It’s nearly time to transition from peach season to apple season and I can’t think of a better way to do that than this Snickers Caramel Apple Salad, a classic easy recipe that’s a real favorite with kids and makes a fabulous fall snack.
Snickers Caramel Apple Salad is a great make-ahead recipe for potlucks and block parties and can easily feed a crowd.
Calling it a salad confuses some people in the same way that Watergate Salad does. It’s really a dessert. And it reminds me of the time years ago I took my niece and nephew to Cracker Barrel. My nephew was only 2 or 3 at the time and I told him he could pick out some candy. “Mommy doesn’t allow us to have candy,” he said. But he was looking around at the assortment of candy with huge eyes. He heard his sister say look at these Peanuts. They were those marshmallow peanuts that aren’t peanuts at all. But I could tell the wheels started turning in my nephew’s brain when his eyes suddenly doubled in size and a devious grin spread across his face. It occured to him that he could eat this candy and tell his mother he ate peanuts. LOL!
And I am sure he would happily eat this dessert and tell his mother he ate salad! Don’t you love the minds of small children?
Ingredients Needed
Only a few simple ingredients are needed: instant vanilla pudding mix, cool whip, chopped apples, snickers bars (the best part!), and I like to throw a few marshmallows in too, but they are optional. The whole thing gets drizzled with caramel sauce.
Lately I’m really loving Smucker’s Salted Caramel Topping
. It has just the right balance of sweet and salty and it is perfect for this Snickers Caramel Apple Salad.
Type Of Apples
You can use whatever apples you like. A lot of people like the tartness of Granny Smith with the sweetness of the other ingredients. I usually do a mixture of Granny Smith and something like Red Delicious or Gala.
Snickers Caramel Apple Salad Recipe Tips
This recipe is also really good made with crushed Butterfingers or toffee bits instead of Snickers.
The Snickers can get a little hard in the refrigerator. To prevent this, you can mix the Snickers in just before serving.
Storage
Best eaten the day it is made but will keep for 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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More Apple Recipes
- Caramel Apple Bread
- Frisky Apple Fritters
- Oatmeal Crumb Apple Bars
- Caramel Apple Pound Cake
- Crock Pot Butterscotch Apple Crisp
Watch our short video on How To Make Snickers Caramel Apple Salad
Snickers Caramel Apple Salad
Ingredients
- 6 small apples, cored and chopped (I like to use a blend of Granny Smith and Red Delicious)
- 6 (1.86-ounce) Snickers Bars, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 (5.1-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix,
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 (12-ounce) container Cool Whip
- 1 cup marshmallows, optional
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce
Instructions
- Whisk together pudding mix and milk in a large bowl. Fold in Cool Whip.
- Fold in apples, chopped Snickers, and marshmallows.
- Drizzle caramel sauce on top.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve (at least 1 hour.)
Notes
Nutrition
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Originally published August 22, 2015.
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I too have made this but used Milky Ways candy bars as I have a grand child allergic to peanuts. It was still wonderful
I can’t wait to make this! Have all the ingredients except apples so off to town in the morning for apples! Gonna take this salad to our local moose lodge! Hope they like it!
I hope they like it too!!
What about using whipped cream instead of cool whip?
Yes, you can definitely use homemade whipped cream.
Has anyone ever tried this with chocolate pudding? It’s what I have in my cupboard right now 😊
Can u put this in the freezer same day u make it? I have a long drive to the bbq at a friends house am afraid it will get warm and start to run. (Making it same as i am taking it)
I don’t think it would freeze it.
Thanks for the salted caramel idea. I have made this many times but never thought of that
The salted caramel is so good Tina! Hope you get to try it soon!
I took this to a picnic last summer and one lady said “this is so good I would eat it even if a fly got in it”. I get so many compliments on this recipe. Thank you for sharing it with us. Toby B.
That comment is definitely a very strong endorsement! 🙂
Can you make this the night before if your taking it to a breakfast ?
Yes, I think if you wrap it really well in plastic wrap it will be fine.
My daughter and I make this for all of our big holiday family get togethers, and it’s amazing! I can tell you from experience that by the second day, it’s ALWAYS watery. For the best results, you should serve it within hours of making it. If you chill all of the ingredients before making, you can serve it right away.
Can I use the cook and serve pudding instead?
I think you will have a better result with the instant pudding Marina.
Should it be 1 1/2 cups of milk? 1/2 cup doesn’t seem enough..
Just 1/2 cup milk Marcia. It will be a little thick, but coat the apples well.
I will try your recipe, thank for sharing !
I love this stuff, Christin. Now I want to make some!!!
Oh my goodness! This is the best salad I have ever seen! Amazing Christin!
Haha aaaw your nephew sounds so so cute 🙂 This salad is the best way to kick start apple season! It looks so decadent and delicious!
LOL, this is definitely my kind of salad!! I’m so ready for fall and apple season, so this sounds great!
Yeah I’m totally calling this salad! Love the snickers and the caramel drizzle 🙂
How sad that we have to start thinking about fall, but this dessert salad is making me feel better about it. Snickers is on my list of top 3 favorite candy, so this is looking pretty dang good to me! 🙂
Kids are so cute, and I’m pretty sure this is the only salad my older son would be happy to eat! Haha. I’ve never seen anything like this — it looks so incredibly good!
Haha, this is about the only salad I’ll eat! And taco salad, potato salad, fruit salad…. but not salad salad! Lol. This passes for my veggies, right? 🙂
I am ready to welcome apple season. I have been meaning to make this salad for awhile for the grands. The caramel sauce sends it over the top!
I cannot find a 5.1 ounce of pudding mix?