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Cranberry Pretzel Salad Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 76 reviews
  • Author: Lily
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Cranberry Pretzel Salad is a delightful dessert featuring a salty pretzel crust, a creamy sweetened cream cheese and whipped topping middle layer, and a tangy cranberry Jello and whole berry cranberry sauce topping. This layered salad combines savory, sweet, and tart flavors with crunchy and creamy textures, making it a festive and crowd-pleasing treat, especially popular during holiday seasons.

Ingredients

Scale

1st Layer – Pretzel Crust

  • 2½ cups Pretzels (salted is best)
  • 1 stick Unsalted Butter (½ cup), melted
  • ¼ cup White Granulated Sugar

2nd Layer – Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 ounces Cool Whip (1 tub)
  • 8 ounces Cream Cheese, room temperature
  • ½ cup White Granulated Sugar

3rd Layer – Cranberry Topping

  • 2 boxes Cranberry Jello (3 ounces each)
  • 15 ounces Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce (1 can)
  • 1 cup Boiling Water

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pretzel crust: Crush the salted pretzels into small crumbs using a food processor or by placing them in a sealed bag and crushing with a rolling pin. In a bowl, mix the crushed pretzels with the melted unsalted butter and ¼ cup of white granulated sugar until well combined. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish to form a crust. Bake the crust in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes until set and fragrant. Let it cool completely.
  2. Make the cream cheese layer: In a medium bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese with ½ cup white granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in the entire 8-ounce tub of Cool Whip until fully incorporated and fluffy. Spread this cream cheese and Cool Whip mixture evenly over the cooled pretzel crust, creating the second layer. Refrigerate while you prepare the topping.
  3. Prepare the cranberry topping: In a heatproof bowl, dissolve both boxes of cranberry Jello powder in 1 cup of boiling water, stirring until completely dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, but not set. Once cooled, stir in the entire 15-ounce can of whole berry cranberry sauce. Carefully spoon or pour this cranberry Jello mixture over the cream cheese layer, spreading evenly to form the third layer.
  4. Chill and set: Refrigerate the assembled salad for at least 4 hours or until the cranberry Jello topping is fully set. This chilling time allows the layers to meld and firm up for easy slicing.
  5. Serve: Once set, slice into squares and serve chilled for a refreshing and festive dessert.

Notes

  • Ensure the pretzel crust is completely cooled before adding the cream cheese layer to avoid melting.
  • The cream cheese should be softened to room temperature for smooth blending.
  • Use salted pretzels for the perfect balance of salty and sweet flavors.
  • For a less sweet version, reduce the sugar in the cream cheese layer slightly.
  • This dessert is best served chilled and does not freeze well due to the gelatin topping.

Find it online: https://justworthi.com/cranberry-pretzel-salad-recipe/