Some things just belong together…like raspberries and summertime and raspberry pretzel jello salad and your next BBQ! Three layers of jello salad joy.

I’m realizing people have a bigger opinion on berries than I ever knew. Are you a lover of raspberries and hater of blueberries? 

If you had to pick would you go strawberry or raspberry?

A serving of raspberry pretzel jello salad. You can see the pretzel layer on the bottom, with a white creamy layer on top of the pretzels and the red raspberry jello layer on top. There is another serving in the background and a spoon is near the plate.

Our strawberry pretzel jello salad brought up so many requests for one vs the other and since I happen to love but tend to pull for team raspberry I really had no choice but to create a raspberry pretzel jello salad. I mean, it’s all in the name of research, am I right? 😉

Plus it tastes like cheesecake but you serve it as a side dish. Who in the world is the genius that brought this first to Thanksgiving dinner?

Ingredients Needed for Raspberry Pretzel Salad

Here is your grocery list for each of the three layers of this salad:

Pretzel Layer – pretzels, butter, brown sugar and sugar

Cream Layer – sugar, cream cheese, Cool Whip

Jello Layer – raspberry jello, water, raspberries (fresh or frozen)

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.

A serving of raspberry pretzel jello salad on a white salad plate. There are other servings of the salad in the background. The salad has three layers, pretzels on the bottom, a creamy layer next, and jello with fresh raspberries on top.

How to Make Raspberry Pretzel Salad

The steps for making this recipe are simple. Here they are broken down by layer:

Pretzel Layer

  • Preheat oven.
  • Combine all the ingredients well.
  • Press into baking dish.
  • Bake and let cool completely.

Cream Layer

  • Beat the sugar and cream cheese together.
  • Fold in Cool Whip.
  • Spread over cooled pretzel layer.

Jello Layer

  • Mix the jello powder and boiling water until the powder is dissolved.
  • Stir in the raspberries.
  • Put in fridge and let it cool.
  • Pour over the cream layer.
  • Refrigerate until firm (3-4 hours)
All the details for making this salad can be found in the recipe card below this post. Check the next section for all our tips and tricks for making this salad.
A raspberry pretzel jello salad in a white casserole dish. You can see the red jello layer filled with fresh raspberries.

Tips for Making Raspberry Pretzel Salad

There are a few tips that make this salad turn out perfectly every time. Don’t miss these!

  • Measure the 2 cups of pretzels whole before chopping them up.
  • Chop the pretzels on a cutting board with a sharp knife.
  • Spread the cream layer all the way to the sides of the pan so it seals the crust and protects it from the jello layer.
  • Dissolve the jello as the directions state for this recipe. Don’t follow the directions on the box of jello.
  • Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. That will help the cream layer be smooth.
  • Cooling the jello in the fridge will bring the temperature down. Putting hot liquid on the cream layer will crack that layer and ruin the salad.

Are Raspberries Good For You?

Raspberries are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

A serving of raspberry pretzel jello salad on a white salad plate. There are three layers to the salad. Pretzels on the bottom, a white creamy layer on top of the pretzels and red raspberry jello with fresh raspberries on top. A spoon is next to the plate and a bowl of fresh raspberries and another serving of the dessert are in the background.

Can I Use Frozen Raspberries?

Yes, but I would always recommend fresh! If you can’t get fresh or they are just too darn expensive, grab a bag of frozen and let them thaw in the fridge. Drain them thoroughly. You don’t want to introduce extra liquid to the jello layer.

How Long Will Jello Salad Keep?

Jello salad will keep for 5-7 days in the refrigerator. Cover well before storing Jello salad.

Can You Make Jello Salad Ahead?

Jello Salad can be made 2-3 days in advance.  Cover the salad and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

A serving of raspberry pretzel salad on a white salad plate. You can see the three layers in the salad. Pretzel layer on bottom, creamy filling next, and raspberry jello with fresh raspberries on top.

What to Eat with Jello Salad?

For some reason, I always think of jello salad as being a side for a summer BBQ, but it can totally be made all year round. Here are few ideas for main dishes (BBQ and non BBQ):

It goes great with just about any main dish!

 

Team raspberry? Team strawberry? It actually doesn’t matter at all! They are all so dang good, and fresh berries means summer which I’m totally craving right now as I write this post on a freezing cold February day! Make raspberry jello pretzel salad as a side dish for your next shindig!!

 

More Jello Recipes You’ll Love:

Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad

5 from 1 vote
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients 

Pretzel Layer

  • 2 Cups Pretzels, broken into pieces
  • 1/2 Cup Butter
  • 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Sugar

Cream Layer

  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • 8 oz. Cream Cheese
  • 8 oz. Cool Whip

Jello Layer

  • 1 Box Jello, 6 oz., Raspberry
  • 2 Cups Water, boiling
  • 4 Cups Raspberries, fresh or frozen

Instructions

Pretzel Layer

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Combine pretzels, melted butter, brown sugar and sugar, stirring well until combined. 
  • Press into a 9x13” baking dish
  • Bake for 6-7 minutes and then cool completely.

Cream Layer

  • Beat the 1 cup sugar with the cream cheese until smooth. Fold in the cool whip. 
  • Gently spread over the the pretzels, pressing the cream cheese totally against the sides of the pan to seal the crust so the Jello won’t leak. 

Jello Layer

  • Mix Jello and boiling water until all sugar is dissolved. Stir in the berries. 
  • Place in the fridge to cool for 15 minutes. 
  • Pour over the cream cheese and refrigerate until firm, about 3-4 hours. 

Notes

Cover left overs and store in refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1CupCalories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 346mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 3gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 536IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 1mg
Author: Sweet Basil
Course: 100 + Salad Recipes to Obsess Over
Cuisine: American

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A serving of raspberry pretzel jello salad on a white salad plate. There are other servings of the salad in the background. The salad has three layers, pretzels on the bottom, a creamy layer next, and jello with fresh raspberries on top.