Pineapple Pretzel Salad
A sweet and salty pretzel crust is topped with a fluffy cream cheese filling and fruity pineapple jello for the perfect summer dessert!
Servings 12
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 pure vanilla extract
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed according to package directions
For the Topping
- 2 (3-ounce) packages Island Pineapple Jell-o
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 (20-ounce) cans pineapple tidbits in juice drained; reserve 1 cup/236 ml of pineapple juice
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 the crust in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and move to a wire rack to cool completely.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 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 1 hour.16 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 8 ounces frozen whipped topping
- While the cream cheese layer chills, whisk together the Jell-o and boiling water for 2 minutes or until the Jell-o has fully dissolved. Stir in the reserved 1 cup of pineapple juice and drained pineapple tidbits. Place this mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour to cool.2 (3-ounce) packages Island Pineapple Jell-o, 1 cup boiling water, 2 (20-ounce) cans pineapple tidbits in juice
- After the cream cheese layer and the Jell-o mixture have both chilled for 1 hour, pour the Jell-o mixture directly onto the cream cheese filling layer and spread to form an even layer.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Notes
- When whisking the jell-o with the boiling water, the top will get frothy/bubbly. If you want a super smooth finish on your pineapple topping, simply use a spoon to remove some of the froth (though it won’t affect the taste!).
- I have not tried this recipe using whipped cream instead of whipped topping, so I cannot attest to the outcome.
Storage
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
