A delicious combination of sweet, salty, and whipped creamy filling topped with cranberries for Thanksgiving!

Best Cranberry Pretzel Salad

I am feeling extra thankful this week because I have a new washer and dryer arriving! The set we have has lasted us for 20 years, but the washing machine is a front loader so it leaves black marks on our clothes because it’s impossible to keep the seal clean and the dryer has to be left on the same setting all the time or it will randomly start beeping. Not to mention my husband and dad have had to do two major repairs to the dryer over the years!

We were kids when we bought our first set and at that time front loaders were just hitting stores. They were all the rave so of course that’s what we went with. Fast forward 20 years and research has shown that front loading machines are not as great as they once thought they were and are now back to promoting top loaders!

It just goes to show that we don’t always have to change what isn’t broken! There isn’t a thing I would change about this Cranberry Pretzel Salad, it’s so perfectly sweet, salty, cold, and creamy! Your guests will love it and will complete your Thanksgiving meal when served with Vegetarian Holiday Loaf, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, and Easy Garlic Knots!

What You’ll Need for the Pretzel Layer:

• 2 1/2 cups Pretzel Sticks
• 1/2 cup Butter, Melted
• 1/4 cup Sugar

The Cream Cheese Layer:

• 1 (8 oz) Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 (8 oz) Cool Whip

And the Jello Layer:

• 2 (3 oz) boxes Raspberry Jello
• 1 (15 oz) can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
• 1 cup Boiling Water

How to Make Cranberry Pretzel Salad

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
• Make the Jello layer first so it can sit while you are making the other layers.
• Boil 1 cup water and combine with 2 (3 oz) boxes of raspberry Jello with it. Whisk until the Jello is dissolved.
• In a separate small bowl, mix 1 (15 oz) can of whole berry cranberry sauce to loosen it up so it looks more homemade and not so clumpy. Then add the sauce to the bowl of Jello and stir until well combined. Let sit.
• Crush 2 1/2 cups of pretzel sticks in a Ziplock bag and crush them into small pieces.
• Add the crushed pretzels, 1/2 cup melted butter, and 1/4 cup sugar to a bowl and mix until well coated. Spread evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then freeze for additional 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, make the cream cheese layer by beating together 1 (8 oz) softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Fold in 1 (8 oz) Cool Whip until well combined.
• Spread the cream cheese mixture over the pretzels evenly, making sure to push it all the way up to the edges of the pan so the Jello doesn’t run through.
• Put pan in the refrigerator and let chill for 30 minutes.
• Then gently pour the Jello layer over the top of the cream cheese layer evenly, making sure the cranberries are not all clumped together in one area.
• Return to the refrigerator until the Jello is set.

More Thanksgiving Desserts:

• Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake Bars
• Cranberry Bliss Bars
• Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Mini Pecan Pie Cheesecakes
• Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Cranberry Pumpkin Cake
• Pumpkin Pie Cake Bars
• Reese’s Cup Turkey Treats
• Mini Pecan Pies
• Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler
• No Bake Triple Layer Pumpkin Pie
• Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
• Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Turkeys

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Yield: 12

Cranberry Pretzel Salad

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Cranberry Pretzel Salad, a delicious combination of sweet, salty, and whipped creamy filling topped with cranberries for Thanksgiving!

Prep Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

Pretzel Layer

• 2 1/2 cups Pretzel Sticks
• 1/2 cup Butter, Melted
• 1/4 cup Sugar

Cream Cheese

• 1 (8 oz) Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 (8 oz) Cool Whip

Jello Layer

• 2 (3 oz) boxes Raspberry Jello
• 1 (15 oz) can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
• 1 cup Boiling Water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
2. Make the Jello layer first so it can sit while you are making the other layers.
3. Boil 1 cup water and combine boxes of Jello with it. Whisk until the Jello is dissolved.
4. In a separate small bowl, mix cranberry sauce to loosen it up so it looks more homemade and not so clumpy. Then add the sauce to the bowl of Jello and stir until well combined. Let sit.
5. Crush pretzel sticks in a Ziplock bag and crush them into small pieces.
6. Add the crushed pretzels, melted butter, and sugar to a bowl and mix until well coated. Spread evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then freeze for additional 10 minutes.
7. In the meantime, make the cream cheese layer by beating together softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip until well combined.
8. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the pretzels evenly, making sure to push it all the way up to the edges of the pan so the Jello doesn't run through.
9. Put pan in the refrigerator and let chill for 30 minutes.
10. Then gently pour the Jello layer over the top of the cream cheese layer evenly, making sure the cranberries are not all clumped together in one area.
11. Return to the refrigerator until the Jello is set.