The Famous Raspberry Pretzel Salad

This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my privacy policy.

The Famous Raspberry Pretzel Salad is a classic sweet and savory dessert or side salad that everyone goes wild over. Plump raspberries, creamy whipped topping and a crunchy caramelized pretzel layered together making this a real treat!

It is always a MUST to have a fruit salad at your next barbecue or pot luck. Strawberry Pretzel Salad or Mandarine Orange Salad are always a go-to in our family!

The Famous Raspberry Pretzel Salad on a white plate.

Raspberry Pretzel Salad

Raspberries have a fresh sweetness to them that make this salad a real treat! This is a go-to recipe in our family that we all love and know that it won’t last long at any barbecue or potluck. Sometimes making two pans is the way to go!

We love the layers in this Raspberry Pretzel Salad. It goes from a sweet and salty to a creamy and crunchy flavor and texture that keeps you wanting more. The flavor is out of this world and again, you just can’t stop taking bite after bite!

There is always a debate if this Pretzel Salad is a “salad” or a dessert. Either way, it is delicious and always a favorite in our home. The layers take time to set up but it is worth every minute. Enjoy your Raspberry Pretzel Salad with your family and let me know how much you love it!

How do you make a Raspberry Pretzel Salad?

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and whisk in raspberry jello. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine crushed pretzels, sugar, and melted butter. Press into a lightly greased 9×13 pan. Bake for 8 minutes and remove from oven. Let cool completely.
  • Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until creamy. Fold in the cool whip. Spread the mixture over the top of the pretzel crust completely to the edges so the jello won’t leak through.
  • Pour the jello over the cream cheese layer add the raspberries and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving!

Steps to make raspberry pretzel salad.

Can you make Raspberry Pretzel Salad ahead of time?

Yes! This is a great salad that can be made the night before and kept refrigerated until ready to eat.

What kind of pretzels are best for a Pretzel Salad?

I recommend using small, salted pretzels. Either pretzel sticks or traditional pretzel twists are great to crush. Salted hard pretzels add the salty taste and texture that makes this salad so good. Smaller pretzels are easier to crush and measure. You will measure 2 ½ cups pretzels crushed. Use a blender or food processor to crush the pretzels.

What can you use instead of pretzels?

  • Bischoff cookies
  • Graham crackers
  • Vanilla wafers
  • Nuts: almonds, cashew, pecans, or walnuts (crushed)

Do you follow the Jell-o package instructions?

No, bring 2 cups of water to a boil and whisk in raspberry jello. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Leave at room temperature and do not refrigerate.

 

Cutting a slice of Raspberry Pretzel Salad

 

Can you use other fruit instead of Raspberries?

Yes! Substitute fresh or frozen fruit for raspberries and fruit jello for the raspberry jello.

Can you substitute the cool whip for whip cream?

Cool whip is the best and most recommended whip for this recipe. It sets up well and lays on the pretzel crust without making the pretzel crust soft or mushy like the whipping cream does.

Looking for more barbecue side salads?! Here you go!

A slice of raspberry pretzel salad on a plate.

 

Raspberry Pretzel Salad

No ratings yet
The Famous Raspberry Pretzel Salad is a classic sweet and savory dessert or side salad that everyone goes wild over. Plump raspberries, creamy whipped topping and a crunchy caramelized pretzel layered together making this a real treat!
Prep Time 12 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients
  

  • 1 6 ounce box instant raspberry jello
  • 2 1/2 cups pretzels crushed
  • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter melted
  • 1 16 ounce container of fresh raspberries sliced, or 1 10 ounce package frozen raspberries
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 8 ounce container of cool whip

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and whisk in raspberry jello. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine crushed pretzels, brown sugar, and melted butter. Press into a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 8 minutes and remove from oven. Let cool completely.
  • Beat the cream cheese and white sugar together until creamy. Fold in the cool whip. Spread the mixture over the top of the pretzel crust completely to the edges so the jello won't leak through.
  • Pour the jello over the cream cheese layer add raspberries on top and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving!


Nutrition

Serves: 8

Calories361kcal (18%)Carbohydrates49g (16%)Protein3g (6%)Fat18g (28%)Saturated Fat11g (55%)Cholesterol46mg (15%)Sodium470mg (20%)Potassium45mg (1%)Fiber1g (4%)Sugar30g (33%)Vitamin A530IU (11%)Calcium13mg (1%)Iron1.3mg (7%)

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.

Course Dessert, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword raspberry, raspberry salad, raspberry pretzel salad, pretzel salad
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic

 

Alyssa Rivers

I am Alyssa and the blogger behind The Recipe Critic. I started my blog in June of 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family.

Read More Posts by Alyssa

facebook twitter pinterest instagram

Categories

Comments

Leave a reply
  1. In steps 2 and 3, you don’t indicate which sugar to use. I assume the brown sugar goes into the crust, and white into the filling?

  2. Strawberry pretzel salad is a crowd favorite anytime our local church family gathers for food so I’m confident the raspberry version would be equally popular. But I want to highlight an apparent problem with your recipe: Although you list fresh or frozen raspberries as an ingredient, I don’t see in your instructions when or how you’re supposed to add them to the jello mixture. Perhaps I’ve just missed it?!

      1. Thanks for correcting your original post & recipe (regarding when & where to add the raspberries) so quickly! Producing clear, concise & 100% accurate recipes is much harder than many people realize! Popular summer recipes like this one get shared & posted elsewhere so quickly that it’s important to try to get ahead of this & to get corrections out there ASAP, which is exactly what you did! Well done!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating