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With a sweet-and-salty pretzel crust, tangy cream cheese filling, and sweet raspberry topping, this raspberry pretzel salad is sure to be your favorite dessert this summer!
During the summer, I really love a no-bake or “low-bake” recipe. Even better if it is something that looks really fun but was easy to make.
Layered desserts are great for this. Recipes like layered pistachio pudding dessert, layered lemon dessert, or peanut butter pretzel dessert all require very little baking, are really easy to make, and look pretty when they’re sliced and served.
So basically, you can impress people with almost no effort. Sounds great, right?
This raspberry pretzel salad is another great summer potluck recipe. You only bake the crust for 10 minutes; the rest of the recipe is no-bake.
With tons of bright raspberry flavor, tangy cream cheese, and a sweet-and-salty pretzel crust, it’s pretty much the best summer dessert out there.
What is raspberry pretzel salad?
Raspberry pretzel salad is a twist on the retro classic strawberry pretzel salad. There are a few different flavor variations out there, such as pineapple pretzel salad or a version using mandarin oranges.
This raspberry version is one of my favorites, though!
Obviously this is not a true salad. Like Oreo fluff salad, it’s a Midwestern “dessert salad” that you can find at just about any potluck around here.
This recipe is a sweet and salty delight. The crust is made with crushed pretzels, which gets topped with a light and tangy cream cheese layer. The whole thing gets finished with a raspberry jello mixture.
You get a bit of salty, sweet, tangy, and fruity flavors, along with crunchiness from the crust and creaminess from the cream cheese layer. It’s all soooo good, and perfect for taking to any party but especially a summer cookout!
How to make this recipe
If you have made my strawberry pretzel salad, you will already be familiar with the ingredient list and steps for making this raspberry pretzel salad.
Ingredients you’ll need
There are three layers in this recipe: the crust, the filling, and the topping.
For the crust, you will need:
- 3 cups tiny pretzel twists
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Just a little bit of sugar helps balance out the saltiness of the pretzels and helps hold the crust together after baking.
For the cream cheese layer, you will need:
- 16 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces thawed whipped topping
Make sure that the cream cheese is softened to room temperature before you start making the filling. This will help it to be as smooth and creamy as possible.
If you forget to set your cream cheese out ahead of time, check out my tips for softening cream cheese quickly.
You can use any whipped topping you like best in this recipe. I usually grab classic cool whip, but use whichever brand you prefer.
The final layer is the raspberry jello topping. For this, you will need:
- 6 ounces raspberry flavored gelatin
- 2 cups boiling water
- 16 ounces frozen raspberries
I prefer to use frozen raspberries in this recipe because they help cool down the jello faster.
Let the frozen raspberries rest on the counter while you prepare the jell-o mixture. Break up any clumps of berries before adding them to the jell-o – it will be difficult to break them apart after they’ve been added.
Making my raspberry pretzel salad
Start by making the crust.
Place the pretzels into a zip-top bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into coarse crumbs. You could also do this in a food processor; just make sure not to make the crumbs too small.
Add the crushed pretzels to a bowl along with the sugar and melted butter and stir to combine. Press this mixture into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Let the crust cool completely before adding the cream cheese layer.
For the cream cheese filling, use a mixer to beat the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla for about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Fold in the cool whip, then spread this mixture over the cooled crust. Make sure you get it spread all the way to the edges of the pan!
Cover and place the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
After an hour, whisk together the jello with the boiling water. Whisk for 2 minutes, or until the jello has fully dissolved.
Stir the frozen raspberries into the jello mixture and let it rest for 2 minutes. Spoon this onto the cream cheese layer, spreading to even it out.
Cover the pan and let the raspberry pretzel salad chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours before slicing and serving.
Make-ahead and storage tips
Since raspberry pretzel salad needs to chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours before serving, it’s the perfect dessert to make ahead for any occasion.
Make it the night before and let it rest in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it.
Any leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe due to the jello layer.
Frequently asked questions
I prefer to use frozen raspberries in this recipe since they help cool down the jello quickly.
If you want to use fresh raspberries, allow the jello to cool to room temperature, then add the berries and spoon the mixture over the cream cheese layer.
If you’re not big on using whipped topping, you can use stabilized whipped cream instead. I don’t recommend using regular whipped cream because it won’t hold up quite as well over time.
Raspberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 3 cups tiny pretzel twists
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed according to package directions
For the topping:
- 6 ounces raspberry flavored gelatin
- 2 cups boiling water
- 16 ounces frozen raspberries do not thaw
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the pretzels into a gallon size zip-top bag and crush the pretzels into coarse crumbs using a rolling pin. You can also pulse the pretzels in a food processor, just be careful not over-process them as you want there to be varying textures.3 cups tiny pretzel twists
- Place the pretzels into a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar and melted butter. Transfer the pretzel mixture into a 9×13-inch glass baking dish and gently press the mixture into the bottom of the baking dish to form an even crust layer. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and to a wire rack to cool completely. (At this point, you can turn the oven off.)¼ cup granulated sugar, 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on medium speed for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the frozen whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Spread evenly over the cooled crust, taking care to spread the filling from edge to edge of the pan so the topping doesn’t seep into the crust layer. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.16 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 8 ounces frozen whipped topping
- After the cream cheese layer has been refrigerated for one hour, whisk together the jell-o and boiling water for 2 minutes or until the jell-o has fully dissolved. Stir in the frozen raspberries and allow the mixture to rest for 2 minutes. Spoon the jell-o mixture directly onto the cream cheese filling layer and spread to form an even layer.6 ounces raspberry flavored gelatin, 2 cups boiling water, 16 ounces frozen raspberries
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
