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Thanksgiving entertaining doesn’t have to be difficult.

With a few tasty ingredients and some simple preparation, you can serve Caramel Apple Salad along with the roasted turkey and mashed potatoes. It’s a definite a child and family favorite for autumn dinners.

Apples and Autumn

Apples have long been a favorite fruit of autumn. They stay firm and fresh for weeks after being picked.

With a quick wash, they are a great portable snack that doesn’t require a knife or fork. They work in desserts and can be added to savory dishes for a sweet flavor profile.

With this dessert, almost any apple will work.

Pick an apple that your family and guests will enjoy. Granny Smiths offer a tart crisp bite, while a Gala, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp offers a more complex flavor.

One of the tastiest ways to serve apples is with a coating of a gooey caramel. It offers a rich, sweet flavor that complements the taste of a good apple.

Many fair goers make a beeline to the caramel apple stand to grab one of these delicious treats.

Butterscotch pudding brings its flavor to this Caramel Apple Salad recipe.

Butterscotch has similar ingredients to caramel. The main difference is the use of brown sugar and butter in the butterscotch.

Caramel requires white sugar and can be made with or without the butter. The butterscotch flavor works in this salad because its intense richness is cut by the whipped topping and pineapple.

Making The Caramel Apple Salad Your Own

The ingredients in this recipe give you a few places to make changes to suit your flavor needs.

Frozen whipped topping can be replaced with real whipped cream. Just remember to fold the ingredients together to prevent the whipped cream from flattening.

The flavor will be richer than with the frozen whipped topping.

You can find caramel flavored pudding mix that is an easy substitute for the butterscotch.

Because it’s cut with the whipped topping, the flavor will be more subtle than with the butterscotch. However, the flavor will be more true to real caramel.

The diced apple and pineapple give this recipe its distinct texture and flavor. However, you can add other fruits to add a twist.

Select firm fruits that won’t get mushy quickly. Some options include strawberries, bananas, pears, and tangerines.

Grab what’s on sale that week and make your own fresh fruit combination.

Chopped peanuts bring a crunch to this delicious salad.

For something a bit different, substitute crushed pecans or walnuts for the peanuts. They both go well with apple and bring a richer flavor to the Caramel Apple Salad recipe.

Mini marshmallows give this recipe a mild sweet flavor that complements the Caramel and Apple. If you don’t have mini marshmallows on hand, you can cut larger ones up with a pair of kitchen shears.

Marshmallow creme is another option. It only takes a couple of ounces of marshmallow creme to get the same flavor as cup of mini-marshmallows.

Make this salad your own. Then, serve it with pride at your family’s Thanksgiving feast.

If you like this apple recipe, try these!