A salad that’s named after a candy bar?! Yes, please! This apple Snickers salad is an easy dessert or sweet side dish for your next potluck party or holiday gathering. It’s the perfect combination of tart, juicy apples, creamy caramel, and crunchy peanuts.
Table of Contents
If you love dessert fruit salads, be sure to try this Watergate salad recipe, this strawberry jello salad, this grape salad, and a mandarin orange salad, too!
My friend Jackie originally gave me this recipe, which is one of her sister’s go-to potluck dishes. Teresa’s recipe was published in a cookbook that the local high school sells as a fundraiser, and Jackie brought me a copy because she knew that I would love it. She was absolutely right!
The Most Delicious Apple Fruit Salad with Snickers
If you’re not familiar with Snickers salad, this classic dish combines chopped Granny Smith apples, Snickers bars, chopped peanuts, and crushed pineapple in a “dressing” made from Cool Whip and vanilla pudding. It might sound like an odd combination, but it totally works. You get the sweet creamy dressing, the tart juicy apples, the salty, crunchy peanuts, and the little bits of chocolate and caramel from the candy bars. What’s not to love?!
While it’s called a fruit salad, it’s safe to say that many folks will likely categorize Snickers apple salad a no-bake dessert. Whether you deem it a side dish or an indulgent treat, one thing’s certain: it disappears fast!
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- Thaw the Cool Whip in the fridge overnight before using it in this recipe. Do not thaw the container at room temperature, which will negatively impact the texture of the whipped topping.
- Make sure that you’re using a small (3.4 ounce) package of vanilla instant pudding mix — not the Cook & Serve variety. If you prefer the sugar-free pudding mix, look for the 1-ounce package.
- You do not need to prepare the pudding according to the package directions. Instead, stir the dry pudding mix directly into the Cool Whip.
- Granny Smith apples work best in this recipe, since the green apples have a tangy, tart flavor that pairs really nicely with the sweet, creamy dressing. Use leftover apples for dipping with this apple dip, too!
- Do not strain the juices from the crushed pineapple. Everything goes right into the salad!
- You’ll need 5 full-size Snickers bars, or a total of about 9 ounces of Snickers if you are using smaller bars.
- Snicker salad requires at least 1 hour of chilling time, which allows it to “set” and gives the pudding a chance to thicken the creamy dressing. It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish or dessert for holidays and other gatherings.
How to Make Snickers Salad
You won’t believe how easy this salad truly is! Simply stir together the ingredients, refrigerate, and serve. It takes a total of about 10 minutes! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- First, gently fold together the thawed whipping topping and the dry pudding mix. You want to be careful not to deflate the fluffy Cool Whip, so don’t worry if the pudding mix isn’t completely combined. It will dissolve on its own when you add liquid later.
- Next, add the chopped apples (with the peel intact), chopped Snickers, chopped peanuts, and crushed pineapple (with its juice) to the whipped topping mixture. Reserve some of the chopped peanuts and Snickers bars for garnish later, if you like.
- Fold everything together gently in the bowl, cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour. The pudding will thicken the salad and help it set as it chills. Give it another gentle stir just before serving, and garnish with any reserved peanuts and candy bars.
Serving Suggestions
Set the Snicker salad out on a dessert buffet with your other favorite cakes, cookies, and pies. Or, if you really want to make your loved ones smile, offer the salad as a sweet side dish — just like you would any other fruit salad.
At a summer cookout, the cool salad is delicious with grilled burgers, chili dogs, and bbq chicken breast. On a holiday table, it’s great alongside a pineapple glazed ham at Easter, with maple glazed roasted turkey breast on Thanksgiving, and with grilled beef tenderloin for Christmas.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: Allow at least 1 hour for the salad to chill in the fridge before serving. This helps the pudding thicken up the dressing. It will be fine for at least 8 hours if you want to make it earlier in the day.
- How to Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The peanuts will not be as crunchy, but it’s still delicious!
- I do not recommend freezing this salad, as the fruit will have an odd texture when thawed.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Apple Snickers Salad
Ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed in the refrigerator
- 1 (3.4 ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
- 5 medium Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped (about 2 ¼ lbs. total)
- 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, not drained
- 5 (1.86 ounce) Snickers candy bars, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup chopped dry-roasted salted peanuts, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently fold together the Cool Whip and instant pudding mix, being careful not to deflate the whipped topping. The pudding mix does not need to be completely dissolved at this point, since it will dissolve on its own when combined with the fruit juices.
- Fold in the apples, pineapple, Snickers bars, and nuts. If you like, you can reserve a few pieces of Snickers to garnish the top of the salad at the end.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours before serving. This gives the pudding mix a chance to thicken the dressing and help the salad come together.
- Stir gently just before serving. Garnish with additional chopped peanuts and reserved Snickers, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Apple Snicker Salad Recipe Variations
- Make a Snickers salad with grapes by swapping out 1 of the apples for a cup of halved red or green seedless grapes.
- Make a Twix apple salad by swapping out the Snickers bars for an equal amount of Twix bars (you’ll need enough Twix bars to total about 9 ounces give or take).
- A Butterfinger salad would also be delicious! Substitute the Snickers bars for an equal amount of Butterfinger bars.
- Make it a caramel apple crunch salad by drizzling caramel sauce over top!
- Prepare the Snickers salad with mandarin oranges by stirring in a small can of drained mandarin oranges.
- Cut down on some of the sugar in the recipe by using Sugar Free Cool Whip and sugar free vanilla instant pudding mix.
More No-Bake Dessert Recipes to Try
Ambrosia Salad Recipe
5 minutes mins
Ice Cream Sandwich Cake (Just 5 Ingredients)
2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Easy Banana Pudding
4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Originally published in August 2019, this post was updated in March 2025.
Ooh, wickedly YUM and I can see where I could deconstruct it and put it together one or two servings at a time if I can find the sugar free whipped topping and pudding mix. Mixing the cool whip and pudding ahead of time and adding the fruit and candy later. You can add the juice with the pineapple? Sometimes the crushed pineapple I buy seems awfully wet.
Yes, the liquid helps combine everything and adds extra flavor.