This Raspberry Jello Mold (“Polly’s Pink Stuff”) is a festive retro recipe that was my grandmother’s specialty, served for every holiday dinner.
If your family is like ours, there’s at least one, and maybe more, special recipe that’s always part of your holiday menus. Maybe it’s your Aunt Mabel’s famous mashed potatoes or Gramma Smith’s perfect pumpkin pie.
For our family, one constant on our holiday menu is “Polly’s Pink Stuff.”
How many of you have enjoyed a vintage jello mold? If not, it’s about time you did!
This recipe dates back to the early 1900s and really took off in popularity in the 50s when Jell-O molds were served at just about every major meal.
It has raspberry jello, crushed pineapple, and Cool Whip mixed with a secret ingredient that I’ll get to later. It’s totally delicious, but, for me, this vintage southern recipe is about a whole lot more than jello.
— This post was originally published on December 2, 2011. It has been updated with additional information.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Total Time: 15 Minutes (plus setting time)
Servings: 12
Primary Ingredient(s): Crushed pineapple, raspberry gelatin, buttermilk, cool whip
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I love when people share recipes that have so much meaning behind them!”
— Shelby
Why We Love This Recipe
- It’s a vintage recipe with all sorts of nostalgic feelings.
- Kids and adults love it and it adds a festive look to the holiday table.
- You can be creative with jello molds!
Equipment You’ll Need
All you’ll need for this recipe is a saucepan to cook the jello and a mold. If you don’t have a mold you can easily pour the mixture into a baking dish and cut it into squares for serving.
Ingredient Notes
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- Canned Crushed Pineapple — Don’t drain the pineapple. You’ll need the juice as well as the fruit.
- Raspberry Jell-o — We always use raspberry jello for this recipe, but you can choose your favorite flavor. It’s just as good with lime or peach or strawberry.
- Buttermilk — The secret ingredient that gives this recipe a wonderful, tangy somethin’-somethin’. Whole or low-fat buttermilk works equally well.
- Cool Whip — There’s just something about cool whip that makes it perfect for this retro recipe.
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 119 of my cookbook, My Southern Table! Get your signed copy today.
Who Is Polly?
(Personal note: This post was originally written in December 2011. Polly passed away in September 2016 at the age of almost 102. She was just as sharp and vibrant as ever right up until her passing. We were very blessed to have her in our lives for so long.)
Polly is my grandmother. My Mama’s mama. And, I’m here to tell you, she is one more sport. Polly is 96 years old and has a mind like a steel trap. She’s a voracious reader and remembers things from 80 and 90 years ago in detail that you wouldn’t believe.
She’s the oldest of seven siblings, and all but one of them are living. I come from hardy stock, y’all. The photo of our five generations up above was taken last Thanksgiving, and we all agreed that Polly looked better than all the rest of us.
I remember growing up thinking what a glamorous life Polly led. She and her husband, my Gran Robert, lived in the big city – Atlanta – but they came to visit us often down in south Georgia. They both grew up there, but my grandfather worked for the CDC in Atlanta for years. After he retired, they moved right back to south Georgia.
I always loved going to Atlanta to see them around Christmas time. We’d go downtown, where we’d see Elsie the Cow (does anyone remember Elsie besides me?), and to Rich’s and ride the “Pink Pig.” And to Stone Mountain to ride the train. It was pretty exciting for a little country girl.
Polly Loves to Travel
One of the things that Polly has enjoyed most in her life is travel. She and her sister-in-law, Ione, along with a couple of other close friends, traveled every summer for years.
My Aunt Ione was the postmaster in her little town and went to a convention every summer, bringing the whole group along with her, turning the occasion into a couple of weeks of travel time. Those were some really enjoyable times for Polly and her friends. She has loads of memories and funny stories to tell about all those travels.
Polly was never the “little wife” type. She doesn’t care much for the domestic arts, preferring to read, travel, and work outside her home. She was a constant presence in the local courthouse for years and years, working in the Clerk of Court’s office.
And even though keeping house isn’t her “thing,” she’s always been a really good cook. She can make a pot roast that will nearly bring tears to your eyes, and her Chicken Jallop recipe is famous all around our area.
One of Her Signature Recipes
This raspberry jello mold, or “pink stuff” as we call it, is one of her signature recipes. It’s something that is nearly always on our holiday table and was on my Thanksgiving menu last week. And even though many of you are looking at it askance because it has jello and Cool Whip in the recipe, I’m still honored to share this dish with you.
This Raspberry Jello Mold is as much a part of our family’s holiday tradition as the Christmas tree and the wreath on the front door. And I’d bet my next paycheck that if you give it a try, you’ll like it.
How to Make Polly’s Pink Stuff (Raspberry Jello Mold)
Prepare the Mold
- If you’re planning to unmold the jello onto a serving plate, select a mold (either one big mold or individual ones) and thoroughly coat the inside with cooking spray. Wipe out any excess with a paper towel.
Cook the Pineapple with the Jell-o
- Start by combining the crushed pineapple with its juice and the raspberry jello in a medium saucepan.
- Add the jello and stir together.
Pro Tip
Use any red colored jello you like (cherry, strawberry, cranberry). Or you can make this into Polly’s Orange Stuff with orange jello. Or Green Stuff with lime jello.
