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Cranberry Raspberry Pretzel Salad – Party Appetizer Recipe

Cranberry raspberry pretzel salad layers a buttery baked pretzel crust, a smooth cream cheese filling, and a tart berry gelatin topping. Chill it until fully set, then cut it into 12 squares for a colorful party appetizer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 4 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 433
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pretzel crust
  • 2.5 cups pretzels finely crushed
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter melted
For the cream cheese layer
  • 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tub (8 oz) frozen whipped topping thawed
For the cranberry raspberry topping
  • 2 packages (3 oz each) raspberry gelatin
  • 2 cups water boiling
  • 1 can (14 oz) whole-berry cranberry sauce

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish

Method
 

Make the pretzel crust
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Stir the finely crushed pretzels and melted butter together.
  3. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13-inch baking dish.
  4. Bake for 10 minutes.
  5. Cool completely.
Make the cream cheese layer
  1. Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until smooth.
  2. Fold in the whipped topping.
  3. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust, sealing it against the edges of the dish.
  4. Refrigerate while preparing the topping.
Make the cranberry raspberry topping
  1. Stir the raspberry gelatin into the boiling water until completely dissolved.
  2. Mix in the whole-berry cranberry sauce.
  3. Refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened but still pourable.
Assemble and chill
  1. Gently spread the topping over the cream cheese layer.
  2. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until fully set.
  3. Cut into 12 squares to serve.

Notes

For clean layers, seal the cream cheese mixture against the edges of the dish before adding the topping. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because the texture may change. For a gluten-free variation, use gluten-free pretzels.