Cookie Salad

What is Cookie Salad?

Well, it’s a treat that’s often found in North Dakota, Minnesota, and other parts of the Midwest. Made with cookies, whipped topping, and canned fruit, it’s a “salad” in only the loosest interpretation of the word.

In order for this recipe to make sense to you, you’re probably going to have to expand your definition of salad beyond just the leafy green variety.

This salad is more in the vein of Crisco salad, or even the Snickers salad I’ve made in the past, where we used some kind of creamy, sweet, whipped topping, or a pudding-like mixture to hold fruits or nuts or sweets together in a dessert-like dish.

And though cookie salad is dessert-like, it is considered more of a side dish than a dessert. Made with Keebler Fudge Stripes cookies, buttermilk, instant vanilla pudding mix, Cool Whip, crushed canned pineapple and mandarin oranges, it can often be found at potlucks, in church basement get-togethers, and picnics.

I adapted my recipe from the Kitchn.com where the writer admits that a large part of the appeal of this dish is rooted in its nostalgia.

Keebler Fudge Stripes cookie in a Cool Whip/pudding mixture with a slice of mandarin orange on a plate.

Cookie Salad

A dessert-like dish made with Keebler Fudge Stripes cookies, buttermilk, Cool Whip, crushed canned pineapples and mandarin oranges.
3.50 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course holiday, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 10 people
Calories 62 kcal

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • strainer

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 pkg instant vanilla pudding  3.4 oz size
  • 1 tub whipped topping, thawed  8 oz size, thawed
  • 1 can crushed pineapple  8.5 oz size
  • 1 can mandarin oranges 8.5 oz size; reserve 5 wedges for garnish
  • 10 Keebler Fudge Stripes Cookies crushed; reserve remaining whole cookies for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Using a strainer, drain the canned pineapple and mandarin slices of their syrup. Reserve 5 mandarin wedges for garnish.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the instant pudding mixture with the buttermilk. 
  • Fold in the drained fruit and the whipped topping. 
  • Cover and refrigerate.  
  • When ready to serve, fold in the crushed cookies and top with reserved mandarin slices and whole cookies. 

Notes

I tested The Kitchn’s recipe for Cookie Salad: https://www.thekitchn.com/cookie-salad-22924043.

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 26mgPotassium: 144mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 237IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 1mg
Keyword cookies, Fudge Stripes Cookies, Keebler, Midwest, salad
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

2 thoughts on “Cookie Salad”

3.50 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




TAKING BIG BITES

free email series

What Food Can Teach Us

Get it...here!