Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad
A classic '60s dessert that's just as yummy as you remember.
The ’60s bore a lot of “jello salad” recipes that had nothing to do with lettuce and a whole lot to do with jiggly gelatin and while it might not be a tragedy that many of those were lost to the annals of time, the Pretzel Jello Salad is one well worth remembering. With a salty and buttery crushed pretzel base, a layer of silky cream cheese filling, and a sweet (and yes, jiggly) fruit topping, it’s a dessert that’s a study in layering flavors and textures successfully. Nostalgic? You bet. Delicious? You can count on it.
The combination of crunchy, creamy, and jello-ed is really what makes this (not to mention the salty-sweet thing it has going on). We’ve done a peach version and a strawberry one as well, but I must say that raspberries just might be my favorite fruit option for this dessert. They’re a little bit tart and that goes so nicely with the sweet cream cheese filling that they’re paired with.
If you haven’t had Pretzel Jello Salad in a long while, or even if you’re just too young to remember it, trust me that it’s a dessert that has a place in the modern-day as well. It’s pretty as can be and the combination of flavors is just so yummy. Salty, sweet creamy, crunchy, and jiggly – it really has it all!
Raspberry Pretzel Salad
For the crust:
- 2 1/2 cups pretzels, crushed
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
For the filling:
- 1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
For the topping:
- 2 (6 oz each) package raspberry jello
- 4 cups boiling water
- 10 oz fresh or frozen raspberries
- Fresh raspberries, for garnish
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine pretzel crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter and mix thoroughly.
- Press mixture evenly into the bottom of prepared baking dish. Bake 8-10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- While crust cools, make the filling:
- In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Gently fold in whipped topping.
- Spread mixture over cooled crust, then chill until set, about 1 hour.
- In a clean large bowl, combine jello packets with boiling water and stir until dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.
- Top cream cheese layer with raspberries and gently pour gelatin mixture over the top. Chill until set, 2-3 hours. Slice, serve, and enjoy!