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This raspberry pretzel jello recipe has become very popular in the Russian/Ukrainian community – and for good reason. It makes your taste buds dance! I have zero self-control around this dish, so I was concerned about making a 13×9 -inch pyrex filled with this dreamy pretzel jello goodness, for just the two of us.
We made it last night…. it’s half gone. Try it and you’ll understand. If you have “issues” with Cool Whip, just replace it with your own whipped cream. I picked up this recipe from Tanya – a gal at our church who never fails to impress her guests with scrumptious food.
Ingredients for Raspberry Pretzel Jello Recipe:
6 oz package Raspberry Jell-O
2 cups boiling water
2 1/2 cups salted pretzel sticks (before crushing)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick (8 Tbsp) butter
1 (8oz) package cream cheese – softened
1 (8oz) package Cool Whip – thawed in the refrigerator
3/4 cup granulated sugar
12 oz bag frozen raspberries – thawed in refrigerator
Q: Can I substitute Cool Whip?
Cool Whip provides the best results. I have tested this recipe with whipped cream (by beating 1 cup heavy whipping cream until stiff and fluffy) and although this substitution tastes good, it softens the pretzel crust a bit so the crust isn’t as crisp (it’s better on day 2 when using cool whip). Also, if using whipped cream, you may wish to add 2/3 cup sugar to the cream cheese to reach the same sweetness and refrigerate the cream portion for 45 minutes for it to set better.
How to Make Raspberry Pretzel Jello:
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
1. Combine 6 Oz packet of Jell-O with 2 cups of boiling water and set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Crush 2 1/2 cups of pretzels in a ziploc bag, using a rolling pin.
3. Melt 1 stick of butter than add 1/4 cup sugar in saucepan. Add pretzels and mix together.
4. Lightly press pretzel mix into a 13×9 -inch pyrex dish and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F, then cool to room temperature.
5. While pretzel mix is cooling down, beat 8 oz of cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar on medium/low speed in the bowl of your mixer with paddle attachment until well-combined.
6. Next, stir in Cool Whip using a spatula and mix until well combined.
7. Spread mixture over cooled pretzels and go all the way to the edges of the dish to create a seal. You don’t want the jello to leak into the pretzels. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
8. Place raspberries evenly on top of the cream filling and pour Jell-O over raspberries and refrigerate until jello is set.
Enjoy :D.
Raspberry Pretzel Jello

Ingredients
- 6 oz package Raspberry Jell-O
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 1/2 cups salted pretzel sticks, before crushing
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 stick, 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 8oz package cream cheese - softened
- 1 8oz package Cool Whip - thawed in the refrigerator
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 12 oz bag frozen raspberries - thawed in refrigerator
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
- Combine 6 Oz packet of Jell-O with 2 cups of boiling water and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Crush 2 1/2 cups of pretzels in a ziploc bag, using a rolling pin.
- Melt 1 stick of butter than add 1/4 cup sugar in saucepan. Add pretzels and mix together.
- Lightly press pretzel mix into a 13x9 -inch pyrex dish and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F, then cool to room temperature.
- While pretzel mix is cooling down, beat 8 oz of cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar on medium/low speed until well-combined.
- Next, stir in Cool Whip using a spatula and mix until well combined.
- Spread mixture over cooled pretzels and go all the way to the edges of the dish to create a seal. You don't want the jello to leak into the pretzels. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Place raspberries evenly on top of the cream filling and pour Jell-O over raspberries and refrigerate until jello is set.
Natasha, does the pretzels mixture suppose to be hard? Because when I try to spread out the cream mixture, the pretzels get stuck to the cream cheese and gets hard to spread it out .. what could I be doing wrong?
It’s not supposed to be completely hard. It firms up as it cools in the fridge. I suggest putting heaping tbsp of the cream over the top of the pretzels to make it easier to spread out to the sides and use a spatula to even it out.
Hello Natasha! 🙂 My name is also Natasha :):):) I tried making this yumminess today and I think I kind of failed lol… I totally missed the part where it said to refrigerate for half an hour! I poured the jello and right away half of it went to the bottom to the pretzel sticks :-(…Also I had a really really hard time spreading the cream over the pretzels…the pretzels were sticking to the cream so I had a hard time covering the whole surface..Your filling looks really nice, smooth, and covered.. mine turned out wavy-ish and because of the warm-ness of the pretzels from the oven it kind of melted so it was not really spreading but yeah.. I put it in the fridge and hopefully it still turns out good 🙂 Do you have any tips on spreading the filling so it spreads nicely and evenly instead of just being stuck in one place? Sorry for writing so much I just wanted to make sure you understand the situation lol 🙂
I’m sorry that it was giving you trouble. My husband just made some again two days ago and it’s all gone :). Pretzels have to cool down to room temperature before putting on the cream. Also, after mixing sugar and butter with pretzels, press them in to the bottom of the baking dish. Our AC vents are on the floor so my husband placed baked pretzels on top of the vent so they would cool down faster. To spread the cream, I use cake spatula and pretzels should not stick at all. I hope it still taste great and I would love to hear from you once you’ll make it again :).
hi i have quetion how many days can that raspberry prezel jello cake stand for in the frige? is it good for freezing?
