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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally published August 22, 2015.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
My apples turned brown pretty quickly, so it didn’t look as appetizing. Is there a way they won’t brown as quickly?
If you get them fully coated as quickly after cutting them as possible, they shouldn’t turn brown. It is only the air coming in contact with the apple that cause the brown color.
You can help prevent sliced apples from turning brown by soaking them in lemon juice. Pour lemon juice over the cut apples then drain.
If you dip you apples in7up or other citrus juice it will keep them from turning brown. I like 7 up better than lemon juice because it doesn’t leave a flavor in the apples
I mixed in some Heath toffee bits, and it gave it an extra little crunch! Delicious!
Can you use a bit of marshmallow cream instead of the mini marshmallows.
They’d g this out tomorrow! Wish me luck.
I add dry roasted peanuts to the salad to cut down on the sweetness and it’s great!
Can you use honey crisp apples. This is all I have on hand
I am going to try making this with sugar free pudding, sugar free caramel sauce, and sugar free pudding to cut down on the sugars/carbs.
How was it? Im diabetic and this has way too much sugar
My husband is a a diabetic and I used Smucker sugar free Carmel and not as many snickers. Added more peanuts.
Hi! I just saw this recipe last night and I decided that I really wanted to make it but I looked in my cupboard and i didn’t have pudding or the snickers. So, I instead but banana flavored cream cheese and for the candy I put junior mints and it was amazing! I had no idea that banana and mint would go together! I honestly recommend 🙂
They don’t.
How many will this feed
Can this recipe be doubled and put into shot glasses for a party?
Absolutely!
My great grandmother used to make this every 4th and now I can! Thank you she passed and this tastes exactly like hers. Directions were easy and everything turned out great.
Do the apples need to be pealed?
You can peel them or leave the skins on. Whichever you prefer.