Between the crisp apples, chewy candy bar pieces, and creamy vanilla pudding, this Snickers salad recipe is a sweet treat nobody can resist.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Salad? With Snickers? Trust me, it’s a thing, and it’s absolutely delicious.
It’s like someone took all the best parts of a caramel apple and turned it into a spoonable dessert.
Give it a try, and watch everyone go back for seconds!
Why You’ll Love This Snickers Salad
Quick & Easy Crowd-Pleaser: With simple ingredients and minimal preparation time, this recipe is perfect for last-minute parties. And the flavors? Who can resist chocolate, pudding, and caramel?
Versatile Dessert: Whether it’s a summer barbecue or a cozy holiday dinner, this Snickers salad fits right in with any occasion.
Indulgent Taste: The creamy, crunchy, and sweet combination of pudding, Cool Whip, apples, and Snickers creates a decadent taste experience that’s satisfyingly rich and refreshing.
Make-Ahead Friendly: This salad can be prepared up to a day in advance, saving you time and stress when entertaining.
Ingredients
- Snickers Candy Bars: Chopped Snickers add pockets of caramel, nougat, and peanut deliciousness throughout the salad.
- Granny Smith Apples: Tart, crisp, and green, their bold flavor and firm texture hold up beautifully in this sweet treat.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: The secret ingredient that binds everything into a lusciously smooth and creamy dressing.
- Cold Milk: Used to prepare the instant pudding mix. Make sure it’s nice and cold for the best results.
- Cool Whip: A tub of fluffy whipped topping is the key to Snickers Salad’s cloud-like texture.
- Caramel Sauce: For an extra drizzle of indulgence, top your Snickers Salad with a generous squeeze of caramel sauce.
How to Make Snickers Salad
Snickers Salad is a staple at potlucks and family gatherings, especially in the Midwest.
It’s one of those dishes that always disappears fast, leaving people asking for the recipe.
The best part? It’s super easy to whip up, even if you’re not a kitchen whiz.
1. WHISK the pudding and milk until smooth, then set aside to set.
2. CHOP the apples and Snickers bars into similarly sized pieces.
3. FOLD the Cool Whip into the pudding so it’s nice and light.
4. MIX the apples and candy bar chunks into the dressing, then cover and chill.
5. TOP with extra apples and Snickers pieces, plus a generous drizzle of caramel. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Snickers Salad
If you’re new to the world of dessert salads, get ready to swoon!
I made this for a family get-together, and it was an absolute hit! It’s fun, unexpected, and the perfect mix of sweet and tart.
Plus, it gives you a great excuse to eat candy bars with your meal.
- Apple choice. Use crisp, tart apples like Granny Smith for the best texture and flavor contrast with the sweet ingredients.
- Prevent browning. Soak the apples in lemon juice or ginger ale. This keeps them from browning and maintains their fresh appearance.
- Chop evenly. Chop the apples and Snickers into bite-sized, uniform pieces for consistent texture and flavor in every bite.
- Fold gently. Gently fold the whipped topping into the pudding until combined. If you whisk it too hard, it’ll deflate.
- Mix well. If you made it ahead, be sure to mix the salad well before serving.
- Add the garnish last. If you’re adding chopped apples for garnish, do so right before serving so they don’t go brown.
Recipe Variations
Caramel apple is a classic flavor we all know and love. But you can tweak this recipe to make it your own.
Here are my favorite ways to jazz it up:
- Change the pudding flavor: Butterscotch, caramel, chocolate…you decide!
- Go with different candy: Not a Snickers fan? Try Rolos, Mars Bars, Baby Ruth, Mounds, or Milky Way.
- Use another sauce: Chocolate sauce, salted caramel, butterscotch, or even lemon curd with the right candy!
- Fun mix-ins: Give it more texture with chopped nuts, grapes, strawberries, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and more!
How to Store
Once you get a taste of this, you’ll want to make it for every BBQ, potluck, and family gathering.
The bad news is, it won’t freeze. But the good news is, it’ll hold well in the fridge, so you can make it in advance – and it’s easy to double up!
To Make Ahead: Toss the apples in lemon juice or soak them in ginger ale for 5 minutes. Pat dry, then make the salad as instructed, cover, and chill for 1-2 days.
To Store: Store leftover Snickers Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-4 days. The texture may change slightly as the apples release moisture, but it will still be safe to eat.
Stir before serving to recombine any separated ingredients.
More Creamy Dessert Salads You’ll Love
Glorified Rice
Frog Eye Salad
Pineapple Pretzel Fluff
Creamy Cranberry Salad
Snickers Salad Recipe
6
servings5
minutes1
hour534
kcalBetween the crisp apples, chewy candy bar pieces, and creamy vanilla pudding, this Snickers salad recipe is a sweet treat that nobody can resist.
Ingredients
1 cup cold milk
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
6 Granny Smith apples, divided
6 full-size Snickers candy bars, divided
1 (8 ounce) tub Cool Whip, thawed
1/4 cup caramel sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, blend the milk and instant pudding mix with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and starting to thicken. Set aside.
- Wash and cut the apples into bite-sized cubes. Chop 5 candy bars into similar-sized chunks. Reserve 1 apple and 1 candy bar for garnish.
- Gently fold the Cool Whip into the pudding mixture until well combined and smooth. Add the chopped apples and Snickers bar pieces and stir until everything is evenly coated with the pudding mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, to allow the flavors to meld.
- Wash and cut the remaining apple and chop the last Snickers bar.
- Just before serving mix the salad well then top with the extra apple and candy bar pieces. Drizzle with caramel, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use crisp, tart apples like Granny Smith to balance the sweetness of the candy and pudding. No need to peel the apples.
- Chop the apples and Snickers into small, bite-sized pieces so the salad is easy to eat.
- Cool Whip makes the recipe quick and easy, but you can use an equal amount of homemade whipped cream if you prefer.
