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Snickers Salad is one of those fun potluck recipes that always gets people talking. It is creamy, crunchy, sweet, tart, and loaded with chopped apples and Snickers pieces. It tastes a little like a caramel apple in fluffy dessert salad form, and it only takes a few minutes to throw together.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“This was a huge hit at our neighborhood BBQ last weekend!” – Stephanie
“I have an aunt that used to bring this to Thanksgiving every year. It was by far all of the kids’ favorite! Its an easy recipe to change up too! Add grapes, canned fruit cocktail, Milky Way candy bars, Twix candy bars. There are so many options.” – Jessi
“I add a small box of vanilla instant pudding to the cool whip and stir until the pudding is completely dissolved, then add the snickers. Yummy!” – Nancy
Why I Love This Apple Salad 🍎🍏
The first time I tried Snickers Salad, I had no idea what was in it. I was at a potluck dinner and everything in the bowl was covered in Cool Whip, so I could tell there were apples, but I could not figure out what gave it that chewy caramel and nutty flavor. It tasted like a chocolate caramel apple with a spoonful of whipped cream on top.
I found the person who brought it and asked what was in it, and I was so surprised when she told me it was chopped Snickers bars. Since then, this recipe has become a family favorite. My kids request it all the time as a side dish, but it also works as an easy dessert. It is quick, fun, and always one of the first things to disappear at a potluck.
🩷 Echo
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Apples: A mix of sweet and tart apples gives this salad the best flavor and color. I like using Granny Smith with a sweeter apple like Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Red Delicious.
- Snickers candy bars: These add chocolate, caramel, peanuts, and chewy nougat in every bite.
- Cool Whip: This makes the salad light, creamy, and easy to stir together.
- Vanilla or butterscotch pudding mix, optional: This makes the dressing thicker and gives the salad more flavor.
- Milk, optional: Use this if you are adding pudding mix to make the creamy base.
- Caramel sauce, optional: A drizzle on top turns this into more of a caramel apple Snickers Salad. I especially love our salted caramel sauce on top.
- Lemon juice, optional: This helps keep the apples from browning if you are making the salad ahead of time.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Homemade whipped cream: You can use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip. Whip heavy cream with a little sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Pudding mix: Vanilla pudding is creamy and classic, but butterscotch pudding gives the salad more caramel flavor.
- Different candy bars: Twix, Milky Way, 100 Grand, Reese’s, 3 Musketeers, Butterfinger, Baby Ruth, or chocolate chips can all work if you want to change it up.
- Caramel topping: Drizzle caramel sauce over the top right before serving for a caramel apple flavor.
- Cream cheese: Mix softened cream cheese into the whipped topping for more of a cheesecake-style salad.
- Fruit additions: Bananas, grapes, strawberries, pineapple, or fruit cocktail can be added, but keep in mind softer fruit can make the salad watery faster.
- Sour cream trick: A reader shared that coating the apples with a little sour cream before adding the Cool Whip and Snickers helps slow browning and adds a little tang.
- High Protein Version: Sub the vanilla pudding for a scoop of vanilla protein powder and sub the snickers for your favorite protein bar.
How to Make Snickers Salad
- Chop the apples and Snickers. Cut the apples into bite-sized pieces and chop the Snickers bars into small chunks. If making ahead, toss the apples with a little lemon juice and pat them dry.
- Make the creamy base. Add Cool Whip to a large bowl. If using pudding mix, whisk the pudding mix with milk first until smooth, then fold in the Cool Whip.
- Mix the salad. Gently fold the chopped apples and Snickers pieces into the creamy mixture until everything is coated.
- Chill and serve. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Add extra Snickers pieces and a drizzle of caramel sauce on top right before serving, if desired.
Apples to Use in Snickers Salad
The nice thing about this salad is that you can use any apples you have. For the best flavor profile, I like to use one apple that is more sweet and one apple that is more tart. I usually pick Granny Smith apples as my tart apple. Its fun to have one green apple and one red apple for added color.
Sweet Apples 🍎
- Gala
- Fuji
- Red Delicious
- Honeycrisp
- Jonagold
- Ambrosia
Tart Apples 🍏
- Granny Smith
- Pink Lady
- Cortland
- Jonathan
- Braeburn
- McIntosh
Golden Delicious apples are right in the middle, but they are also great for this recipe, and salads in general. They have great texture and the flesh of the apple stays white after slicing for longer than most apples.
Recipe Tips
- Use tart apples for balance. Granny Smith apples are my favorite because they cut through the sweetness of the candy and whipped topping.
- Use a mix of apples. One tart apple and one sweet apple variety gives the salad better flavor and a prettier look.
- Keep everything cold. If the Cool Whip gets too warm, the salad can turn runny.
