Cranberry Pretzel Salad is the perfect Jello salad for Thanksgiving! This easy-to-make, no-bake dish is great for a holiday party or to enjoy at home with your family. I’ve made this fall recipe often and it’s always a huge hit!
The crunchy and salty pretzel crust tastes amazing with the tangy cream cheese filling and fruity Jello. Each of these layers pairs so well with the others!
If you like Jello dessert recipes, you will love Raspberry Jello Poke Cake and No Bake Strawberry Jello Cheesecake.
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Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Pretzel Salad Recipe
- No-bake dessert: This no-bake cranberry pretzel dessert will allow you to free up some oven space for other dishes.
- Great for holidays: It’s a great Christmas or Thanksgiving Jello salad recipe!
- Balanced flavors: This dessert is the perfect blend of sweet and salty with a hint of tang.
Ingredients
Here are all of the components of this pretzel cranberry salad. It’s affordable, and the ingredients are easy to find all year round.
- Pretzels: I recommend regular or mini pretzel twists, as they blend best in the food processor.
- Sugar: For the crust, I use a combination of white and dark brown sugar because I like the subtle molasses flavor of the brown sugar. Feel free to use all white sugar if you prefer. For the cream cheese layer, I mix in powdered sugar for sweetness, so it doesn’t become grainy from granulated sugar.
- Butter: Melted butter is going to hold the crust together. I use salted butter to balance the sweetness of the dessert, but feel free to use unsalted instead..
- Cream cheese: Ensure the cream cheese is softened before you make the filling to prevent lumps.
- Cool Whip: For a light and airy filling, I fold in Cool Whip with the cream cheese and sugar.
- Raspberry Jello powder: I use raspberry Jello because the cranberry flavor is often hard to find. Raspberry pairs well with the cranberry sauce without overpowering it.
- Whole cranberry sauce: I recommend whole berry cranberry sauce because of its texture. It’s thicker than jellied cranberry sauce and sets better in the Jello.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Halloween orange: Use orange Jello instead of raspberry for a Halloween party.
- Easter yellow: Try lemon Jello to make a light and bright dessert to pair with Easter dinner.
- Dairy-free: Use dairy-free cream cheese and whipped topping for a dairy-free option.
How to Make Pretzel Cranberry Salad
To get started, line your 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or spray it with nonstick cooking spray. The steps are quick and easy, but be sure you leave yourself with enough time to chill all of the layers in between.
Step 1: Crush the pretzels. Place the pretzels in a food processor and blend until they become coarse crumbs.
Step 2: Make the crust. Pour the crushed pretzels into a mixing bowl and stir in white sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter.
Step 3: Press it in the pan and chill. Spread the pretzel mixture into the bottom of the casserole dish and press it down firmly. Put it in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour.
Step 4: Make the cream cheese layer. Combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, Cool Whip, almond extract, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Beat the mixture with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Step 5: Spread and chill. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the crust, and place it back in the refrigerator for an additional hour.
Step 6: Prepare the Jello. Boil the water and stir in the raspberry powder until it dissolves completely. Then, stir in the cranberry sauce while it’s still warm.
Step 7: Add to the salad and chill. Spread the Jello mixture over the top of the pretzel salad, and put it back into the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Step 8: Serve. Slice when it’s fully set and enjoy!
⭐ Hint: Allow the Jello mixture a little time to cool before pouring it over the cream cheese layer. This will keep the two layers distinct and the cream cheese from melting
If you love recipes like this one, you may also enjoy this Jello Pretzel Dessert or Muddy Buddy Pretzels!
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
- Make Ahead: Since the pretzel salad needs time to chill in order to set, prepare it up to 24 hours ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
- Make a holiday meal: Finish your holiday meal with this tasty cranberry pretzel salad after enjoying some Cornbread Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, and Spiral Ham.
- Beverages: Enjoy a serving of this dessert with a holiday drink like Christmas Punch or Christmas Hot Chocolate.
- Toppings: Serve with your favorite fresh fruit on top, such as blueberries or sliced strawberries. Chopped nuts like pistachios or pecans are also great on top.
Recipe Tips
- Use a warm knife for slicing: To make slicing easier, run the blade of your knife under warm water.
- Keep it chilled: Do not leave this salad out for too long at room temperature. Keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat.
- Chill each layer long enough: Allow enough time for each layer to chill before adding the next one to ensure it has distinct layers.
Recipe FAQs
I don’t recommend freezing this salad because the Jello will become very watery as it thaws.
Some of the Jello mixture may have seeped into the crust. Keep in mind that the crust will naturally soften the more days it sits in the refrigerator.
Sure! I love the almond flavor with the cranberry, but vanilla works great as well.
More Delicious Cranberry Recipes
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Cranberry Pretzel Salad
Equipment
- blender or food processor
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Stirring spoon spatula
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 6 cups pretzel minis or 2 cups pretzel crumbles
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar packed
- ½ cup salted butter melted
For the Filling
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese very soft
- 1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
For the Topping
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 package (6 oz) raspberry Jello powder
- 1 can (28 oz) whole cranberry sauce
Optional Toppings for serving
- whipped cream
- extra pretzels
- fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
- Using a blender or food processor, pulverize the pretzels for about 1 minute until you have 2 cups of course crumbles.
- In a large bowl, mix the pretzel crumbles with the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Spread the crust mixture in an even layer at the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish and press down firmly to pack the crust down. You can use a flat bottom measuring cup for this . Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour to allow the crust to set.
- With a hand or stand mixer, combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese, cool whip, almond extract and lemon juice and spread over the pretzel layer. ( Note: If the cream cheese is not all the way smooth, it's ok, you can microwave it for 30 seconds to make it creamier if you want but it will be just fine with a few small chunks.
- Chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Boil the water, add the Jello and stir until dissolved. Immediately mix the cranberry sauce in to the Jello mixture and stir until well combined.
- Pour the cranberry jello layer over the cream cheese layer. You can spread out the whole cranberries if you wish. Cover and chill overnight or at least 6 hours.
- Garnish with some whipped topping and extra pretzels if you'd like.
Notes
- Use a warm knife for slicing: To make slicing easier, run the blade of your knife under warm water.
- Keep it chilled: Do not leave this salad out for too long at room temperature. Keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat.
- Chill each layer long enough: Allow enough time for each layer to chill before adding the next one to ensure it has distinct layers.
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