Raspberry Pretzel Dessert Recipe (No Cool Whip) (2024)

This classic Creamy Raspberry Pretzel Dessert gets an upgrade in this delicious dessert recipe. With fresh raspberries, a luscious cream cheese mixture, and a salty pretzel crust, it has only good things going for it. You’re going to love this yummy dessert, perfect for all holidays and the ordinary days in between.

I’ve doubled the cream cheese and instead of the ubiquitous Cool Whip, I’ve substituted Stable Whipped Cream in our raspberry pretzel dessert. It adds flavor and texture without being too sweet. It’s the perfect end to your Thanksgiving dinner or other holiday feast.

Each year I quiz my six kids and daughter-in-law what they want for Thanksgiving dessert, and each year our fam-favorite “Pretzel Berry,” this raspberry pretzel dessert gets a unanimous vote. It’s a crowd favorite for good reason!

There’s something so tantalizing about cool jello and raspberries layered over sweet cream cheese filling atop a salty crushed pretzel crust.

Over the years, I’ve transformed the classic strawberry pretzel “salad” into a dessert that all my kids love and request. I’ve reduced the sugar, doubled the cream cheese filling, and replaced Cool Whip with Stable Whipped Cream. This version is perfection!

Why Make This

It’s a tradition worth keeping. I love serving alternatives to the traditional Christmas Dinner so you may not see all the dishes my mother and grandmother prepared for the holidays at my house, but you’ll definitely see this one. Often called a raspberry jello “salad”, this dessert is the perfect combination of salty and sweet.

Raspberry Pretzel Dessert is easy to make. With a few of my tricks, you’ll see what an easy recipe this is to make. It can be made a day in advance so you have plenty of time to make all the other elements to your holiday meal.

There’s no Cool Whip. While most versions of Raspberry Pretzel Dessert contain Cool Whip or nondairy whipped topping, this one doesn’t. Learn how to make this classic raspberry jello pretzel salad without the added sugar. It is so tasty with real whipped cream!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this raspberry pretzel dessert:

sugar – You’ll need granulated sugar for the crust as well as powdered sugar for the cream cheese filling layer. Remember you can make your own powdered sugar if you need to.

crushed pretzels – The pretzel layer crust is made from crushed pretzels. These can be twists, sticks, or butter snaps. I have used gluten-free pretzels when I needed to avoid wheat in this recipe.

melted butter – Just a little butter is needed to help the salty-sweet pretzel crust hold together. You can use plant-based butter or margarine if you like.

cream cheese – You’ll need softened cream cheese for the middle layer. I use twice as is standard so that it has a real cheesecake flair. You can use a plant-based cream cheese if you prefer.

stable whipped cream – Stable whipped cream is made from heavy cream, powdered sugar, powdered milk, and vanilla extract. It stands up for hours without weeping or collapsing. If you prefer to skip this, you can use Cool Whip or a plant-based whipped topping in the cream layer.

jello – I like to use cranberry or raspberry gelatin in this raspberry pretzel salad recipe. You can use other flavors if you like. Scroll down for some variations.

hot boiling water – You’ll need boiling water to dissolve the powdered gelatin.

frozen raspberries – Frozen raspberries are fresh raspberries that have been flash frozen. They are not cooked. I recommend that you use frozen berries (do not thaw them) as their temperature will help the jello mixture to chill and thicken rapidly, without the need for cold water or ice cubes as you may find in other pretzel salad recipes. If you like you can use a different frozen fruit such as strawberries. Avoid pineapple, kiwi, and mango which can prevent the jello from gelling.

Variations:

Feel free to mix and match the types of fruit and gelatin for all kinds of combinations:

• Blue jello with frozen blueberries
• Purple jello with frozen blackberries
• Orange jello with drained and frozen mandarin oranges
• Strawberry jello with frozen, sliced strawberries

You can also skip the gelatin and top it with your favorite pudding or pie filling, and you can even trade out the pretzels for another cookie or cracker.

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’ve found that the recipes written by grandmothers often omit or overlook key steps. Please read these instructions carefully so you can avoid soggy pretzel crust and other mishaps.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the pretzel crust, by combining the crushed pretzels with the butter and sugar. You can crush the pretzels with a rolling pin or in a food processor.

Press the pretzel mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes and then remove from the oven to cool completely on a rack.

The bottom crust must be completely cooled before you add the other layers, so you can do this the night before if you like.

In a large mixing bowl, prepare the stable whipped cream by whipping the cream with an electric mixer a little bit, until soft peaks are formed. Add the powdered milk and continue whipping until stiff peaks are formed.

In another large mixing bowl, whip together the cream cheese and 1 cup powdered sugar until well blended. Fold in the whipped cream.

In another large bowl, combine the Jell-O and hot water, stirring until dissolved. Stir in the frozen berries. Allow to partially set. You don’t want it too thin, but if it gels too quickly you will have a very lumpy dessert.

It shouldn’t take very long if the berries are frozen. Don’t walk away! Head to the next step. Once slightly thickened, pour this mixture over the cream cheese layer before it gets lumpy.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled pretzel crust, sealing to the edges of the pan. You want there to be NO gaps. If you have a gap between the pan and the sweet cream cheese layer, the jello will seep down and make your pretzel crust soggy.

Refrigerate, uncovered, until hardened. After completely set, refrigerate covered with plastic wrap or a lid until serving. Never leave this at room temperature for very long as it’s best served very cold.

Raspberry pretzel dessert is good in the fridge for up to 3 days, covered. After that, the pretzel crust tends to soften too much.

More Great Desserts to Make

This post was originally published on July 24, 2008. It has been updated for content and clarity.