Description
This delightful Cookie Salad combines the creamy sweetness of instant vanilla pudding and whipped topping with juicy pineapple, mandarin oranges, and crunchy fudge stripe cookies for a unique, refreshing dessert perfect for potlucks and family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Base
- 1 package (3.4 ounce) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 8 ounces whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)
Fruit
- 1 can (20 ounce) crushed pineapple, drained well
- 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained well
Cookies
- 10 fudge stripe cookies, crushed
Instructions
- Mix Pudding: In a large bowl, combine the instant vanilla pudding mix with the buttermilk. Stir thoroughly until the mixture thickens to a smooth consistency.
- Add Topping: Gently fold the whipped topping into the thickened pudding mixture, ensuring an even and creamy blend without deflating the whipped topping’s lightness.
- Incorporate Fruit: Add the well-drained crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges into the pudding mixture. Stir carefully to distribute the fruit evenly throughout the salad.
- Chill: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad until ready to serve. Chilling allows the flavors to meld and the salad to firm up, ideal for about 30 minutes or longer.
- Prepare Cookies: Just before serving, crush the fudge stripe cookies into small pieces. Fold most of these crushed cookies into the salad mixture to add texture and sweetness, reserving some for garnish on top.
Notes
- Ensure the pineapple and mandarin oranges are well drained to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
- For a low-fat option, use low-fat buttermilk and light whipped topping.
- Crushing the cookies right before serving keeps them crunchy and adds a delightful texture contrast.
- This salad is best served chilled and consumed within 1-2 days for freshness.
- Feel free to substitute fudge stripe cookies with your favorite crisp cookies for variation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
