Bity
This Snickers salad is the bowl that makes people laugh at the name and then come back for a second scoop. Crisp, tart Granny Smith apples and chopped Snickers bars are folded into a fluffy vanilla pudding cream, then finished with ribbons of caramel. It takes 15 minutes to put together and an hour to chill.
In short, Snickers salad is a no cook dessert salad of diced Granny Smith apples and chopped Snickers bars folded into instant vanilla pudding and whipped topping, with caramel on top. It takes 75 minutes including 1 hour of chilling, serves 10 and comes to about 295 calories per serving.
I met it at a Midwestern potluck, sitting between the baked beans and the coleslaw as if it were perfectly normal to serve candy bars as a side dish. Honestly, it won me over in one spoonful. Now it is my answer whenever someone says “just bring something sweet”.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love This Snickers Salad
- Six ingredients, no cooking. There is no oven, no hob and nothing to melt. You whisk, fold and chill.
- Sweet, tart, creamy and crunchy at once. The sharp apples stop the caramel and chocolate from becoming too much.
- It feeds a crowd. One bowl makes 10 servings, and it doubles easily for a big gathering.
- It travels well. Because it is served cold, it can go from your fridge straight to the potluck table.
- Everyone has an opinion on it. In fact, the “is it a salad or a dessert” debate is half the fun.
Ingredient Notes
- Granny Smith apples. 4 large, cored and diced. Their tartness and firm, crisp flesh are what balance the sweet dressing. I leave the skins on for colour and crunch. Harvard’s Nutrition Source also points out that most of an apple’s fibre and flavonoids sit in the peel, which is a fine excuse to skip the peeling.
- Snickers bars. 4 large bars (1.86 ounces each), chopped into small chunks. A cold bar is far easier to cut, so chill them for 20 minutes first.
- Instant vanilla pudding mix. 1 package (3.4 ounces), used dry. It must be instant; cook and serve pudding will not thicken with cold milk.
- Cold milk. 1 cup (240 ml). Whole milk sets the firmest.
- Whipped topping. 1 container (8 ounces), thawed in the fridge. This is the Cool Whip style tub from the freezer aisle.
- Caramel sauce. 1/2 cup, plus extra for drizzling. It is optional in the mix, but I would not skip the drizzle on top.
What Is Snickers Salad?
Snickers salad is a dessert salad from the American Midwest, a cousin of ambrosia, Watergate salad and the other creamy “fluff” bowls that appear at church suppers and family reunions. There, “salad” simply means something cold, mixed in a big bowl and passed around the table. So yes, it is really a dessert, and nobody at the potluck minds in the slightest.
You will also see it called Snickers apple salad, apple Snickers salad or caramel apple salad. They are all the same idea: tart apples, chopped candy bars and a creamy dressing.
Which Apples Are Best?
Granny Smith is the classic choice, because the dressing is very sweet and needs something sharp to push against. That said, any crisp apple works. Avoid soft, mealy varieties, which turn to mush after an hour in the cream.
| Apple | Flavour | How it behaves |
|---|---|---|
| Granny Smith | Tart and bright | Very firm, the best contrast |
| Honeycrisp | Sweet with a little tang | Extra juicy and crunchy |
| Gala | Mild and sweet | Softer bite, good for children |
| A mix of red and green | Balanced | Prettiest in the bowl |
How To Make Snickers Salad
1. Whisk the pudding base. First, pour the cold milk into a large glass mixing bowl and sprinkle in the dry pudding mix. Whisk for about 2 minutes, until it turns pale yellow and starts to thicken.
2. Fold in the whipped topping. Next, add the thawed whipped topping. Fold it through with a silicone spatula until the cream is smooth and one even colour. Fold gently, because stirring hard knocks out the air.
3. Add the apples, candy and caramel. Then tip in the diced apples and the chopped Snickers, and pour over the 1/2 cup of caramel sauce if you are using it. Fold until every piece is coated.
4. Chill. After that, cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. As a result, the pudding firms up, the flavours settle together and the whole thing is properly cold.
5. Finish and serve. Finally, give it one gentle stir, spoon it into a serving bowl, drizzle with more caramel and scatter a few extra Snickers pieces over the top.
How to Keep the Apples From Browning
Cut apples brown because an enzyme in the flesh reacts with oxygen. The creamy dressing coats the pieces and slows that down a good deal, which is why this keeps its looks better than a plain bowl of sliced apple.
If you are making it more than a couple of hours ahead, toss the diced apples with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice before they go in. Scientific American’s food science explainer notes that acidic juices such as lemon make the browning enzyme less active. You will not taste the lemon under all that caramel.
Why Is My Salad Watery?
