Salad. A commonly used word in the upper midwest to describe any cold dish containing 3 or more ingredients mixed together. Noodle salads, dessert salads, potato salads, greens/lettuce salads. As a born and raised Minnesotan, I will tell you the word ‘salad’ does not always reference the mixed greens you may be thinking of. The salad I am about to share with you is definitely a dessert. 

Oreo Cookie Salad is something I have scratched my head at my entire adult life. It is something I grew up eating. I remember my mom making it for special meals as a treat when I was a kid. It was always ‘salad’. But really, it is not a salad at all, it is a dessert. 

I am a creature of habit, so I will always call it a salad no matter how hard I try not to. Plus, if you tell yourself it is a salad you will feel much better about eating it and going back for seconds won’t feel so bad. 

Here is what you need to whip up this tasty treat:

1 family size package Oreos (regular or double stuff)

5.1 oz box instant vanilla pudding 

3 cups milk

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 Tablespoon butter, softened 

16 oz Cool Whip or whipped cream

First you will put a family-size bag of oreos into a gallon zipper bag and grab a rolling pin. Seal the bag and then give it a few good whacks with the rolling pin to make a combination of small and larger pieces of cookies. Set the cookies to the side. This is a great job to give to a child if they are wanting to help, my kids think it is so fun smashing the cookies. 

Next, using a stand or hand mixer, combine the pudding and milk together. It will take a few minutes for the pudding to thicken up. I have used both my stand mixer and my hand mixer for this, I prefer to use the hand mixer so I can use a larger bowl. 

Using your hand mixer, combine the butter and cream cheese. Then, combine the pudding and cream cheese in the larger bowl. Mix together until well combined. There may be some smaller bits of cream cheese that do not totally blend, fear not, they will as it settles. Next you will slowly fold in the whip cream with a large spatula. Do not use the mixer for this step!

Now you are ready to assemble the salad. Go ahead and pull out whatever dish you are serving this in. I have prepared it in plastic bowls with lids for taking to picnics, or fancy glassware for serving at a party in our home. You do whatever works for you. Start with a layer of Oreos on the bottom, then a layer of pudding, next oreos, then pudding, finally Oreos! You may have more layers if you use a smaller serving dish. You will want to always make sure that you end with Oreos! Add sprinkles to the top to make it even more fun, because who doesn’t love sprinkles? 

Serve within 12 hours of preparing. The cookies hold their texture/crunch for a while, but they do tend to soften up. It is okay to eat it for a few days after making it, it still tastes great, but the cookies don’t have the crunch they would the first day!

Enjoy!

Emily

Oreo Cookie Salad

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Ingredients

  

• 1 family size package Oreos regular or double stuff
• 5.1 oz box instant vanilla pudding
• 3 cups milk
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1 Tablespoon butter softened
• 16 oz Cool Whip or whipped cream

Instructions

 

• Crush oreos in a gallon ziplock bag. I use a rolling pin and give them a few good whacks! Make sure to leave a few bigger pieces.
• Using a stand or hand mixer, beat together the pudding mix and milk until thick
• In a separate bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and butter.
• Combine the pudding and cream cheese/butter and blend well, then fold in the whip cream with a spatula.
• Start the layering with the oreos first, then the pudding; you will want to end with the oreos on top. I usually end up with three layers of oreos and two layers of pudding. If you use a smaller dish, you will have more layers.
• Get a giant bowl and spoon, scoop up, and indulge!