Cookie Salad
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This Classic Cookie Salad recipe is made with Cool Whip, buttermilk, mandarin oranges, instant vanilla pudding and Fudge Striped Cookies. It’s the perfect dessert salad to bring to parties and the kids love it!

You know those recipes that you grew up on and were a staple at every family gathering? This classic Cookie Salad recipe is one of them. I can totally see why. It’s ridiculously easy and everyone always loves it, especially the kids! It’s stuffed with juicy mandarin oranges and crunchy fudge striped cookies, plus light and fluffy from the Cool Whip!
The debate is really, why do we call this a salad? I don’t have an answer. Around the Midwest salads aren’t just those healthy ones there are also Jell-O salads, pudding salads or combine them and just call them dessert salad, except we serve them as a side to the main dish.
Why this Cookie Salad recipe works!
- Everyone LOVES this dessert salad loaded with cookies and mandarin oranges.
- It’s so quick to make, think 10 minutes and you are done!
- Flexible. We call it a side, some people call it a dessert, plus there’s tons of options for add-ins.
Ingredients for Cookie Salad
- Buttermilk
- Instant French Vanilla Pudding Mix
- Cool Whip
- Mandarin Oranges
- Fudge Striped Cookies
Should I use Buttermilk or Milk?
I always make this with buttermilk as the directions state, but you can use regular milk. The buttermilk will give it a richer taste and will make it thicker, but the skim milk would give you less calories!
Extra Add-In Ideas!
- Crushed or tidbits pineapple, drained
- Sliced bananas
- Mini Marshmallows

How To Make Cookie Salad
- First grab a mixing bowl and combine buttermilk and pudding mix until smooth. If you don’t have buttermilk here’s a great buttermilk substitute!
- Fold in Cool Whip and mandarin oranges.
- If you are serving immediately add crushed cookies, but if you aren’t serving it for a while cover and refrigerate.
- When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator and mix in chopped cookies.
- If you add the cookies when you make it and serve it later the cookies will get soggy and no one wants a soggy cookie!
How To “Fold” In Ingredients
The folding technique is designed to combine ingredients without knocking the air out of the mixture, so your Cookie Salad will stay nice and light. If you don’t do this it will become watery and thin.
To fold the Cool Whip and mandarin oranges into the buttermilk mixture you will run the spatula around the side of the bowl, then alone the base of the bowl. Now fold the mixture over onto itself. Rotate the bowl 90° and repeat until combined.
Make Cookie Salad Pie!
That’s right, it’s a simple fun twist and makes it a “real” dessert.
All you have to do is prepare it like the directions state and then spread it in a graham cracker crust or chocolate crust.
For the finishing touch top with more whipped topping, crushed cookies and then chill until ready to serve.
How to Make Cookie Salad Trifle!
You’ll need to grab another container of whipped topping plus more cookies for this twist.
Simply take a trifle bowl and layer 1/3 of the salad into the bowl. Top it with a layer of whipped topping and lay out cookies on top of it. If you get really ambitious you could cut the cookies in half and press them against the outside of the bowl.
Repeat layers two more times. Chill until you are ready to serve.
How do I store leftover Cookie Salad?
Store leftovers in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
This salad will separate some and get a bit watery. The cookies will also get soggy.
If you are not going to eat the salad in one sitting we recommend only adding cookies to the portion that you’ll be eating and then adding the cookies in as you eat it!

More Pudding Salad Recipes
- Strawberry Banana Pudding Fluff
- Oreo Fluff
- Caramel Apple Snickers Salad
- Snicker Salad
- Ambrosia Salad
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

Cookie Salad
Ingredients
- 1 c. Buttermilk
- 1 3.4 oz Box Instant French Vanilla Pudding Mix
- 8 oz Cool Whip
- 1 15 oz Large Can Mandarin Oranges drained (You can also use apples and cut those up or both!)
- 1 c. Fudge Striped Cookies chopped
Instructions
- Whip together buttermilk and instant pudding.
- Fold in Cool Whip and mandarin oranges. Add cookies if serving immediately. If not serving immediately cover and store in refrigerator. When it’s time to serve add cookie and mix until combined.
Tips
- Crushed or tidbits pineapple, drained
- Sliced bananas
- Mini Marshmallows
Rae Smith says
Can you use powdered buttermilk?
I always have this in my pantry
Julie Evink says
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would if you prepared the dry buttermilk as the directions say on the package and just used that.
Keri says
Thank you so much!! My sister-in-law gave me the recipe for this years ago. My mom asked me to make it for my grandpa’s memorial service tomorrow, and I couldn’t find my recipe. I was panicking, because I couldn’t remember the measurements. I was taught to make it with pineapple, which we love, but I added mandarins this time as well. You saved my day. Thanks again!
Julie Evink says
So happy I could “save the day”! 🙂
Judith says
Our family loves it using fresh sliced strawberries in place if the mandarin oranges.
Julie Evink says
Ohhh I’ve never tried this, but now I want too!
Sara says
I call it jumble cookie salad. From my Aunt (not Ant) Norma from ND! We trade it out with Snicker Salad?
Julie Evink says
LOL I like you guys! My love language!
Cheryl says
I would call it “Cookie Salad for the Kid at Heart”. People can try it or not but I say you should stay true to yourself.
People really need to stop nitpicking and start enjoying life. It too short as is!
Julie Evink says
Totally agreed!
Michelle says
LOVE COOKIE SALAD!
When we have a family gathering and we are told to bring salad we have to specify of they want a sweet salad or vegetable salad.
To me a salad doesn’t have to be lettuce- if it is a cold mixture of ingredients it is a salad!
Julie Evink says
Totally agree! We do the same with our family gatherings 😉
Jen Nikolaus says
OMG this looks SO GOOD!!!! My boys would die. Yum!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
OMG. 🙂
Julie Evink says
Mine kind of salad huh?!
Cathy says
Haha! Love the name – and the recipe! For all those who think they don’t like salad….they have clearly never tried this one!!
Julie Evink says
Haha it’s kind of an oxymoron! It’s the only type of “salad” my husband eats!