Use Snickers, Cool Whip, Apples, And Pudding Mix For The Easiest Fall Dessert Exploding With Flavor

Salads are not for everyone. Kale, spinach, raw veggies — they can all be polarizing, and for understandable reasons. But candy salads? Now that is something most of us can surely get on board with. These loaded one-bowl treats have been doing the rounds online for some time, and our favorite new rendition combines some of the best flavors of fall: Apples, nuts, and caramel.

To make a fall-inspired apple candy salad, all you need to get your hands on are some Granny Smiths, a few Snickers bars, instant pudding mix, milk, and whipped topping. The instant pudding gets mixed with the milk to create a thick, sweet base before whipped topping is added to create an airy texture. Some chopped Snickers and apple pieces are folded in next, before both ingredients are layered again on top. A drizzle of caramel rounds it all out and the dessert is left to set in the fridge.

The result is a unique, creamy treat that is equal parts refreshing and decadent. The apples not only help balance out the sweetness of the chocolate and pudding mix, they also add a nice crunch that contrasts the creamy base. The nuts in the Snickers play a similar role, while also providing a welcome hint of salt, while the caramel adds a gooey, buttery finish. Think of it as a deconstructed, spoonable version of your favorite festive candy apples – but with even more flavor.

You can get really creative with your fall-inspired candy salad if you'd like. Replace the whipped topping with whipped cream for a lighter texture or use red apples if you don't want that tart bite. The flavor of the pudding mix is also up to you. Vanilla provides a plain base but caramel or chocolate would work too, as would butterscotch.

You could also switch up the candy bar — try something like a Mars or Twix if you want to make a nut free version, or use Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or PayDay bars to veer in the other direction. Daim is another option, as are Crunch bars, KitKats, or even M&Ms. For some more crunch add peanuts, pecans, pretzels, or chocolate chips. You could also use a salted caramel sauce to make things more interesting or add a layer of chocolate fudge sauce. Marshmallows would make a lovely addition, too.

The only thing to really keep in mind is that the apples may start to brown if you plan on making this in advance. To prevent this from happening, just coat them in lemon juice after chopping. The dessert should last for a few days covered in the refrigerator once that's taken care of. If you plan on using heavy cream instead of Cool Whip, the shelf life could be shorter. Here's how long you can store fresh whipped cream in the fridge, which depends on what you mix it with.

Watch how the candy salad comes together on this TikTok video by Sarah Kraffty.