Mama’s Ambrosia is a cherished Christmas tradition in our family, showcasing a delicious, refreshing combination of Navel oranges and sweetened shredded coconut. Learn how to create this simple yet heavenly dessert that will brighten up your holiday table.
This is one of my favorite recipes of all time. Actually, it’s hardly a recipe. Just two, maybe three ingredients and a little work is all that’s required, but the result? Well, it tastes like Heaven to me.
Mama’s Ambrosia contains two simple ingredients, resulting in a bright, clean flavor. The bright, slightly acidic bite of orange paired with an almost creamy sweetness from the coconut. Yum. Yum.
I vividly remember this dessert being on our table for Christmas every year when I was a child. And I remember Mama standing at the kitchen counter peeling and peeling and peeling oranges. The kitchen smelled like an orange grove in bloom by the time she was finished.
Over the years, I’ve found that there are about as many recipes for ambrosia as there are cooks making ambrosia. And over those years, I’ve also never found another ambrosia recipe as simple as this one.
I believe most people think of ambrosia as a combination of oranges, pineapple, coconut, and other fruits, with some sort of sweet dressing such as “cool whip” or sour cream. In our family, we call that fruit salad. It’s quite different from our orange ambrosia, and it’s delicious, too, but for us…this is ambrosia.
But let me also make one thing clear – whichever way your Mama makes it…that’s the right way :-)
— This post was originally published on January 8, 2013. It has been updated with additional information.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: None
Total Time: 10 Minutes
Servings: 4
Primary Ingredient(s): Navel oranges, sweetened shredded coconut
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“That’s the Ambrosia I grew up with also. It was navel oranges, fresh from the orange groves in Plaquemines Parish Louisiana and shredded coconut. Heaven!”
— Alice
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- It’s a bright, refreshing counterpoint to heavy holiday meals.
- Makes the best use of seasonal produce.
- Kids and adults both love the flavors.
- It’s a proven, tried, and true heritage recipe.
Ingredient Notes
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- Navel oranges — I always choose navel oranges because they’re nicely sweet yet still a bit tart. They have the familiar flavor of morning orange juice.
- Shredded coconut — My favorite brand is Baker’s Angel Flake coconut.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook!
You can see this recipe on page 249 of my cookbook, My Southern Table! Get your signed copy today.
How to Make Mama’s Ambrosia
You’ll need one large Navel orange for each serving of Ambrosia. These were just beautiful. Bright, blemish-free skin and so juicy and sweet!
Prep the Oranges
- Peel the oranges and remove all of the white pith. That pith is bitter, and you don’t want it in your lovely, sweet ambrosia.
Pro Tip
There are several methods of peeling oranges, but the one I learned and still use is the round-and-round one. I just start at the end opposite the “navel” and peel around using a sawing motion with the knife until I reach the other end. This works for me. Some people cut a slice off either end, stand the orange on one end, and cut in a downward motion, removing sections of the peel as they go. Do whatever works best for you.
Cut into Sections
- Once you have the oranges peeled and all the pith removed, you’ll need to cut the oranges into sections following the lines of the membranes inside the orange. A section, when removed from the orange, is called a “supreme.”
Section the oranges while working over a bowl to catch the juices. Holding the orange firmly in one hand and using a thin, very sharp knife, cut down as close to the membrane as possible, going from tip to bottom and all the way through to the core. Repeat on the other side of the orange section. Turn your knife to the side gently to release the “supreme.”
When you have removed all the orange sections, give the core and membranes a gentle squeeze to remove any remaining juice, allowing it to fall back into the bowl. Discard the core and membranes.
Pro Tip
Cutting the supremes does take a little work and practice, but I think it makes a beautiful presentation. However, if you just can’t manage the technique, simply cut the oranges crosswise into about 1/2″ thick slices and then cut the slices into halves or quarters.
Sweeten if Needed
- Taste the oranges and, only if needed, add a tablespoon or two of sugar. I usually don’t need any or just a very minimal amount.
Add Coconut
- Scatter the shredded coconut over the oranges. Gently stir it together, taking care not to break the orange supremes you worked so hard to create.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to blend.
How to Serve
Mama’s Ambrosia shines as a light and refreshing dessert to follow heavier holiday meals. Its zesty citrus notes complement roasts, hams, and other festive dishes wonderfully. Consider serving it in individual glass cups or a beautiful crystal bowl to enhance its visual appeal.
How to Store
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will keep your ambrosia fresh for a day or two, but it’s so delicious that it rarely lasts that long!
Questions About Mama’s Ambrosia
While Navel oranges are my choice for their flavor profile, you can certainly experiment with other orange varieties.
It all depends on the oranges. Taste first, and only add sugar if you think it needs it. The natural sweetness of Navel oranges combined with sweetened coconut is typically sufficient.
Absolutely! In fact, allowing the flavors to meld in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight enhances the taste.
