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Creamy Grape Salad Recipe with Brown Sugar Topping

A grape salad might sound unusual, but it’s completely addictive — creamy, sweet, and wonderfully refreshing for warm weather.

Easy Grape Salad in a blue serving bowl.

I like to serve this Easy Grape Salad very cold. Each chilled bite of grape coated in the creamy mixture is a cool, satisfying treat that’s perfect for summer gatherings and potlucks.

Easy Dessert Salad

If you’re ready to trade the usual pasta or potato salad for something different, this Easy Grape Salad is a great choice. It’s a simple dessert-style salad made from grapes folded into a smooth cream cheese and sour cream mixture, finished with a crunchy, sweet topping. It’s approachable to make and almost everyone becomes a fan after trying it.

Reader Comment

Woneda says: “I’ve been making this grape salad for years and it’s always a hit. You know it’s good when people ask for the recipe.”

Creamy Grape Salad in large blue bowl.

Ingredients

This salad uses seedless grapes (red and green for color) tossed in a creamy blend of cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. For added texture and sweetness, toffee bits or crushed candy bars are folded in, and the salad is finished with a sprinkle of brown sugar and chopped pecans for crunch.

What you’ll need: softened cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, plenty of seedless grapes, toffee bits or crushed candy bars, brown sugar, and chopped pecans.

How To Make

Short overview — full instructions are provided below.

  1. Make the creamy base. Beat softened cream cheese with sour cream, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and lump-free.
    Cream cheese mixture being mixed.
  2. Fold in grapes. Add the washed, well-dried grapes and gently fold them into the cream mixture so they’re evenly coated.
    Adding the grapes.
  3. Add toffee or candy pieces. Gently mix in the toffee bits or crushed candy bars for extra sweetness and crunch.
    Adding toffee bits and mixing together.
  4. Top and chill. Sprinkle the salad with brown sugar and chopped pecans just before serving, and refrigerate until well chilled.
    Adding brown sugar and pecans.
Easy Grape Salad in a blue serving bowl.

Tips For Making Easy Grape Salad

  • Wash and dry grapes thoroughly. Excess water makes the salad runny. Rinse in a colander and blot dry or let them air-dry on paper towels for a couple hours.
  • About one pound of grapes equals approximately 2 1/2 cups.
  • You can halve larger grapes for easier serving or to reduce choking risk for small children.
  • Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened so the cream mixture whips up smooth and lump-free.

Variations and Substitutions

  • Substitute crushed Butterfinger or chopped Snickers bars for the toffee bits for a different candy flavor.
  • Omit the nuts or swap pecans for walnuts if you prefer.
  • Drizzle a little caramel sauce over the top for extra decadence.
  • Add diced apple for a fruit mix with extra texture.
  • Use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a tangier, lighter base.

Storage

This salad is best eaten the same day it’s made; after about 24 hours the grapes release moisture and the salad becomes watery. If you need to prepare in advance, keep the topping separate and add just before serving, and store chilled.

Easy Grape Salad

More Potluck Favorites

  • Watergate Salad
  • Snickers Caramel Apple Salad
  • Pineapple Pretzel Fluff
  • Jalapeno Popper Corn Frito Salad
  • Sweet and Tangy Four Bean Salad
  • Creamy Fruit Salad

Easy Grape Salad Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 pounds green seedless grapes, washed and dried well
  • 2 pounds red seedless grapes, washed and dried well
  • 1/2 cup toffee bits or the equivalent of crushed candy bars
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Use a hand-held electric mixer or a sturdy whisk to beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  2. Add the washed, dried grapes and the toffee bits. Gently fold everything together until the grapes are evenly coated with the cream mixture.
  3. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle the brown sugar and chopped pecans over the top just before serving. Refrigerate until chilled.

Notes

  • Dry grapes thoroughly after washing to help prevent the salad from becoming watery.
  • Chill at least an hour before serving for best flavor and texture.
  • The salad will soften and become watery after about 24 hours, so plan to serve it within a day.
  • Crushed Butterfinger bars are an easy substitute for toffee bits.

Nutrition (approx.)

Calories: 245 per serving (approximate)

Originally published June 26, 2017

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