The 2-Ingredient Retro Recipe I Make My Family All Summer Long

It’s ready in 5 minutes flat.

As a modern-day mom, I can’t help but be a little envious of parents who raised kids in the '80s and '90s. Sure, they didn’t have iPads for long car rides. Still, they also didn’t have the constant barrage of parenting advice, lunchbox judgment, and over-the-top birthday parties flooding their news feeds and making them question every single parenting decision they’ve ever made.

Imagine, if you will, a time (1990, to be exact) when parents could freely send their children to school with a Fluffernutter sandwich without so much as a raised eyebrow. What a time to be alive!

I am from New England, home to the iconic Marshmallow Fluff, which was a staple in my household. Looking back, this is a bit shocking because I grew up in an “ingredients” household. We were more than sufficiently fed, but my mom didn’t subscribe to stocking the pantry with a ton of “junky” snacks, so a tub full of almost pure sugar was a little out of character for her.

I’m not here to ponder how many grams of sugar were included in my Kindergarten lunchbox. I’m just grateful this delightful confection was a huge part of my childhood and that I learned from an early age that life is about enjoying treats like this in moderation. In addition to the classic peanut butter and fluff sandwich, I enjoyed Fluff on top of hot cocoa on snowy days and in s’mores throughout the summer.

Until a few weeks ago, I didn’t know it was a main component of one of my very favorite special occasion dishes my mom made, fruit dip.

Why I Love This 2-Ingredient Fruit Dip

I recently had a very strong craving for my mom’s fruit dip. You know when a food memory is so strong you can taste it? I picked up some strawberries from the market and they made me nostalgic for her tangy, sweet, cheesecake-like party staple.

I’d never gotten her recipe, so I decided to shoot her a text for the details. I was in total shock when she replied that the recipe was simply equal parts Fluff and cream cheese. What could be more 80s than that?!

I decided to give it a slight makeover for 2024 by reducing the Fluff a bit to take down the overall sweetness, but don’t worry—it’s still every bit as nostalgic and delicious. Set it out at a party and watch it disappear.

How To Make My Mom’s Fruit Dip

For about 1 1/2 cups of dip, enough to serve a large crowd of 10 to 12, you’ll need:

• 8 ounces cream cheese

• 1 cup (3 ounces) Fluff Marshmallow Creme

• Assorted fresh fruit, for serving

Optional upgrades:

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon orange zest

• 1 tablespoon orange juice

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy. Chill until ready to serve. Alternatively, you can mix with a hand mixer. Serve cold with lots of fresh fruit for dipping.

Make It Your Own

If you want to take things one step further into the current century, try swapping four ounces of the cream cheese for cottage cheese. It will add more protein to your dip and cut the fat content dramatically while maintaining the sweet, creamy, tangy, and nostalgic flavor. Once mixed, the cottage cheese version will be slightly more runny, but it sets up beautifully in the fridge. Ideally, let it chill for at least one hour before serving.

Craving a little chocolate? Skip the orange juice and zest and add one tablespoon of cocoa powder instead.

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.