A watery apple and candy bar salad has usually sat too long, because the apples keep releasing juice. Make it on the day you serve it, whisk the instant pudding for the full 2 minutes and use fully thawed whipped topping. The usual causes:
- It sat too long. Apples release juice over time, and the sugar in the dressing draws out even more. For the best texture, make it the day you plan to serve it.
- The pudding was not whisked long enough. Give it the full 2 minutes so it has started to thicken before the topping goes in.
- The whipped topping was still icy. Half frozen topping melts into water in the bowl. Thaw it in the fridge, not on the counter.
- Cook and serve pudding was used. Only instant pudding sets without heat.
- The apples were wet. If you rinsed them after dicing, pat them dry first.
Tips for the Best Snickers Salad
- Dice the apples into small, even pieces, roughly the size of the candy chunks, so every spoonful gets a bit of everything.
- Chill the Snickers before chopping and use a large sharp knife. Warm bars smear and stick.
- Hold back a handful of apples and candy for the top. It looks far more inviting than a plain white surface.
- Save the final caramel drizzle for just before serving, or it sinks in and disappears.
- Taking it to a potluck? Keep it in a cool bag with ice packs, and do not leave it out for more than 2 hours.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead. The best plan is to whisk the pudding base and chop the candy the night before, then fold in freshly diced apples a few hours before serving.
- Fridge. Cover the Snickers salad tightly, or move leftovers to an airtight container, and eat within 2 days. It gets looser and the apples soften as it sits, though it still tastes good.
- Freezer. I do not recommend it. The apples turn soft and watery once thawed, and the cream separates.
Variations and Substitutions
- Different candy. Twix, Milky Way, Reese’s cups or Butterfinger all work. If you love that last one, my Butterfinger balls are another easy no-bake treat.
- Different pudding. Cheesecake, butterscotch or white chocolate instant pudding are all good. Chocolate pudding makes it richer and darker.
- Real whipped cream. Whip 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold it in. It tastes fresher but does not hold as long, so serve it the same day.
- Cream cheese version. Beat 4 ounces of soft cream cheese into the pudding for a tangy, cheesecake style dressing.
- Extra crunch. Add a handful of chopped salted peanuts or crushed pretzels right before serving.
- Nut allergy. Snickers contain peanuts. Use a nut free caramel chocolate bar instead, and check the label.
What to Serve With It
At a potluck, Snickers salad sits happily on the dessert end of the table next to an old-fashioned apple crisp or a pumpkin dump cake. For Thanksgiving, I put it out with the pies as the cold, creamy option. If you like this style of dessert, my creamy pineapple salad is made in much the same way.
On game day it follows something salty beautifully. For example, a slow cooker of grape jelly meatballs first, then a scoop of this, covers sweet and savoury with almost no effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ingredients and Swaps
What is Snickers salad made of?
Four diced Granny Smith apples, four chopped Snickers bars, instant vanilla pudding, cold milk and whipped topping, with caramel sauce stirred in and drizzled on top.
Do you need to peel the apples for Snickers salad?
No. The skin adds colour and crunch, and unpeeled pieces hold their shape better. Peel them only if you prefer a softer bite.
Can you make Snickers salad without pudding?
Yes. Some families use only whipped topping, or whipped topping with cream cheese. However, the pudding gives the dressing body and helps it stay thick.
Can you use fun size Snickers bars?
Yes. Four 1.86 ounce bars weigh about 7.4 ounces in total, which is roughly 12 to 13 fun size bars.
Serving and Storage
How far ahead can you make an apple Snickers salad?
Up to the night before, but for the best texture, make it the same day and chill it for at least 1 hour. If you must make it the night before, toss the apples in lemon juice first and stir before serving.
How long does Snickers salad last in the fridge?
Up to 2 days, covered tightly or in an airtight container. After that the apples soften and the dressing turns thin. It does not freeze well, because the apples turn watery and the cream separates once thawed.
Is Snickers salad a side dish or a dessert?
It is really a dessert, though it is served as both, depending on who you ask. In the Midwest it often sits with the sides. I serve it as dessert, and nobody has ever complained.
How many calories are in Snickers salad?
About 295 calories per serving when the bowl is split into 10, with roughly 49 g carbohydrates, 40 g sugar and 9 g fat. These figures are estimates.
Ingredients
- 4 large Granny Smith apples cored and diced
- 4 large Snickers candy bars (1.86 ounces each), chopped
- 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 ounces)
- 1 cup cold milk (240 ml)
- 1 container whipped topping (8 ounces), thawed
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce plus extra for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk the instant pudding mix into the cold milk in a large bowl for about 2 minutes, until it begins to thicken.
- Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until the cream is smooth and evenly mixed.
- Add the diced apples, the chopped Snickers and the caramel sauce, if using, and fold until coated.
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour so the salad is cold and the flavours come together.
- To serve, drizzle with more caramel sauce and top with a few extra Snickers pieces if you like.
