This Rocky Road Fluff Salad is a great no bake recipe for summer picnics and potlucks. The easy chocolate mousse is loaded with nuts, chocolate, and marshmallow goodness. If you love Rocky Road ice cream, you will love this pudding dessert.
Dessert Salad
Let's talk about salad for a minute. When you first hear the word salad, I am sure you think green leaves, vegetables, and dressing, right?
But did you know that a salad is actually a dish consisting of small pieces of food mixed with a sauce? So, this chocolate pudding dessert could be called a salad! It has small pieces of nuts and chocolate mixed together with a fluffy chocolate pudding "dressing". Sounds like a salad to me. Wink, wink!
One of our most popular fluff salads is this Banana Split Fluff Salad. It is an easy no bake dessert that is perfect for summer picnics.
Since that dessert salad was such a hit online, I started thinking about other fun variations. Rocky road ice cream is one of my favorites. I love soft marshmallow mixed with chocolate and nuts, so I added those flavors to this chocolate delight recipe.
This chocolate fluff salad with rocky road toppings turned out to be the best idea of the summer so far!
Ingredients for Easy Chocolate Mousse
This chocolate salad is really just a 3 ingredient chocolate mousse that you stir all kinds of toppings into.
- Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix - make sure you buy instant Jello pudding so it sets up right. If you get a cook and serve, this recipe will not work for you.
- Milk - whole, 2%, or 1% is fine
- Cool Whip - gives it the light fluffy texture
- Mix-Ins - mini chocolate chips, miniature marshmallows, and chopped almonds give the dessert salad the rocky road taste
How to make Rocky Road Fluff Salad
This chocolate fluff comes together in 5 minutes. Make sure all your ingredients are chopped and measured out before starting the chocolate salad.
- Whisk together the milk and instant pudding mix.
- Once it thickens fold in the Cool Whip.
- Stir in the chocolate chips, marshmallows, and almonds.
- Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this fluff salad be made ahead of time?
It's actually best if you make it a little bit early, so the flavors can meld together and the marshmallows can soften. I don't recommend making it any earlier than 24 hours though, or it will start to be too soft.
Can you freeze Rocky Road chocolate pudding?
This chocolate fluff dessert freezes great. In fact, it tastes like a fluffy ice cream.
How do you eat a fluff salad?
With a spoon of course. LOL! It's also really great if you eat it like a dip with graham crackers or chocolate wafers.
Other Fluff Recipes
- Strawberry Fluff Salad
- S'mores Cheesecake Fluff
- Cookies and Cream Fluff
- Pumpkin Fluff
- Lemon Cheesecake Salad
Rocky Road Fluff Salad Recipe
This Rocky Road Fluff Salad is a great no bake recipe for summer picnics and potlucks. The easy chocolate mousse is loaded with nuts, chocolate, and marshmallow goodness. If you love Rocky Road ice cream, you will love this pudding dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 - 3.9 ounce box instant chocolate fudge pudding
- 1 cup milk
- 1 - 8 ounce container Cool Whip, thawed
- 1 ½ cups miniature marshmallows
- ¾ cup miniature chocolate chips + extra
- ¾ cup diced almonds + extra
- marshmallow bits for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Whisk together the pudding and milk until dissolved and thickened. Fold in all of the Cool Whip.
- Stir in the marshmallows, chocolate chips, and almonds. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Serve with marshmallow bits and extra mini chocolate chips and almonds on top. Makes about 8 cups.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 184Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 62mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 3g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*The post for Rocky Road Fluff Salad was first published on April 10, 2015. The pictures and post were updated and republished May 12, 2021.
Teresa Mendolia
I don't have the chocolate fudge pudding mix...just chocolate. The box says 2 cups of milk but your instructions say only 1 cup. Just wanted to confirm before I started. Thank you!
Jocelyn
The directions are correct. You will mix the dry pudding with 1 cup of milk. It will be very, very thick, but the Cool Whip will thin it down and make it light and fluffy.
Veronica T
I'm excited to serve this with a charcuterie board! Any other suggestions of what to eat it with besides the graham crackers and chocolate wafers?
Jocelyn
You can also serve it with pretzels, animal crackers, cinnamon pita chips, Oreos...pretty much any type of sweet cracker or cookie would be delicious with this. I love that you are doing it on a charcuterie board!
Karen
I use to make this but put it in Graham cracker crust and freeze it. Then pull out. Cut, rest it for 5minutes before eating. Delicious
Jocelyn
Sounds like an awesome way to eat this chocolate fluff!
Kathy
Oh Happy Day! Hubby is diabetic, I can get the sugar free pudding and sugar free Cool Whip! Definitely trying this, and thinking about putting in the freezer! YUM!
Maria Sampang
I have made this sooooo many times and I tell ya, it's always a hit for everyone, especially teenagers. I have yet to meet someone who doesn't like it. One mom even took some home and froze them like ice cream. You should have seen her face how wonderful she describes this dessert LOL. One time I ran out of almonds and I only have cashews and a little bit of macadamia; I threw them all in and it still tastes fabulous!
Renee
This looks absolutely delicious !!!
I want some !!!
Is there a way to make it a little healthier ?
Could u use lite whipped topping, skim or 1% milk?
Or what about sugar free pudding mix ?
I can eat it like this don't get me wrong .. but was just wondering lol
Jocelyn
You could definitely use a sugar free pudding mix, fat free milk, and a light whipped topping to make it kind of "healthier". Although, adding marshmallows and chocolate chips kind of defeats that. LOL! Keep me posted if you try it that way and how it turns out for you.
Tina Yarbrough
Your total time should be 1 hour 10 minutes, right? Because you have to refrigerate for an hour?
Jocelyn
Yes, if you are including chill time then the total time is over an hour. The pudding is ready to go right away, but I feel like the flavors mesh better if you refrigerate it for a little bit.
Sandy
I don't care what it's called, I like the sound of it. I'm trying it.
Thanks
Jill Roberts @ WellnessGeeky
I am obsessed with desserts! Definitely that rocky road fluff salad will be yummy! Thx for sharing!