compromise.
  • You can prep it an hour ahead, so there's zero stress when guests arrive.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step—I learned this the hard way when I rushed and ended up with warm fruit salad that nobody wanted.
  • The pomegranate arils release liquid over time, which is beautiful but can dilute the dressing if you make this more than a few hours ahead.
03 -
  • If you can't find good pomegranates, fresh cranberries tossed lightly in a tiny bit of the dressing work as a tart, festive stand-in.
  • For a lighter version, reduce the sugar to three-quarters cup—you'll still get all the flavor and warmth without the syrup-heavy feel.
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