Description
Sweet and salty christmas pretzel salad delivers festive holiday magic on a single plate. Creamy layers of strawberry gelatin, cream cheese, and crunchy pretzel crust combine for a delightful dessert you’ll crave at every seasonal gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Pretzel Base:
- 2 cups crushed pretzels
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
Cream Cheese Layer:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup whipped cream
Festive Topping:
- 1 package (6 oz) cherry jello
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup red and green sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9×13 inch baking dish by lightly greasing the surface.
- Combine crushed pretzels, melted butter, and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl, stirring until the mixture becomes uniformly crumbly and well-integrated.
- Press the pretzel mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, creating an even, compact layer that will serve as the foundation for the dessert.
- Bake the pretzel base for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely at room temperature.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whip the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy, gradually incorporating powdered sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, ensuring a smooth and airy consistency without deflating the volume.
- Spread the cream cheese layer evenly over the cooled pretzel crust, taking care to create a uniform surface.
- Dissolve the cherry jello completely in boiling water, then add cold water and stir thoroughly to combine.
- Sprinkle fresh cranberries across the cream cheese layer, then carefully pour the liquid jello mixture over the entire surface.
- Scatter chopped pecans and festive red and green sprinkles evenly across the top of the liquid jello layer.
- Refrigerate the dessert for at least 4 hours or overnight, allowing the jello to set completely and the flavors to meld together.
- Before serving, let the pretzel salad sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to make cutting and plating easier.
Notes
- Achieve a crispy pretzel crust by crushing pretzels into fine, even crumbs for a perfect texture base.
- Prevent jello layer from seeping into cream cheese by ensuring the cream cheese layer is completely cooled and firm before adding liquid jello.
- Customize the dessert for dietary needs by using gluten-free pretzels or sugar-free jello for a lighter version.
- Add extra festive flair with seasonal berries like pomegranate seeds or additional holiday-themed sprinkle colors for a more vibrant presentation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 303
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 360 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 36 mg