The recipe nobody asked for

I’ve been thinking about how to start this blog post since the moment I decided to tackle this recipe. Should I open with my fascination with gelatin/cool whip creations from the 1970’s? Or how this is truly one of the only recipes I remember my mom making? Or maybe my beef with how chaotic dishes like this have the audacity to be deemed a “salad?” Either way, this Midwestern classic (am I making that up?) is one of my favorite fake salads at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

The odd combination of apples and canned pineapple shouldn’t work, but it does. Mixed with cool whip, marshmallows and peanuts, I am categorizing this recipe as a coveted “dessert salad.” Don’t let the weirdness steer you away; there’s a reason it has stood the test of time!

Veganized Versions FTW

The beauty of 2020 is that cool whip salads are no longer limited to non-vegans— which could be a blessing or a curse depending on who you are. With a wide variety of vegan cool whip and marshmallows out there, this dairy-free treat is just as simple to make as the original. I picked up my vegan cool whip and marshmallows from Whole Foods, but there are plenty of other stores and brands that have hopped on the train, such as Reddi Whip and So Delicious!

This recipe is a unique way to use up the fall apples that did not make it into your seasonal apple crisp. Enjoy at your next fall picnic, potluck or simply eat it out of the bowl like I do!

Vegan Taffy Apple Salad

Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cool time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour & 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 cups of apples, diced
20 oz can of pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of applesauce
1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp of all-purpose flour
10 oz of vegan cool whip, thawed
1 cup of vegan marshmallows
1 cup of salted peanuts

Instructions

Place diced apples and drained pineapple into a large bowl.
*In a small saucepan off the heat, whisk together sugar, applesauce, vinegar and flour. Heat mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until think and caramel in color, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

3. Stir the caramel into the apples and pineapple. Fold in the cool whip and marshmallows.
4. Cool salad in the refrigerator for one hour.
5. Add peanuts and serve!