This Cookie Salad Trifle is layers of vanilla pudding with pineapples and mandarin oranges, whipped cream, and crushed fudge stripe cookies. It is a no-bake dessert that takes my popular cookie salad and transforms it into a triple threat of deliciousness! Whether you call this a salad or dessert, enjoy every bite! I also have a Chocolate Cookie Salad made with chocolate pudding for all you chocolate lovers out there!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pudding: I used instant vanilla pudding mix in this salad (or is it dessert…).
- Buttermilk: To complement the sweetness of the other ingredients, I mixed buttermilk with the pudding mix. It gives the pudding a little bit of tanginess. If you don’t have buttermilk, make your own. If using milk (which you could), the pudding will have a slightly different flavor.
- Whipped Topping: If using store-bought whipped topping, let it thaw before using. Or, try the recipe with homemade whipped cream!
- Pineapple: Drain a can of crushed pineapple before adding it to the pudding. You could also use fresh pineapple, chopped into small pieces, or crushed in a food processor.
- Mandarin Oranges: Although I used mandarin oranges, you could also make this salad/dessert with clementines, tangerines, or naval oranges. Just peel and cut into smaller pieces, removing the seeds.
- Cookies: I crushed fudge-striped cookies before folding them into the salad. To crush, add cookies to a zipped bag and smash them on the counter a few times. You could also do a rough cut with a knife.
Customize Your Cookie Salad Trifle!
It’s fun to get creative with additional mix-ins or ingredients in this recipe. Here are a few options you could try:
- Try other kinds of fruit like strawberries, blueberries, bananas, or peaches.
- Add chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds.
- Mix in coconut flakes.
- Try the recipe with other kinds of cookies like Oreos, shortbread cookies, graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or chocolate chip cookies, just to name a few!
- Add chocolate chips.
- Mix in small chunks of brownie pieces.
Can I Make Cookie Salad Trifle Without A Trifle Dish?
Absolutely! Don’t miss out on this dessert just because you don’t have a specific trifle dish! The point of a trifle is to show off the beautiful layers. So, you could use a large glass bowl or punch bowl. Or, instead of serving out of one big bowl, you could also use mason jars, glass bowls, or glasses to make individual servings of this dessert. Have the desserts individually assembled before you serve them.
How To Store This Cookie Salad Trifle
To store the cookie salad trifle, cover the dish. Then, store it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The longer it is stored, the more soggy the cookies may become, but it will still be delicious! I do not recommend freezing this salad/dessert.
Cookie Salad Trifle
Ingredients
- 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup (245 g) buttermilk
- 16 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
- 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, well-drained
- 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, well-drained
- 20 fudge stripe cookies, crushed, divided
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the instant vanilla pudding mix and buttermilk until thick.
- Fold in half of the thawed whipped topping.
- Add the crushed pineapple and mandarin oranges to the pudding mixture, stirring until well combined.
- Spoon one-third of the pudding mixture into a trifle dish.
- Top the pudding layer with one-third of the remaining whipped topping and one-third of the crushed cookies.
- Repeat the layers two more times, ending with a layer of crushed cookies on top.
- Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
This cookie salad trifle was a delightful mix of sweet and tangy flavors. Loved the combination of mandarin oranges and crushed cookies.
Elizabeth
I'm not always a fan of pineapple in desserts, but the pudding mix balanced it out perfectly. The layers of crushed cookies added a nice crunch.
Bella
I enjoyed the creamy texture and the burst of flavors from the mandarin oranges. The fudge stripe cookies were a delicious touch.
Annabelle
This trifle is a great dessert option. The layers of pudding, fruit, and cookies made it both fun to eat and visually appealing.
Selena
The cookie salad trifle was a huge hit at our family gathering! Easy to make and loved by everyone!
