Creamy Vanilla Grape and Apple Salad with Cranberries and Pecans – a delicious side dish for the Fall season.
Creamy Vanilla Grape & Apple Salad with Cranberries and Pecans – this salad is so good, you will want it before dinner, as an appetizer, and after dinner, as a dessert! With the holidays coming up, this festive fruit salad will look great on the Thanksgiving and/or Christmas menu!
The dressing is made by whipping together softened cream cheese, sour cream, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. It’s so delicious, and tastes like a cake frosting! I had a hard time restraining myself from not eating the whole dressing while I was making it! That might also be the temptation you will face but stay strong! The dressing will taste even better once in the salad:
Enjoy!
Creamy Vanilla Grape and Apple Salad with Cranberries and Pecans - a delicious side dish for the Fall season. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve and other holidays! Gluten free recipe.
- 8 oz cream cheese , softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pound red grapes seedless
- 1 pound green grapes seedless
- 3 red apples sweet, cored and diced
- 2/3 cup chopped pecans + extra
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer, blend the ingredients for about 2 minutes or until nice and smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the grapes, diced apples, chopped pecans, and cranberries. Add the dressing and toss to coat.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. When you are ready to serve, top with extra chopped pecans and a small amount of brown sugar (if desired).
Is there another nut that would be good in this salad? I have family that are allergic to walnuts and pecans
If you can eat cashews – they would taste wonderful in this salad!
Looks yummy. I love to add marshmallows to mine. Never tried vanilla in the dressing but sounds like a great add.
Adding marshmallows sounds delicious! Enjoy the recipe!
We make this a bit differently. We use two kinds of grapes. I love the idea of adding apples. We also use two crushed up butterfinger bars along with the chopped pecans and brown sugar mixture.
I am glad you liked this recipe! 🙂
Can this be made the day before? Thank you!
Absolutely; I think it tastes better the next day
Yes, you can make this recipe a day in advance. Keep it refrigerated in an air-tight container.
Does the dressing keep the apples from turning brown?
Can i freeze this dish for later?
I wouldn’t freeze this, because that will affect the texture of the salad dressing.
Is it ok to cut the grapes in half? The grapes I have are so large.
Yes, cut them in half if they are large.