- Use instant pudding only. If you add pudding mix, make sure it is instant pudding, not cook-and-serve.
- Do not skip patting the apples dry. If you use lemon juice or soda to prevent browning, pat the apples dry before adding them so the salad does not get watery.
- Add caramel right before serving. Caramel sauce looks best and tastes freshest when added at the end.
- Cut the candy small enough. Smaller Snickers pieces make it easier to get apple and candy in the same bite.
- Serve smaller portions. This is a sweet salad, so a little goes a long way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Snickers Salad is a creamy dessert salad made with chopped apples, Snickers candy bars, and whipped topping. Some versions also include instant pudding mix, milk, caramel sauce, or extra fruit.
It can be either. We often serve it as a sweet side dish at potlucks and family dinners, but it is definitely sweet enough to be served as dessert too.
Toss the chopped apples with a little lemon juice, 7-Up, or ginger ale, then pat them dry before adding them to the salad. This helps slow browning without making the salad too watery.
Yes. The original version of this recipe uses only apples, Snickers, and Cool Whip. Pudding mix is optional if you want a thicker, sweeter, more flavored dressing.
Yes. Homemade whipped cream works well, but the salad may soften faster than it does with Cool Whip. For best results, serve it the same day.
Snickers bars do not contain gluten ingredients, but always check the package labels on the candy, pudding mix, whipped topping, and caramel sauce to make sure they are safe for your needs and have not changed.
Yes. This is a great recipe to double for a party, potluck, BBQ, or holiday meal. Use a very large bowl so you have room to fold everything together without smashing the apples.
Granny Smith apples are my favorite because their tart flavor balances the sweet Snickers, pudding, and Cool Whip. I also like mixing in a sweeter apple like Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Red Delicious for more color and flavor.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: You can make Snickers Salad a few hours ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator. For the best color and texture, treat the apples with lemon juice or lemon-lime soda, then pat them dry before mixing.
Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days. The apples may brown a little and the salad can get more watery the longer it sits.
Freezing: I do not recommend freezing Snickers Salad. The whipped topping and apples do not thaw well, and the texture gets watery.
Serving Leftovers: Give leftovers a gentle stir before serving. If needed, fold in a little extra Cool Whip to freshen it up.
Pairing Ideas
Snickers Salad is perfect with potluck, picnic, and BBQ recipes. Serve it with pulled Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches, Tri Tip Roast, Chili Cheese Dogs, or Smoked Baby Back Ribs. For sides some great options are BBQ Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. It also goes with just about any easy family dinner, especially when you want a sweet side dish that feels fun and a little nostalgic.
More Apple Recipes
- Disneyland Apple Pie Caramel Apples: These Apple Pie Caramel Apples from Disneyland are my new favorite treat!
- Traditional Apple Crisp: This is a no-frills, easy, traditional apple crisp recipe that can’t be beat. Just like the apple crisp the lunch lady used to make.
- Copycat Bluebird Turkey and Brie Sandwich: Our Bluebird’s Turkey and Brie Sandwich Copycat is the best sandwich ever. The unique flavors are so good.
- Apple, Ham, and Cheddar Melts: Apple, Ham, and Cheddar Melts are my favorite lunch in the fall. It takes grilled cheese to a whole new level.
This Snickers Salad is creamy, crunchy, sweet, tart, and so easy to make with just a few ingredients. It is always a hit at potlucks and family parties.
If you try this salad, leave a comment and rating below. I would love to hear what you think! 💛🍏🍎
Snickers Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 6 apples, I like to use a mix of Granny Smith apples and any other apples I have on hand
- 6 Snickers candy bars
- 3.4 ounces vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1/2 cup cold milk
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
- salted caramel sauce, (optional but amazing)
Instructions
- Cut apples into bite size pieces. Dice Snickers bar into bite size pieces.
- Mix cut up Snickers bars and apples in a medium-sized bowl.
- Mix together instant pudding mix and milk until smooth (it will be thick). Fold in cool whip.
- Fold pudding mixture in with the snickers and apples. Drizzle salted caramel sauce over the top.
Notes
- Use a mix of tart and sweet apples for the best flavor.
- Granny Smith apples are especially good because they balance the sweetness.
- If making ahead, toss apples with lemon juice or lemon-lime soda, then pat dry before mixing.
- Keep the salad chilled until serving so it stays thick and creamy.
- Add caramel sauce right before serving for the best look and flavor.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days.
- Do not freeze this recipe, the texture does not hold up well.
- For a thicker dressing, add instant vanilla or butterscotch pudding mix with milk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Love this salad! I always coat my apples in sour cream before adding cool whip and snickers . Keeps the apples from turning brown as fast.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Can’t wait to try this salad.
What a delicious combo! Yum.