Blanch the broccoli by boiling it in water for three minutes, placing it into an ice bath for two minutes and drying it on a dish towel.
Place the broccoli, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and bacon bits into a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and pour it over the broccoli salad.
Gently toss the salad until it’s evenly coated in the dressing and place it into the refrigerator for at least one hour to let all of the flavors blend together.
Finally, toss everything together one final time, serve cold and enjoy!