Raspberry jello pretzel salad is sweet, salty and crowd-pleasing! A cream cheese and Cool Whip mixture sits on a pretzel crust layered with Jell-O for an irresistible dessert is called a salad!
Other summertime and holiday salads we love include strawberry pretzel salad, this ambrosia salad recipe and Hawaiian fruit salad.
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Best Raspberry Pretzel Jello
Raspberries, cream cheese, Cool Whip and pretzels. WOW! This raspberry pretzel salad is so delicious and perfect for a Christmas dinner or Thanksgiving menu. The pretzels add a sweet and salty combo that makes this holiday dessert simply irresistible.
My family can’t get enough of this pretzel salad! When my mom announced, “The salad is on the table” at our holiday dinner, we definitely were not expecting this type of salad. It’s made with 3 layers: a salty crushed pretzel crust, a sweet cream cheese filling and a raspberry jello topping.
Recipe Ingredients
Simple ingredients for the best raspberry pretzel jello salad! Each ingredient makes this a sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy combination in every bite.
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Pretzels: The salty pretzel crust gives the salad a really nice crunch from the crushed pretzels.
- Butter: This holds the crust together during baking and adds a nice nutty flavor.
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar in the crust (hello salty AND sweet) and in the cream cheese layer to help balance the tanginess.
- Cream cheese: This adds a smooth texture to the salad, as well as a nice bite to the sweetness of the jello.
- Cool Whip: Mixing whipped cream with the cream cheese makes a silky smooth layer that effortlessly combines tangy and sweet.
- Jello: Raspberry jell-o is really the star of the dish and brings all the flavors.
- Frozen raspberries: Adding some frozen fruit not only makes the salad really pretty, but it gives a nice texture and added punch of flavor.
How to Make Raspberry Pretzel Salad
Pulse pretzels in a food processor or blender until crushed. Stir in melted butter and sugar until combined. Press pretzel mixture into a buttered 9×13-inch baking dish, then bake at 400°F for about 10 minutes. Pace the pan in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.
Beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer, then beat in the sugar. Next fold the cool whip into the mixture.
Spread whipped cream cheese filling on top of the crust (make sure to go all the way to the edges so the 3rd jello layer doesn’t leak through). Place in the fridge for about an hour.
Boil the water with the raspberry jello and stir for about 2 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Then mix in the frozen raspberries. Let the mixture slightly thicken, then pour evenly over the cream cheese filling. Then place in the refrigerator for about 2 hours to set completely before slicing.
Tips and Variations
- Use strawberry jello and frozen sliced strawberries to make a strawberry pretzel salad.
- Use orange jello and canned mandarin oranges (pre freeze them), similar to my mandarin orange pretzel parfaits.
- Plan ahead when making this raspberry pretzel jello salad recipe. Each layer of the dessert salad needs time to set.
- Remember to soften the cream cheese at room temperature before getting started.
- Use a blender or food processor to crush the pretzels (you want them to be pretty fine).
- Make sure to go all the way to the edges with each layer (especially the cream layer) to prevent the jello from leaking through.
- Allow the jello to cool a little bit and thicken slightly before pouring on cream cheese layer.
Do you need more dinner side dishes?! This sweet potato casserole, homemade rolls, and cranberry sauce are easy to make with this jello salad.
More Dessert Salads You’ll Love
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Raspberry Jello Pretzel Salad
Video
Ingredients
Layer 1
- 6-7 cups pretzels
- ¾ cup (12 Tablespoons) salted butter , melted
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Layer 2
- 12 ounces cream cheese , softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 (8-ounce) container cool whip , softened
Layer 3
- 2 cups water
- 2 (3-ounce) boxes raspberry jello
- 2 cups frozen raspberries
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
Layer 1
- Make pretzel crust. In a food processor or blender, pulse 6-7 cups pretzels until finely crumbled (about 1 3/4 cups crumbs). Stir in 3/4 cup butter and 3 Tablespoons sugar until combined. Press evenly into baking dish. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Chill 30 minutes, or until cool.
Layer 2
- Make cream cheese layer. In a medium bowl, beat 12 ounces cream cheese with an electric mixer. Add 3/4 cup sugar until combined. Mix in 8 ounces Cool Whip.
- Add on top pretzel layer. Drop by spoonful (about 8) over the top of the chilled crust. Carefully spread in an even layer, being sure to go all the way to the edges so the jello mixture doesn’t leak through. You can use your finger with a paper towel to run along the edges to make clean lines. Chill 1 hour, or until set.
