
When we posted our 5-cup fruit salad (one of our most popular recipes), we received some very concerned emails from people who were upset at the word “salad” in the title. They feared that we were deceiving people into thinking that this was a healthy dish because of the word “salad” in the title. Sorry about that- we had no intentions of tricking anyone.
So I googled the word “salad” and discovered that the first definition talked about vegetables and green lettuce, but that there were two definitions that work for salads such as this one:
- a mixture or assortment, or
- any dish of cold vegetables or fruit (i.e. fruit salad).
We completely agree that this isn’t the most healthy you could ever eat, but we also believe that the healthiest attitude to have when it comes to food is “moderation in all things.” You can have a yummy “salad” like this every once in a while . . . that is one of life’s real pleasures.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
To make this mandarin orange cookie dessert salad, you need the following ingredients:
- Vanilla instant pudding
- Buttermilk
- Cool whip
- Pineapple tidbits
- Mandarin oranges
- Fudge-striped cookies
Equipment Needed
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
How to Make Our Mandarin Orange Cookie Dessert Salad
- In a large bowl, mix together the dry pudding mixes and buttermilk.
- Then fold and in Cool Whip and stir until combined.
- Add in the pineapple and mandarin oranges until incorporated.
- Break cookies into bite-size pieces and gently fold into salad mixture.
- Serve immediately.
- If preparing ahead of time, add cookies right before serving.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe calls for buttermilk. It definitely tastes best with buttermilk, but you could also make it with milk, if you desire. I personally prefer the buttermilk, because it’s a little thicker.
- When you fold in the cool whip, we really mean fold. If you mix it with an electric mixer, your whipped cream will become more liquidy, and not so thick and fluffy.
- If you don’t want to add the cookies, you most definitely don’t have to. You could easily go without them.
- If you make this recipe ahead of time, we recommend adding the cookies right before serving. If you make it ahead of time with the cookies, they will become mushy and won’t taste as good.
Enjoy More Delicious Fruit Salads
Want to add more fruits to your meals? Browse our comprehensive list of salad recipes.
- 5-Minute Pistachio Salad
- Ambrosia Salad
- Caramel Apple Jello Salad
- Creamy Grape Salad
- Honey Lime Fresh Fruit Salad
- Mandarin Orange Pretzel Salad
- Mom’s Frog Eye Salad
- Orange Fluff Jello Salad
- Peach Jello Fluff Salad
- Pina Colada Fruit Salad
- Snickers Apple Pudding Salad
- Weight Watchers Jello Pudding Fluff

Mandarin Orange Cookie Dessert Salad
Ingredients
- 6.8 ounces vanilla instant pudding, 2 (3.4 ounce) package
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 16 ounces cool whip, 2 packages
- 20 ounces pineapple tidbits, 1 can. drain well
- 22 ounces mandarin oranges, 2 (11 ounce) cans, drained well
- 11.5 ounces fudge striped cookies, 1 package, I used Keebler
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the dry pudding mixes and buttermilk.
- Then fold and in Cool Whip and stir until combined.
- Add in the pineapple and mandarin oranges until incorporated.
- Break cookies into bite-size pieces and gently fold into salad mixture.
- Serve immediately.
- If preparing ahead of time, add cookies right before serving.
Notes
- This recipe calls for buttermilk. It definitely tastes best with buttermilk, but you could also make it with milk, if you desire. I personally prefer the buttermilk, because it’s a little thicker.
- When you fold in the cool whip, we really mean fold. If you mix it with an electric mixer, your whipped cream will become more liquidy, and not so thick and fluffy.
- If you don’t want to add the cookies, you most definitely don’t have to. You could easily go without them.
- If you make this recipe ahead of time, we recommend adding the cookies right before serving. If you make it ahead of time with the cookies, they will become mushy and won’t taste as good.
Nutrition
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I also have used Whipping Cream with gelatin for a Rich creamy moose flavor.
I am glad to see this recipe here because if this recipe gets how we can find this at more ward parties and neighborhood pot lucks.
With Love,
Scary