Gigi’s Famous Apple Salad (Easy Recipe with Grapes)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Gigi’s Apple Salad with marshmallows and whipped cream is light, fluffy, and not too sweet. Mix up a bowl in under 15 minutes — perfect for the holidays! You can serve this easy apple salad recipe as a side dish, or as a dessert for your holiday meal.
Fresh fruit and creamy whipped topping transform into an easy treat that everyone will love.
Salad recipes like this are meant to be made any time of year, but I find myself drawn to serving this simple apple salad on the holiday table.
It’s also a fall favorite as well, and it’s been a big hit for dinner parties, too!
The whipped cream paired with the crunchy apples is a creamy and sweet crunchy texture that everyone loves.
I tend to make a big bowl of this delicious apple salad because it’s a great option for everyone to enjoy.
Apple Salad
This apple salad recipe with Cool Whip is like a dessert version of a Waldorf salad, with grapes and apples and none of the celery!
Craving more nostalgia? Recreate a classic pistachio fluff! All you need are a handful of ingredients and 5 minutes of your time.
Or, try one of my decadent cheesecake salads instead. I have over a dozen flavors and combinations to choose from, each even better than the last.
How To Make Apple Salad with Whipped Cream
Cut up the apples into bite-sized pieces and combine them with halved grapes. Stir in sliced bananas and mini marshmallows, then toss it all with Cool Whip.
It doesn’t get much simpler than that!
One container of whipped topping is more than enough for a refreshing apple fruit salad. It coats everything lightly but doesn’t smother it.
For best results, put together this apple salad recipe with Cool Whip just before serving so it’s perfectly fluffy and chilled.
Apple Fruit Salad Tips and Tricks
- Thaw the Cool Whip. You’ll get the best texture when thawing it in the refrigerator, which can take up to 6 hours.
It should be light and fluffy so you don’t have to mash the delicate fruit to get it mixed into the apple salad. - Don’t forget the lemon juice! This prevents both the apples and bananas from browning.
While the firmer fruits can be prepped hours in advance, I recommend slicing the bananas just before tossing them with Cool Whip. - Tip for quick slicing: Halve your grapes in seconds by placing them between two lids and running a knife through the center!
- Add a little crunch. Chopped walnuts or pecans would be a great way to add some texture to this apple salad recipe!
- Need a larger amount? Easily double the amounts when making apple salad with whipped cream for potlucks and large holiday gatherings.
Best Apples for Fruit Salad
Which apples to use in fruit salad really comes down to personal preference.
For this apple salad, I chose a tart green apple and a sweet red apple for a nice balance of flavor.
You’ll always want to choose firmer varieties so they don’t become too soft or grainy when coated with the Cool Whip.
Here are my top picks for sweet apple salad with whipped cream:
- Granny Smith
- Honeycrisp
- Fuji
- Braeburn
- Pink Lady
Apple Salad Recipe FAQ
This fluffy apple salad will keep for up to a day when covered or stored in an airtight container. Any longer, and the bananas will become too mushy.
Sure! Blueberries, strawberries, or even drained pineapple tidbits would be a great addition to this apple fruit salad.
You can make homemade whipped cream! The texture is a bit creamier, but it will do in a pinch.
Increase the heavy cream to 1 ½ cups and adjust the other ingredients accordingly. This will yield about 3 cups total, which is equivalent to an 8-ounce tub of Cool Whip.
Need a dairy-free version of this apple salad recipe? Just use coconut cream — it will be labeled as such.
Otherwise, scoop off just the solid portion from a can of full-fat coconut milk. It will whip up just as well as the heavy cream!
There are so many ingredients that you can add, and even a bunch of weird ingredients, too!
To make this into an apple pecan salad, add pecans with your favorite apples.
You can also add Greek yogurt for a savory taste.
Other salad ingredients could include feta cheese, maple syrup, plain yogurt, a dash of cinnamon, crunchy nuts, and dried cranberries.
If you want to turn this into an easy salad using your favorite salad greens, you can leave out the sweet marshmallows and whipped cream and instead add kale salad, baby spinach, blue cheese, tangy goat cheese, other fresh greens, balsamic vinegar, peppery arugula, and even just green leaf lettuce.
You’ll still slice up large apples and add them, but fresh salads made with lettuce can easily be made from this original recipe as well.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
Don’t miss a thing! Follow us on
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Gigi’s Famous Apple Salad (Easy Recipe with Grapes)
Ingredients
- 1 green apple, cut into bite size pieces with the skin on (about 1 cup)
- 1 red apple, cut into bite size pieces with the skin on (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup red grapes, halved long ways
- 1 cup green grapes, halved long ways
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 3 Yellow bananas, ripe but firm (about 1 cup when sliced)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 8 ounce Cool Whip, thawed
Instructions
- Cut red and green grapes and add to a large salad bowl.
- Cut red and green apple into bite size pieces (discard seeds and core) and toss with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Add to salad bowl.
- Peel and slice bananas. Toss with enough lemon juice to fully coat both sides of each slice. Add bananas to the salad bowl.
- Add in marshmallows and toss the salad to combine.
- Add thawed Cool Whip to the bowl and toss all to combine.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published October 2021, updated and republished April 2024
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
As a special treat you can dice a snickers bar and also add to the salad. Great surprise
Yes! We have a great recipe for a Snickers Apple Salad, so yummy! https://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2016/10/snickers-caramel-apple-cheesecake-salad-recipe.html
This is such a nice refreshing salad. I was worried about the marshmallows but they contrasted the fruit perfectly. The cool whip pulled it all together.