Taffy Apple Salad

This old-fashioned taffy apple salad is perfect for potlucks and holiday parties. A delicious side that chocked full of apples, pineapples, cool whip, marshmallows, and peanuts.

Taffy Apple Salad

This dessert recipe is the perfect side to any party or event. I love old-fashioned recipes like this one and other desserts like sweet potato pie, berry cobbler, and strawberry shortcake .

I grew up with a large extended family and my immediate family faithfully went to church three times a week. This gave us plenty of opportunities to have gatherings where lots of foods were present. Recipes were swapped at every church potluck and family gathering. Of course, there were always the favorites. This apple salad was always the classic dessert that everyone piled high on their plates.

Taffy Appl Salad is one of those recipes that the moms called a salad, which always confused me because, to me, it is clearly a delicious dessert.

This is one of those dessert salads that you’ll find yourself going back for more and more, and then some more. It’s that good.

What You’ll Love About This Taffy Apple Salad

• It’s a make-ahead recipe – Actually, you’ll need to do a couple of the steps a day in advance.
• This salad is kid-approved. The kids and I at the entire bowl in two days

Ingredients

• Pineapple chunks or pineapple tidbits – This is a wonderful addition to this salad which helps preserve the whites of the apples. They won’t turn that unpleasant brown color like they usually do at the slightest hint of air.
• Miniature Marshmallows – Thank goodness for the mushy mini marshmallows that add so much flavor and texture to this salad/dessert
• Flour – This is used to thicken what the recipe book calls the pudding.
• Egg – Another recipe going into the pudding. This helps thicken the pudding and acts as a binder. This will need to be well beaten before you add it to the pudding mixture
• White Vinegar – Another acid to help keep those apples shiny and white
• Cool Whip – Another staple in any dessert/salad recipe from the good old days, and one that is lending such delicious flavor
• Diced Apples – I had Gala Apples on hand, which I would definitely recommend, but most apples will work in this recipe. Let’s be honest, the pineapple and the marshmallows with the delicious salted peanuts will be a stronger flavor, anyway
• Peanuts – You’ll want to grab some salted peanuts, because the combination of salty and sweet is the absolute best in this recipe

How to Make Taffy Apple Salad

Drain the juice from the pineapple, but reserve the juice for later

In a medium bowl, mix the pineapple chunks and mini marshmallows

Cover the marshmallows and pineapple and refrigerate overnight

Pour the juice into a large saucepan. Mix in the sugar, beaten egg, flour, and vinegar.

Turn the burner on to medium heat and constantly stir the mixture watching for it to thicken up and starts to look like pudding

Cover that and place it in the refrigerator overnight

The next day, stir the pudding mixture and fold in the cool whip

In a large bowl combine the cool whip and pudding with the marshmallows and pineapples.

Add the apples, and peanuts

Refrigerate until ready to serve

Expert Tips

The pudding will thicken up as it cools down and also in the as it cools in the refrigerator. The next morning the pudding should have a thicker consistency

Beating the egg before adding it to the saucepan will expand it and allow it to foam up a bit with lots of air bubbles.

Add-Ins to Taffy Apple Salad with Cool Whip

Snicker Bars – cut up are unbelievably delicious in this salad and they already have peanuts. Use them in place of the peanuts or in addition to

Twix Bars – Cut Twix bars and add them to the taffy salad to provide another crunchy texture and some delicious caramel

Caramel – Drizzle caramel over the top of taffy apple salad before serving it

Pudding in Taffy Apple Salad

This old-fashioned version of taffy apple salad has something the ladies of years past call a pudding. It needs to be made the day before, but it is simple to make.

Make sure that it is not overcooked. You’ll want it to have a silky texture not a chunky texture

Spanish Peanuts

Spanish peanuts are smaller peanuts and reddish brown in color. This specific variety of peanuts is what most taffy apple recipes call for. I don’t get that picky, and I don’t think you should worry too much if you can’t find them. Make sure your peanut is salted for that sweet and salty combination and you should be fine.

FAQs

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Serving Size

This recipe for taffy apple salad will comfortably serve 12 people.

Double for more deliciousness

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