- Bring the pineapple and jello to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Set that aside to cool to room temperature.
Add Buttermilk and Cool Whip
- When the pineapple-jello mixture has cooled, stir in the buttermilk. Mix it together well.
- Then fold in a small container of Cool Whip which has been thawed. Keep folding and stirring until it is thoroughly incorporated and no streaks of white remain.
Pro Tip
Instead of using a mold, do like Polly usually does and pour it into a 9×13 pan so that you can cut it into little squares when you’re ready to serve.
Refrigerate
- Turn the mixture into a decorative mold or baking dish. Refrigerate until set. Unmold and serve.
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Questions About Raspberry Jello Mold
Keep any leftover jello mold in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. It needs to be covered closely with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Typically, jello itself lasts 7-10 days, but with the addition of buttermilk, this recipe has a shorter freshness limit.
If you want to unmold your salad onto a serving plate or platter, you’ll need to plan a little in advance.
Before starting the recipe, very lightly spray the inside of the mold with cooking spray, and then use a paper towel to evenly distribute the spray and remove any excess. When ready to serve, use a dinner knife to gently go around the outside edge of the mold and loosen the contents. Put the serving dish upside down on top of the mold and invert both the dish and mold at the same time. The salad should slip right out.
If it doesn’t, don’t panic! Fill your kitchen sink with a couple of inches of warm water. Lower the mold into the water, being careful not to get water into the mold. Leave it for just 5 to 6 seconds, remove and try inverting again.
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Recipe
Polly’s Pink Stuff (Raspberry Jello Mold)
Ingredients
- 16 ounces canned crushed pineapple
- 6 ounces raspberry gelatin
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 8 ounces Cool Whip thawed
Instructions
Prepare the Mold:
- If you're planning to unmold the jello onto a serving plate, select a mold and thoroughly coat the inside with cooking spray. Wipe out any excess with a paper towel.
Prepare the Jello Mixture:
- Place the crushed pineapple with its juice in a medium saucepan.16 ounces canned crushed pineapple
- Add the jello and stir together.6 ounces raspberry gelatin
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Remove pan from the heat and set it aside to cool.
- When the pineapple and jello mixture has cooled to room temperature, add the buttermilk and stir together until well combined.2 cups buttermilk
- Fold in the Cool Whip.8 ounces Cool Whip
- Pour into prepared decorative mold or a 9×13 baking dish and refrigerate until set.
Notes
- Instead of using a mold, pour the mixture into a 9×13 pan so that you can cut it into little squares when you’re ready to serve.
- Keep any leftover jello mold in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. It needs to be covered closely with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
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.
Hi Lana,
Can you please tell me what size mold you would use (in cups) for “Polly’s Pink Syuff/
I am dying to try it.
We have enjoyed so many of your wonderful recipes.
I jook forward to seeing all of your new and old recipes.
Thank you,
Marlena
Good question, Marlena. I never even measured the volume of the mold. But, looking at the recipe, there’s about 6 cups in volume of ingredients (2 cups pineapple, 2 cups buttermilk, and about 2 cups cool whip) so I’d say at least a 6-cup mold would do the job.
I LOVE Polly’s Pink Stuff! LOL
We do, too. It’s a long-time family favorite!
I’m planning to make for Christmas, looks delicious and pretty. Question, do you or can you add and fresh or frozen raspberries?
I haven’t ever added them, Shannon, but you should be able to. Make sure they’re very dry (if fresh) or very well drained (if frozen).
My niece had a Barbie party for her daughter’s fifth birthday and decided to serve pink food. She sent me a recipe for pink cole slaw, which I made using my own dressing and it was a hit. However, my other offering which I discovered looking for “pink” recipes. was an even bigger hit; that was “Polly’s Pink Stuff.”
I made it, with variations*, for the two more family parties and used the original for my parish women’s club gathering. Each time it was devoured. I had been asked to make something for a great nephew’s high school graduation party. My usual summer party request is my potato salad, but since my niece is serving tacos, my sister asked if I would bring the raspberry mold.
By the way, each time I had to make two versions; one “regular,” and one non-dairy. I used coconut cream, to which I added apple cider vinegar. It was every bit as delicious as the original.
Polly’s Pink Stuff has been added to the most often requested foods for me to take for family, et al, gatherings. Thank you!
You have no idea how pleased I am that your family is enjoying my grandmother’s treasured recipe!
Do you think I can use just 1 cup of buttermilk ? And the instructions say to add the jello at the same time you add the crushed pineapple to the saucepan but in one of your “reply’s” to a questions, you said to add it after the pineapple boils. Which do I do ? I’m making this for Easter tomorrow.
Thank you !
Bring the pineapple with its juice and the jello to a boil together. If you cut back the buttermilk you’ll need to make up the volume with additional cool whip or milk or maybe half-and-half.
HiLana,
Thanks for your quick reply! I made this for Easter and it was delicious! I got rave reviews. I cut the buttermilk by only 1/2 cup and used Whipped cream instead of cool whip. It was super yummy. It’s a keeper ! Thanks again !
My grandma’s name was Polly, too! Really it was Paullin Nan but everyone called her Polly.
Cant wait to prepare this in mold for my grandchildren!
Hope you all enjoy it, Georgia!