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Be the envy of everyone at your potluck with this Raspberry Jello Pretzel Salad! It’s a stunning Midwestern salad that boasts a crunchy pretzel crust, fluffy cream cheese filling, and sweet Jello topping! Use fresh raspberries when they’re in season or frozen berries any time of year to make sure this jello recipe comes out perfectly every time.
The concept of jello and pretzels in a salad might sound a little bonkers to those who aren’t in the know, but let me tell you, it’s a crowd-pleasing favorite with a fun twist.
This particular Midwestern salad is usually made with strawberries, but my older sister is allergic so in our family it’s raspberry all the way!
Try this reinvented version for yourself and let me know what you think!
Yes, here in Wisconsin we love a “salad” that’s made with Jello, Cool Whip, cream cheese, or a combination thereof! Get into it! And check out more of my favorites like my Oreo Fluff, mandarin orange Jello salad, and Green Jello Salad!
Layers of this Jello Salad
- Crust – Made with crushed pretzels, butter, and sugar.
- Filling – Cream cheese and Cool Whip are mixed together with a little powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Topping – Crushed raspberries are suspended in sweet raspberry Jello so you get a burst of berry in every bite!
Below you'll find a brief overview for assembling this layered Jello salad, refer to the recipe card for detailed instructions!
How to make the pretzel crust
- Crush the pretzels. You can do this with a rolling pin for a more “rustic” vibe or use your food processor for really small crumbs.
- Combine with sugar and melted butter. The consistency should be like wet sand.
- Press into your pan. And set aside or pop into the fridge if you feel so inclined.
Mixing the Cool Whip filling
- Whip the cream cheese. With powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Fold in the Cool Whip. It’s so light and fluffy!
- Spread onto the pretzel crust. If you’ve got the time and desire, pop it in the fridge for a little bit before adding the Jello topping.
Making the Raspberry Jello Topping
- Crush up the raspberries. I like to do this so you get a bite of berry with every forkful.
- Mix with the prepared Jello. Making the topping first means it has a chance to cool down. Otherwise, the filling will melt.
- Pour over filling. Then chill until set.
Midwestern Salad Culture
Yes, this recipe is basically a no-bake cheesecake, but here in the Midwest because we call it a “salad” we can set it on the same picnic table as the other side dishes and put a giant scoop of it on our entrée plate at the potluck.
Of course, if you want to eat this as dessert, you totally can. But you better still call it a salad!
Flavor Variations
If you’re out of raspberry-flavored gelatin you can substitute strawberry, cherry, or even berry blue. I’ve done all of those to great success. (The cherry in particular is delicious with the raspberries.)
You could also try this with black raspberries if you have them. I love nothing more than using the fresh raspberries from our farm up north to make this as a summer treat.
Temperature Control
When you’re working with hot Jello and chilled whipped topping and room temperature cream cheese, it’s important to be aware of how they will interact with each other.
In the recipe card below you’ll notice I advocate for preparing the topping first, then the crust, then the filling, and then pouring the topping over the filling. This is for a reason!
Making the topping first gives the Jello time to cool (but not set!). Pouring piping hot gelatin (that’s made with boiling water) onto the cream cheese layer would cause a melted mess.
Using room temperature cream cheese keeps the filling smooth. If your cream cheese is cold it will clump up in the Cool Whip and you’ll have a textural disaster on your hands.
Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Hand Mixer
- 9x13 Pan
Ingredients
For the Raspberry Jello Topping:
- 12 ounces raspberries (fresh or thawed from frozen)
- 1 3-ounce package raspberry Jello, prepared according to package directions
For the Pretzel Crust:
- 10 ounces pretzels (about 6 heaping cups of mini pretzel twists, or a little less than ⅔ of a 16-ounce bag)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks or 12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 16 ounces whipped topping
Instructions
For the Raspberry Jello Topping:
- Add the raspberries to a medium mixing bowl and squish slightly with a fork to break them apart.
- Pour the prepared Jello over the crushed raspberries, mixing to combine, and set aside while you prepare the crust and filling. (This allows the Jello time to cool to avoid melting the filling.)
For the Pretzel Crust:
- Crush the pretzels in a plastic bag with a rolling pin (or in a food processor). Pour into a mixing bowl and combine with 2 tablespoons sugar and ¾ cup melted butter.
- Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan (I like to set my pan on a rimmed baking sheet for easier maneuvering and to catch any spills). If desired, refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- Cream together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until very smooth (about 5 minutes). Add the whipped topping to the bowl and fold in, making sure the cream cheese mixture is incorporated into the whipped topping as best as possible.
- Spread the filling over the pretzel crust.
- Top with the raspberry Jello topping (you might have to spread the raspberries out just a bit) and set in fridge for at least 4 hours.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Salad can be made up to 2 days in advance, though the pretzels may become a touch soggy.
- My preferred timeframe for making this is the night before serving.
Flora says
Yummy!!! Will.serve at Summer Gatherings!!! Perfect summer dessert. YUMMIEST
(This reviewer is a friend of the recipe author.)