Snickers Apple Salad is an apple fruit salad with cool whip. Our take on the classic Snickers or taffy apple salad is a healthier version, containing chunks of candy, vanilla pudding, plenty of apples, and of course, cool whip. It’s a delicious fruit salad with a creamy twist that’s bound to impress.
This fruit salad with cool whip and pudding is a great recipe to keep at the top of the menu as summer approaches to serve as an afternoon snack or nightly dessert. It is also an excellent healthy dessert recipe to bring to any potluck, picnic, birthday party or work event that you have on your calendar.
Apples are probably one our top favorite fruits to use in the kitchen. If you are looking for more recipes featuring apples, check out Easy Sautéed Apples, Caramel Apple Slices and Canning Applesauce.
Apple Fruit Salad with Cool Whip
The mixture of vanilla pudding, cool whip, apple chunks, and candy pieces is a guaranteed winner. Plus, you can whip up a batch of our no-bake taffy apple salad in just 10 minutes with 5 ingredients.
It is a Midwestern classic that is a crowd pleaser every time.
This kid-friendly dessert also makes a great learning opportunity for young chefs. They will learn how to mix, measure, chop and everything in between. Best of all, they will be proud of their creation when everyone raves over the recipe.
For more ways to get kids in the kitchen, be sure to check out Pancake in a Mug, St. Patricks Day Cake Pops, No Bake Cookies (without Peanut Butter) and Gluten Free Dairy Free Zucchini Bread.
To get started, gather the equipment and ingredients then follow the written instructions or printable recipe card. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3.4 ounces dry instant vanilla pudding mix ✅
- 1 cup skim milk
- 8 ounces cool whip ✅
- 3 green apples, cored and diced
- 1-2 snickers, cut into pieces
Gluten-Free Guide: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten.
How To Make
In a large bowl, whisk dry vanilla instant pudding mix with milk.
Add the rest of the ingredients
Stir in cool whip and apples. Top with candy chunks.
Serve
Serve or refrigerate until serving.
Substitutions & Variations
Once your apple pieces are stirred into the salad, toss in candy chunks or another ingredient. This is the part of the recipe to get creative!
Check out all the fun ways to change up this salad and make it your own. You can pick a single ingredient or a combination.
- Dark Milky ways
- Snickers
- Peanuts
- M&Ms
- Sprinkles
- Caramel drizzle
- Pecan or walnut pieces
- Coconut flakes
- Mini marshmallows
- Mandarin oranges
- Maraschino cherries
- Crushed pineapple
Tips for Making Snickers Apple Salad
- Use whole, 2% or skim milk with the pudding mix.
- We typically use a vanilla pudding mix for this recipe because the vanilla flavor pairs well with the cool whip and apple chunks but you could swap for banana, coconut, cheesecake, butterscotch or a chocolate mix.
- Continue to whisk the pudding mix and milk together until the mixture becomes creamy.
- Greek yogurt could be used instead of the cool whip in this recipe. Picking a vanilla Greek yogurt would add an extra boost of flavor.
- We prefer to use green apples because the tartness of the Granny smith adds a great flavor to the salad. Other tart apples like Cortland or Pink Lady varieties could also be used. If looking for a sweet apple, Fuji, Gala, Jonagold and Honeycrisp are great options.
- Make nut-free by removing the snickers and adding gluten-free pretzels for a crunchy topping.
Make Ahead Taffy Apple Salad with Snickers
This recipe can be made up to a day in advance if desired. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
The only tweak that needs to be made would be to coat the chopped apples with lemon juice before mixing with the other ingredients. This will keep the apples from browning when stored overnight. If you are worried about a strong lemon flavor, you can pat the apples dry after treating with lemon juice then add to the mix.
Right before serving, stir the ingredients really well then add a few candy pieces to the top.
Storage Instructions
Store in the fridge in a covered container for up to 3 days. We do not recommend freezing this snicker salad recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe will last up to 3 days but is best when served within the first 24 hours of making. The longer the salad sits, the more likely it is to become watery. Always give leftovers a good stir before serving.
A single batch makes up to 8 servings. Keep in mind that if you’re planning to serve this recipe to a group of more than 8 people at an event, it’s wise to make a double or triple batch. It is also best to make a double batch if you have teenagers running around the house, they will finish off this snickers dessert quicker than you think.
Sure! You are not limited to apples for candy apple salad. You can swap or add additional fruit such strawberries, banana slices, grapes or pineapple chunks to the mix.
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- Continue to whisk the pudding mix and milk together until all the clumps are gone. A fork also works if you don’t have a whisk at home.
- The apples can be chopped with or without the peel. It can be fun to keep the peel on for a pop of color.
- The candy pieces can be chopped with a knife or placed into a food processor to break into small pieces.
More Healthy Desserts
- Fruit Flan
- Dirt Pudding
- Oreo Dip
- Yogurt Fruit Dip
- Fruit Dip with Cool Whip
- Best Ever Recipe for Gluten Free Apple Crisp
- Fruit Salad With Watermelon
- Pineapple Pretzel Salad
- Creamy Fruit Popsicle
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Snickers Apple Salad
Ingredients
- 3.4 ounces dry instant vanilla pudding mix ✅
- 1 cup skim milk
- 8 ounces cool whip ✅
- 3 green apples, cored and diced
- 6-8 small snickers, cut into pieces
Instructions
- Blend the pudding and milk. In a large bowl, whisk dry instant pudding mix with milk.3.4 ounces dry instant vanilla pudding mix, 1 cup skim milk
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir in cool whip and apples. Top with candy chunks.8 ounces cool whip, 3 green apples, cored and diced, 6-8 small snickers, cut into pieces
- Serve. Serve or refrigerate until serving.
Video
Notes
-
- Use whole, 2% or skim milk with the vanilla pudding mix.
-
- We typically use a vanilla pudding mix for this recipe because the vanilla flavor pairs well with the cool whip and apple chunks but you could swap for banana, coconut, cheesecake, butterscotch or chocolate mix.
-
- Continue to whisk the pudding mix and milk together until the mixture becomes creamy.
-
- Greek yogurt could be used instead of the cool whip in this recipe. Picking a vanilla Greek yogurt would add an extra boost of flavor.
-
- We prefer to use green apples because the tartness of the Granny smith adds a great flavor to the salad. Other tart apples like Cortland or Pink Lady varieties could also be used. If looking for a sweet apple, Fuji, Gala, Jonagold and Honeycrisp are great options.
- Make nut-free by removing the snickers and adding gluten-free pretzels for a crunchy topping.
Nutrition
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Debbie says
I’ve been craving this salad, but not wanting all the calories. I can’t wait to try this version!
April Jessee says
I made this Sunday and it amazing we added mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, and walnuts! Wonderful!!!!!
Helen T says
Very simple recipe which I liked. I added some cut up pineapples, marshmallows and sweetened coconut flakes. It was a hit at our family gathering.