I wouldn’t freeze it, but It can sit in the fridge for up to a week! 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe. My step-mom was famous for this dessert. She made it with strawberries and strawberry jello, but I think raspberry sounds equally divine. People begged her to make it, all the time. When she passed away suddenly, I wondered if I’d ever find this recipe again. You made my day with this post. Thank you so much.
Oh that’s so awesome that you were able to find it again! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your story with me.
Hi Natasha,
I was wondering what could substitute the cool whip, as we don’t have it over here in the UK? and also could you tell me how much butter the stick of butter is because again we don’t have butter sticks here in the UK to the best of my knowladge haha 🙂
thank you
I’ve tried with whipped cream (heavy whipping cream) and it turned out okay. One stick of butter is 8 tablespoons
I love the plate in this post. Can you tell me what it is? I’ve been searching for the perfect dishes and I think this is it! I make this recipe often with strawberries and strawberry Jell-O. Can’t wait to try it with raspberries. Also good with peaches and peach Jell-O with graham crackers is place of pretzels.
I got the plate at Marshals, here is the link to the whole set they sell on Amazon.
Thank You. 🙂
This is great! Super yummy and easy to make. Next time I will try different barry’s
Let me know what you experiment with! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
So far I tried cherrys and blueberries. Both were good. Cherry was my favorite…
That would be great in this! And it’s the season for cherries. Yes! 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it couple days back and everyone loved it especially ME!! I just had trouble cutting it into pieces, mine didn’t come out looking as nice as yours, do you have a secret of some sort?
You Kim of have to push into the pretzels to cut through them. Was it really tough or jut a little tough? Mine are usually just a little tough
Hi I’m 18 I’m cooking for 100 people tomorrow and planning on making this desert. Taking the recipe 4 times, hopefully it’ll be enough! And turns out awesomely!!! :):):):) wish me lucK!..!!.:)
You will do great Brittany :), let me know how it goes.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time? I want to make it for Easter tomorrow but with church in the morning I don’t think I’ll have time for the jello to set if I do it tomorrow afternoon. Can I make it a day ahead?
It is best to make it a day ahead Melanie. Happy Easter :).
Super good! We went to Florida for vacation and visited some friends, who made this dessert. We totally fell in love with it and I made it last night. My husband took it to work this morning and he’s bringing an empty tray home. 🙂 I’m not much of a baker, but this totally works for me! Thanks so much!
You are welcome Tanya :). I always have little self control around that dessert.
This cake is so good i made it couple times and i say it is so light I did everything by recipe directions only changed two things i used graham crackers for the crust and used less sugar and it is good with blueberry’s too… Thank you Natasha for this very tasty recipe you are an amazing cook.
I’ll have to give your variations a try! Thank you Tanya; you are so sweet 🙂
love the pretty updated photos! 🙂
making this tomorrow… AGAIN! lol 🙂
Thank you Olia; we’ve been trying to update all of our outdated and sometimes ugly pictures 🙂
Hi Natasha,
When I told hubby i was gonna try and make this (hes not too fond of pretzels) he was like are you sure? The whole pretzel thing kinda sounds a little skeptical to me. It turned out amazing tho and he hasnt stop asking me to make this! Thanks for the recipe! Its a keeper! 🙂
Awesome :), I’m glad you like the recipe Valentina.
This has been one of my favorite recipes for years and years! If you are in a hurry, you can also just use one or two cans of pie filling on top instead of the fruit and jello. We use blueberry on half and cherry on the other half. Has been the preferred birthday cake for many in our family for many many years! Many people of asked for this recipe, in either variation.
Delicious!!!
That’s a great alternative :), thank you for sharing. I should keep that in mind when I’m pressed for time.
Natasha i wanted to thank you for this awesome recipe!!! I had a b day party last week and since I love all your recipes and trust they will be as yummy as they look so I decided to give this a try without any “pre party a temps” and It turned out perfect! I will be honest I was very nsure how it will taste and was skeptical of the pretzels :/ BUT it was the Hit out of all my deserts (and I had your ptichee moloko one done also) but this one was a new kind on my table and it amazed me on how EVERYONE loved it. Sooo now hubby expects it every weekend (with a lil begging of course lol)
Thank u, thank u, thank u for zoo many delicious recipes!!!
Awesome :), I’m glad you like the recipes.
I made this dessert a few times and hubs and I both love love love it!!! But the guests never seem to be surprised by it ;/ any ideas why?!?
Ha! Maybe they’ve already been making it too? 🙂
Oh, do you think this may work with a sugar-free sweetener instead of sugar?
It probably won’t taste as totally awesome but you could probably make this sugar free if you had to; sugar free jello, etc. I am not a fan of artificial sweeteners so I wouldn’t do it but if you have worked with on you like, I think it could work! That’s the long way of saying yes.
I like how you post a photo of all the ingredients right below the ingredient list. And then photos of different stages … awesome! Keep up the good work!
Thank you Karina :).
Can I say double-yum? I made this recipe yesterday and was itching all night to try it and once morning came, I ate a slice for breakfast… and then a slice for lunch. Yummy – isn’t even the word to describe how addicting this stuff is! The tartness from the raspberries goes well with the sweet cream! I love it a lot! Thank you for this awesome post! 🙂
Ha! Now you know how I feel around this stuff 🙂 I’m glad you didn’t think I was exaggerating. lol. 😉