Cranberry Pretzel Salad

5 from 3 votes

Cranberry Pretzel Salad offers a delightful tart variation to the classic sweet and salty treat. Featuring a buttery baked pretzel crust, a luscious cream cheese layer, and a zesty cranberry topping.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Rest time4 50

Total Time5 20

Course: Dessert, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 338kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

1st Layer:

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

2nd Layer:

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

3rd Layer:

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

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray and go up the sides just a hair. Set aside.
It’s important to make the third layer first so it has time to cool before it’s used. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cranberry jello and the boiling water for the third layer. Stir until the jello is dissolved.
2 boxes Cranberry Jello, 1 cup Boiling Water
Add the can of cranberry sauce to a small mixing bowl and mix until it resembles more of a homemade look rather than large blobs of gelatin.
15 ounces Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
Add the cranberry sauce to the bowl of jello and stir. Set aside.
For the first layer, Add the pretzels to a large ziplock bag and beat or roll them with a rolling pin, or similar item, to crush them into small pieces. You don’t want powder or crumbs, just small pieces that are no more than a half inch in size.
2½ cups Pretzels
Add the broken pretzels, sugar, and melted butter to the bowl. The melted butter should be nice and hot. Stir until the pretzels are well coated.
1 stick Unsalted Butter, ¼ cup White Granulated Sugar
Press the pretzel mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to the freezer for another 10 minutes.
For the second layer, combine the cream cheese and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to whip it until it’s fluffy. Add the cool whip to the bowl and fold together until the cream cheese is fully incorporated.
8 ounces Cool Whip, 8 ounces Cream Cheese, ½ cup White Granulated Sugar
Spread the cream cheese mixture, evenly, over the top of the pretzel layer, making sure that it rests all the way against the edges, all around the pan. You don’t want jello escaping to the lower level.
Place the pan back in the fridge and let it chill for about 30 minutes or until cooled and thickened.
Take your already prepared third layer and gently pour it over the top of the cream cheese layer. You will end up with bits of the cranberries from the cranberry sauce. Don’t scoop them all out in one spot. Scoop them out of the container using a spoon or other utensil to ensure they’re spread out.
Place the pan back in the fridge for 4 hours or until the jello is set. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

Storage:To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: Do not freeze this salad.
Tips:

It’s important to make the third layer first so it has time to cool before it’s used.
You can skip the cranberry sauce, if desired, it simply adds more of a cranberry kick to the entire dish.
It’s vital that you don’t rush and pour the jello over the cream cheese layer until it’s fully chilled. You’ll simply cause the cream cheese layer to dissolve into the jello. I’ve done it. It still tastes delicious, but the layers don’t look great.
It’s important that the jello is room temperature before being poured over the second layer or it will melt the second layer and it can be a bit of a mess.
If you only have unsalted pretzels, simply swap the unsalted butter for salted butter.

Nutrition