Layer 3
- Make raspberry jello. In a small saucepan, boil 2 cups water and 2 – 3 ounces boxes of jello over medium-high heat. Stir 2 minutes, or until the mixture is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups raspberries. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened slightly. Once the pot is cool enough to handle, I like to put it in the refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes more.
- Add on top cream cheese layer. When thickened slightly, pour evenly over the of cream cheese mixture and chill at least 2 hours, or until jello is firm (I like to leave it overnight).
- Chill, slice and serve. Once the dessert is firm, slice and serve.
Notes
- Strawberry: Use strawberry jello and frozen sliced strawberries.
- Pineapple: Use pineapple jello and frozen crushed pineapple or frozen strawberries.
- Mandarin: Use orange jello and canned mandarin oranges (pre-freeze them).
- Peach: Use peach jello and frozen sliced peaches.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
I don’t see why not. You will need to replace the pretzels for a gluten-free version, but it should work just as well.
This jello pretzel dessert needs time to set in the fridge, which makes it a great recipe to prepare ahead of time. You can make it up to 1 day in advance, however I wouldn’t prepare it any sooner or else the pretzel crust could get a little soggy.
Any leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just keep in mind that the pretzels will soften the longer they sit.
I would love to say yes, but honestly the pretzels tend to get soggy and it doesn’t hold up as well once it’s been frozen. I wouldn’t advise trying it.
Categorized as: American, Bars, Christmas, Desserts, Fruit Desserts, Nut-Free, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This is one of our favorite sides ever, tastes just like dessert! We especially love it for holidays.
So simple to make and hits the sweetness spot! Looks fancy too.
Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try this one!
Fabulous recipe
I made this today and it came out wonderfully! I did modify the amounts slightly (5 cups crushed pretzels w/6 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup sugar w/8 oz creamcheese) and was still delicious! And easy :)
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
My whole family loved it. I exchanged strawberries for the raspberries. We all will make it again. Thanks for the recipe
I’m so glad your family loved it! We love this recipe with strawberries as well. :)
Thank you Wi ll be trying this week
Do you have a recipe for 50 people of this Raspberry Dessert?
Hi Cindi! This serves 16, so you could triple it and it should be enough for 50 people. :)
I’ve made this jello salad for years. It is my favorite jello as well. I hate to give the recipe because then everyone will make it. 😉😉 there are a few steps but they’re easy. And I do other things while each layer does it’s thing.
It’s one of my favorites too! :) I’m so glad you enjoy it!
Hi!
Can I use fresh raspberries?
Hi Brittany! You will need to add ice to help the jello set! :)
Hi, I had my grandson, Aiden (14 yrs old) do most of the work on this dessert. I thought it was pretty straight forward & fairly easy. I will take the blame for pan size. I saw 9×13 but no mention of depth? So we did have a little problem with top layer! I took another 9×13 pan lined it with wax paper & poured top layer in pan. It was a little bit of a mess trying to remove jello layer w/spatula,but we succeeded.And we both agreed it tasted GREAT. I did to pretzels to a finer crumb. Thank you for sharing, Sincerely Pat
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This is easily our favorite go to side in our house or for parties. We do strawberry hello jello or even cherry or orange depending on what we have in hand.
I haven’t tried cherry or orange. I’ll have to give that a try sometime! :)
This really is the best!
Made the strawberry version listed for our holiday gathering tonight, it was delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
Came out beautiful and is really good but…I used frozen raspberries (unsweetened) and the jello layer was pretty tart…is it suppose to be??
Hi Cathy! The raspberries in the jello layer do make it pretty tart, but it balances with the salty pretzel layer pretty well! Glad it turned out well for you.
I can’t wait to play with this recipe and create a Thanksgiving treat with cranberries 😋 Wish me luck. I’ll come back and comment on what I did and how it went.
not yet, cant wait to make it!!
Hope you enjoy! :)
Made this for a family get together and it was delicious! So easy to make, too. My pretzel layer did not stick together so I had a bunch of crumbs. Any suggestions on what I should do or change? I followed the recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! You could try adding a little more butter next time. It should hold together like a crust!
Wonderful, wonderful, WONDERFUL dessert! Perfect recipe. Didn’t change it at all and it was amazing. Great hit for Mother’s Day dinner with the family.
I’m so glad it was a hit! This is always the first to go during holidays!