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Creamy Grape Salad is a sweet and sour combination of bright green and purple grapes frosted with silky smooth sour cream and topped with a crunchy pecan. Just imagine big, juicy, crisp grapes surrounded by creamy goodness.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unique: Wow your friends and family at your next get-together or potluck with this beautiful, flavorful, unique salad.
- Easy to Make: This grape salad only takes 5 minutes to make! Keep the ingredients on hand to make it last minute.
- Flavor: I can’t even tell you how amazing the flavors in this salad are. The grapes with the creamy sweet sauce are seriously so good, trust me!
Ingredients For Creamy Grape Salad
The ingredient list for this grape salad is short and sweet and full of bright grapes. You will love the combination of the sweet and tart grapes with the tangy cream cheese and sugar. For exact measurements, scroll to the bottom of the page.
- Green Seedless Grapes: Adds a firm, juicy texture and bright flavor that is slightly tangy.
- Red Seedless Grapes: Gives the salad a different color and a sweeter flavor.
- Softened Cream Cheese: Provides a smooth, creamy texture and tangy flavor.
- Sour Cream: Combined with the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract, it gives the sauce the best flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness to balance the tangy flavor of the grapes.
- Vanilla Extract: Gives the creamy grape salad a warm sweetness.
Toppings
- Brown Sugar: Provides a depth of sweet flavor.
- Chopped Pecans: Sprinkle on top for the perfect crunch.
How do you make Creamy Grape Salad?
It won’t take you long to whip this creamy, delicious grape salad. Have your kids help you make this so they are more willing to try it. You know they will love it after one bite!
- Beat: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla until blended.
- Stir and Chill: Add grapes, then toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving.
- Serve: Top with brown sugar and pecans right before serving.
Creamy Grape Salad Tips and Variations
There are only a few ingredients but we can change things up to suit your tastes and use what you have on hand. Here are some tips to get you started.
- Substitutions: You can whip together cream cheese and Cool Whip to make a lighter texture.
- Softened Cream Cheese: Make sure your cream cheese is softened (room temperature is best), or your mixture will be lumpy.
- Low-Fat Options: You can lighten the recipe using plain Greek yogurt, vanilla yogurt or low fat cream cheese instead of sour cream and whole-fat cream cheese.
- Can You Cut Grapes in Half? That is a great idea and best for little ones. This will prevent a choking hazard and make it an easier bite for everyone.
- Toppings: Don’t add the brown sugar and nuts until you serve. They will get mushy, and the sugar will melt. You can use walnuts, almonds, cashews, or any nut you have on hand.
How to Properly Store Creamy Grape Salad
- Serve Chilled: Grape salad tastes best when it is chilled. It is best to keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. You will want to add the brown sugar and pecans right before serving.
- Don’t Freeze: You will NOT want to freeze this salad. It will not thaw well.
More Grape Recipes
Looking for recipes to use up your grapes before they go bad? Here are a few options for you. The great thing about grapes is they are the perfect side for lunches. Eat them with my ultimate tuna melt, easy Cuban sandwich, or my cucumber sandwiches.
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Creamy Grape Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pounds seedless green grapes
- 2 pounds seedless red grapes
- 1 (8-ounce) block softened cream cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Topping
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons chopped pecans
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 (8-ounce) block softened cream cheese and 1 cup sour cream until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and mix.
- Add the 2 pounds seedless green grapes and 2 pounds seedless red grapes and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
- Top with 3 tablespoons brown sugar and 3 tablespoons chopped pecans before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have a question about the toppings portion of the recipe. I’m not the biggest pecan fan (I do love pecan pie though), could I substitute granola instead and if so, how much granola would you recommend putting in the recipe? Thank you for your time and recipe.
You can use the same amount of granola as the pecans. Just make sure you add it just before serving so it doesn’t get soggy.
I am going to make this. Years ago I made a salad for Christmas similar to this called the Carmel Candy Apple Grape Salad. I left the recipe with my daughter however she cannot find it now. I do not remember using the brown sugar however I do remember it called for a box of butterscotch instant pudding. If anyone has that recipe I would be very grateful if I could get a copy. Thank you for reading.
I saw your comment and did some internet sleuthing. I found a couple that may be what you’re looking for. The first one on the website is called Carmel Apple Salad. It calls for vanilla pudding, but I’d imagine you could use butterscotch. Here’s the link: https://balancingmotherhood.com/caramel-apple-salad/#wprm-recipe-container-54876
The other is Apple Snicker Salad. Here’s that link: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/221192/apple-snicker-salad/
Neither of these call for grapes so they may not be what you’re looking for. I did more digging and found one that calls for grapes and butterscotch pudding. When I click on the link, it takes me to recipes that don’t call for grapes but it did list the recipe, so I’ll cut and paste on here.
Caramel apple grape fluff salad is a sweet and crunchy dessert. This classic Midwest “fluff” combines tart Granny Smith apples and sweet red or green grapes with butterscotch pudding, crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, and whipped topping.
Prep time: 15 minutes | Chill time: 2 hours | Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 package (3.4 oz) instant butterscotch pudding mix
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, do not drain
1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed (e.g., Cool Whip)
2 large Granny Smith apples, cored and diced (leave the skin on for crunch)
1.5 cups seedless grapes (red or green), halved
1 cup miniature marshmallows
½ cup chopped, dry-roasted peanuts (optional, for that candy apple crunch)
¼ cup thick caramel ice cream topping or sauce
Instructions:
Combine Pudding and Pineapple: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry butterscotch pudding mix and the undrained crushed pineapple until blended.
Add the Whipped Topping: Fold the thawed whipped topping into the pudding and pineapple mixture until completely smooth.
Fold in the Fruit and Candy: Gently stir in the diced apples, halved grapes, mini marshmallows, and peanuts.
Chill: Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) so the flavors meld together and the apples soften slightly.
Serve: Drizzle with caramel ice cream topping and top with extra chopped peanuts right before serving.
I hope one of these is what you’re looking for.
This recipe is so good!
Dessert? Lol, I make this for a salad for Thanksgiving dinner, it’s absolutely delicious, never thought about it for dessert, everyone loves it.
Can you cut Grapes in half? I bought seeded accidentally.
Yes you can!
I have made this grape salad for a snack/treat for our golf league and they all seem to love it. I put a small serving in a 3oz cup and pass a mixture of br sugar and pecans with a spoon for those who choose to add it.
I nake this all the time but I got the recipe from a country club and instead of using sour cream my recipe calls for marshmallows cream. It is indeed sweeter, but oh so good and if we didn’t have it on the buffet, the members would ask why!!
This is the most requested dessert at my house !
I made this and it’s Delicious!!!
It’s a favorite of ours!
OMG this is Delicious and the easiest dessert I’ve ever made. I will be making this all summer ! A must try ?