This Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad is a delicious dessert that everyone will love. It’s layered with a crunchy pretzel crust, a creamy cream cheese filling, and a sweet raspberry jello top. It’s the perfect combination for a delicious salty and sweet dessert.
Raspberry Pretzel dessert is the perfect summer dessert with three layers of salty-sweet deliciousness. I recently took this raspberry pretzel salad to a potluck, and it was gone before I could even eat a piece. It’s that good, I promise you. You might want to make two pans of this easy dessert recipe. If you love this raspberry pretzel dessert, you might want to try our Lemon Raspberry Poke Cake, Easy Mixed Berry Pie Razzleberry Crescent Rolls, and our Marshmallow Cream Cheese Fruit Dip.
Ingredients for Raspberry Pretzel Jello
- Pretzels: Any salted pretzels will work. Sticks, twists, squares, their all the same!!
- Butter: I always use unsalted butter in my recipes. This will cut down on the salt content in your food.
- Sugar: This recipe calls for white granulated sugar for the pretzel crust and the cream cheese filling.
- Cream Cheese: I have used full fat and reduced fat cream cheese and they both work well.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla or vanilla extract are both good options.
- Cool Whip: You will want to thaw out the cool whip before mixing it in with the cream cheese.
- Raspberry Jello: You will need two 3oz. packages, or one 6oz. package of raspberry jello.
- Boiling Water: You will need two cups of boiling water to dissolve the raspberry jello in.
- Frozen Raspberries: I prefer to use frozen raspberries. If you prefer to use fresh raspberries, see my not below.
How To Make Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350F
- Make The Crust: Add pretzels to a large ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin. Add crushed pretzels, melted butter, and 3Tbsp. sugar to a large mixing bowl, and stir to combine all ingredients well. Pour mixture into a 9×13 baking pan and press firmly to form the crust. Place in a preheated oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- Make Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium size mixing bowl beat softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Fold in thawed Cool Whip. Spread cream cheese filling on top of pretzel crust, making sure you spread it all the way to the edges of the pan. Place in the fridge while you prepare the jello topping.
- Make Raspberry Jello: In a medium size bowl add boiling water and jello until dissolved. Add frozen raspberries and stir to combine. Carefully pour jello on top of cream cheese filling and spread evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours, or until jello is set and firm.
Can I use fresh fruit instead of frozen?
Yes, you can use fresh fruit instead of frozen, but I would recommend using frozen and her is why. When you add frozen fruit to the boiling hot jello, it immediately starts to cool the jello mixture down, helping it to cool down and and set faster.
Can I substitute cool whip?
Cool Whip is the best option because it doesn’t soften the pretzels and keeps well when made the night before. If you decide to use whipped cream (by beating 1 cup heavy whipping cream until stiff and fluffy) and although this substitution tastes good, it softens the pretzel crust so the crust isn’t as crisp. If using whipped cream, add 2/3 cup powdered sugar to the cream cheese to reach the same sweetness and refrigerate the cream portion for 45 minutes for it to set better.
Tips for making raspberry pretzel jello
- If your not a fan of raspberries, you can substitute them for strawberry jello and frozen strawberries. Another great option is blueberry jello and frozen blueberries. Have fun with the fruit combinations.
- If your not into the salty sweet combination, try using a graham cracker crust. Use 3 cups graham cracker crumbs, with 3/4 cup melted butter, and 3 Tbps. granulated or brown sugar.
- This recipe is great to make the night before a pot luck or BBQ. The jello sets up nicely and becomes nice and firm.
Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad
Ingredients
Pretzel Crust
- 2 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
- 3/4 cup butter, melted
- 3 Tbsp sugar
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 8 oz. container cool whip, thawed
Raspberry Jello
- 1 6 oz. package raspberry jello
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 10 oz. packages frozen raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- In a medium size bowl add crushed pretzels, melted butter, and sugar. Stir to combine.
- Press crust firmly into a 9×13 backing dish and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- In a medium size mixing bowl beat softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Fold in thawed Cool Whip. Place in the fridge while you prepare the jello topping.
- Spread cream cheese filling on top of pretzel crust, making sure you spread it all the way to the edges of the pan.
- In a medium size bowl add boiling water and jello until dissolved. Add frozen raspberries and stir to combine.
- Carefully pour jello on top of cream cheese filling and spread evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours, or until jello is set and firm.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience. Getting feedback from you helps me and other readers too!
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Love this recipe for raspberry pretzel salad. It’s the best. Don’t like all the pop ~ups, though.
I’m glad you love it.
Just made it! Waiting the 2 hrs. for it to set! Smells amazing, looks amazing ,too. Will post about finished product. So excited. My daughter made another similar last weekend. She is gluten free so I bought a bag and used food processor to grind them. Thanks for the recipe. I can tell it will be a favorite! ❤️
Your very welcome!
Have you ever made this with fresh raspberries?
I have never made with fresh raspberries, but if you decide to, the recipe will still turn out great.
Love this recipe!! It is easy and has been a great hit at many potluck dinners. I’m anxious to try with other fruits! Thanks