While our family’s version keeps it simple, some cooks do add fruits like pineapple, maraschino cherries, or even mandarin oranges for variety.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
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Mama’s Ambrosia
Ingredients
- 4 large Navel oranges
- Sugar to taste (optional)
- ½ cup shredded coconut
Instructions
- Peel the oranges and remove all the white pith.4 large Navel oranges
- Working over a bowl to capture the juices, remove the orange sections. Squeeze any remaining juice from the core and membranes into the bowl with the orange sections.
- Taste the oranges and add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) sugar if needed.Sugar to taste
- Add coconut. Toss together.½ cup shredded coconut
- Cover bowl and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to blend.
Notes
- May be made up to two days in advance and stored, well covered, in the refrigerator.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
Yes! This is how my grandmother made it. Not with all the fluff and other things I see added to it, yuck! She also added coconut milk, which took away from needing to add sugar. I want to make this for my children to try. Thank-you!
I love this simple ambrosia so much. The flavors are so clean and simple!
This is the way I like ambrosia with only basic ingredients. It’s just the way my mother made it and now I have made it a Christmas Eve staple. I’m glad to find this so I can easily forward the quantities to my daughter. However, I could never prepare the oranges in only 10 minutes.
This is also our favorite ambrosia! Very clean, fresh flavors. The prep time will depend on how much you’re making, of course, but since this recipe is written for only 4 oranges, I’ve found 10 minutes to be adequate.
I love your comment…”But let me also make one thing clear – which ever way your Mama makes it..that’s the right way”
This recipe brings back so many memories of my Momma’s ambrosia for Thanksgiving and Christmas back in the 60’s and 70’s. She passed away in 1974, and I’ve tried to recreate dishes she made for our family back in the day. I remember just cut up orange segments with coconut. I made this dish today for Christmas tomorrow. I had to add a little bit of orange juice to the mixture and some powdered sugar. Oranges don’t seem to be as juicy as they used to be. My husband asked me if I could add maraschino cherries. I’ll put a few on top for color..:)
This is a tradition in our family for Thanksgiving and Christmas. My grandmother was raised in the South (Kentucky), and she made this for us since I was a very small child (I am not 80!). It is such a wonderful memory and this is the first time I have seen it in print. I have served this while entertaining, and no one had ever had it, but they raved on and on. And it is so simple. I learned something from you today. I never heard of cutting the membrane off, so now I will be doing that from now on. No one ever complained before, and my kids always look forward to it each holiday…and they are in their mid-fifties now! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
My family has been enjoying this recipe for generations, too! It’s included in my new cookbook as well. I’m glad your family and guests love it!
THIS is what I call ambrosia too! Nothing else….just oranges and coconut 😊
I am making it for a teacher breakfast tomorrow and wanted to know the ‘proper’ ratio of oranges and coconut and yours came up. I had to put in ‘ambrosia oranges and coconut’ in my search engine because just ‘ambrosia’ brought up those other versions. Thanks for sharing and it’s great reading the comments to know others grew up with this version on their tables as well.
This is the ambrosia that my family always had and still has. I hope the teachers enjoyed it!
This is exactly like the ambrosia my mom made when I was a child. Simple to make and very good. Can hardly wait to make it for Thanksgiving. Such a refreshing dish to add to a holiday meal. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
My pleasure, Lynda! I agree that it’s a great palate cleanser for such a rich meal as Thanksgiving.
I recall my late father making this for me many years ago. I had an odd craving for it and your recipe set me on the right track. Thank you!
(Hope you don’t mind, I used grated, fresh coconut- it seemed to work well!)
I’m so glad you found the recipe. And, of course, I think fresh coconut would be wonderful.
It took a lot of looking but I finally found your recipe.
This is how my mother made it years ago.
Will be making it for Easter. May add a few marscino
cherries for color.
Thanks for the recipe.
A. Parks
I truly hope you enjoy it! Be careful with those maraschino cherries, though. They’ll quickly overpower the flavor of the oranges and coconut and will stain everything so you’ll have pink ambrosia 😊.
Hi Lana – my sister-in-law’s mother used to make this, and I remember her using whole coconuts and breaking them open to chop up the flesh. It was a whole day process of layering her ingredients into jars to give as Christmas gifts. I want to make it – my question is, how long will it keep in the fridge, and does it taste better after a day or so? Thanks!
Hi Sue. The ambrosia will keep for 3 to 4 days properly refrigerated. It only needs a few hours for the flavors to blend. I’ve never noticed it tasting better with time (of course, there’s rarely any left after a day at my house).
That’s the Ambrosia I grew up with also. It was navel oranges, fresh from the orange groves in Plaquemines Parish Louisiana and shredded coconut. Heaven!
Isn’t it wonderful? I bet yours was great with fresh local oranges!
Exactly how I remember my Mom’s ambrosia at Christmas and Thanksgiving. Thanks
Normally I will use the little ‘Cuties’ or canned mandarin oranges which have been very well drained.
I also add just a light touch of pure Almond Extract.
Interesting. And sounds very different.