This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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.
I’m just confused as to why it says preheat the oven to 350?? Looks yummy!
Hi Betsy :). In step 4, you bake the pretzel crust. Enjoy! It’s one of our favorites. We are currently freezing raspberries just for this dessert in winter.
I made this a long time ago using a different recipe. This time I decided to try yours, however I do have a question. On the jello package it asks for 2 cups boiling + 2 cups cold water… Your recipe only calls for 2 cups of boiling water. Does this make the jello better? I accidentally followed the jello package instructions… Oops!
I only use 2 cups boiling water because the frozen raspberries let out some juice and it’s nice to have a thicker layer of jello. If you used fresh raspberries, it will probably be ok. As long as it sets, you’ll be ok 🙂
Hi Natasha! I really love to cook and bake! I was so happy that I found your website I found really easy recipes that I want to do for this Sunday my whole family will get together in my house after church and I have to cook and bake! I found something new on your site that I will do! Thank you!
That’s awesome! I’m so happy you found my blog as well! Welcome and I hope you find many more new favorites! 🙂
Hi Natasha! I made this dessert today and it turned out amazing!!!!! Both my hubby and I absolutely love it! Of course, I could not stick to the recipe completely and added a few spoobfulls of sour cream to the cream portion of it, to make it lighter, but I promise: this was the only liberty I took with it :)! (I did make it for tomorrow and did not intend on starting eating it today, but that boat has sailed lol). My only question is about the bottom, pretzel part of it. Mine turned out crumbly and not incorporated, as a pie crust would be. Did I do something wrong while preparing it, or is this the way it’s supposed to be? I would much rather it was more of a support structure of the dessert, and instead it crumbles and falls apart, and is even hard to get out of the dish nicely. If this is the way it’s supposed to be, what advise would you give to make it more dense? But even as it turned out, it is AMAZING and today was definitely not the last time I made it, delicious!!!!! Thank you!!!!
Lol. Yes, once that boat leaves the dock, it’s nearly impossible to turn back. I am a sucker for this dessert. About the crumbs; it depends on how much you crushed the pretzels. If the pretzels are larger, it is a little more crumbly. It should taste the same either way ;). Also, give the sugar more of a chance to dissolve in the butter and it should be a little less crumbly. Did it seem sugary or just crumbly?
Natasha, I just noticed that my rating shows as 3 starts, but I gave you a solid 5 star review, I have NO idea why it’s only showing 3 stars, it must have been my phone :((((, I’m sorry!
Yes, the pretzels turned out not only crumbly, but also sugary, which probably means that I did not dissolve the sugar well enough in the butter, like you said above. I did crush them really well, as I thought that would make the crust more dense. Meanwhile I made a mistake of not dissolving the sugar, which made all of my crushing efforts pointmess lol. Next time Iwill make sure to do it the right way, thank you! Btw, I love the cream portion so much, I will make sure to use it in other desserts as well, it’s irresistible!!!
Again, I am really sorry for the 3 star rating, I really meant to give 5 stars, I am so mad now! Got to do these things using the comp, not the phone. Ugh!
Thank you Mila! I sure appreciate you coming back and adding the 5 stars. You’re awesome! 🙂 I’m just happy you loved it!
Natasha hi! My friend really wants me to make this dessert, but we are in Mexico right now and couldn’t find cool whip. What if I’ll put two cream cheeses instead of cool whip?? Or what can I substitute cool whip with? Thank you.
I’ve tried making it with freshly whipped cream and it worked, but it wasn’t quite the same thickness as with cool whip. I haven’t tried with double the cream cheese. It might be kind of heavy. Let me know if you try it! 😉
Tried this a million times! In love! Can’t wait for jello to set, I wanna eat eat eat!!!
Haha! I know exactly how you feel. You have my sympathies. lol.
Natasha,
I wanna thank you for this recipe! We had people over yesterday for dinner and I had two things on the menu from your website: canapes with cream cheese and this raspberry jello. They were both absolutely delicious! And this dessert is one of the best I’ve ever tried! Thanks!
That’s fantastic! I’m so glad you loved the jello 🙂 It’s one of my favorites also! Thanks for sharing your experience with me. You are awesome!
Super easy and yummy! Good combination salty,fruity,and sweet! Everyone loved it! Thank you!
It is always a crowd pleaser. 🙂 I’m so happy your crew loved it!
So easy to make and the taste is amazing! Everyone loved it! 🙂 Thank you!
You’re so welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed it! It’s definitely a party favorite among our circle also.
Have made this cake more than once, always a big hit with kids:) Adults too!!
Thanks for the recipe!!
You’re so welcome. Try the tres leches cake next. 🙂 It’ll knock your socks off just as well and it’s easy too!
This is the BEST ever!! Very yummy and doubt there will be any leftovers. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. : D
Thanks so much for the amazing review!
Amy, thank you for the great report and you are welcome :).
Hi,
My mom made this recipe a couple weeks ago and it was AMAZING!!! i want to make this recipe but we do not have cool whip at the moment and i dont have a chance to go and get some. i was wondering if there is a substitute that i can use for this recipe. Thank you.
I’ve tried substituting with freshly whipped cream but it wasn’t quite as stiff as the cool whip and the pretzels got a little bit soft. So, it works but it’s not ideal 🙂
your recipes sound devine..look forward to more info.
Thank you so much Linda! I hope to impress you with many more amazing recipes 🙂
This is an ABSOLUTE FAVORITE in my Spanish-Mexican-Swedish-German-American family 😀 I don’t know where we came across this recipe but somehow we were introduced to this delightful dessert years and years ago. I’m a bit surprised to find out its origins.
I was wondering if anyone knows how to make a Paleo-friendly imitation of this recipe? I make exceptions for dairy so that creamy middle layer will not be a problem! I was thinking perhaps a mixture of lightly salted crushed nuts & honey on bottom (like almonds & cashews), perhaps cream cheese with plain (or sweetened) yogurt, and (chunky) pureed frozen raspberries on top?
Any Primal/Paleo tweeks would be kindly welcomed
Hi again. I forgot to ask what is 6 oz package Raspberry Jell-O? I’m not sure here I can find this Jell-O. Can you give me please a quick explanation on what is it (I’m actually not too familiar with cooking cakes and desserts hahaha). Is it some kinda powder of making jelly, just given to it additional colour (red) and taste (raspberry), is it correct I have understood of the pic? Thanks again!
Going to make the cake asap for my loved ones!
It is a jelly with color and taste. Here’s a close-up. It’s a very common product in the US. I’m not sure how to substitute it though…
Hi there. I would like to try your recipe but wanted to ask – if I don’t have available pretzels, with what I can substitute it?
Greetings from Italy, love your blog!!
I think pretzels work best for this recipe. I have seen others try a graham cracker crust also; crushed graham crackers, but I haven’t tested it myself. I love that the pretzels have some saltiness to them. The combination of sweet/salty/sour is amazing!
Hello Natasha.
Thank you for the awesome and super easy desert recipe. I have a quick question, I’m trying to find a use for my 3 baked layers (korzhi) from Spartak cake. I was wondering if put them instead of pretzels and spread some of that white cream in between of them, will it work? And is that cream soggy enough to soften Spartak korzhi?
Thank you.
The cream firms up and I don’t think it would soften the layers of the spartak cake. I’m having a hard time imagining that those cake layers would work in this dessert.
Will skipping the 10 min baking of pretzels mess the whole thing up? Forgot to bake and already spread the cream cheese/cool whip on top. 🙁
It will still be ok. It’s best to bake it, but it will still be very edible and tasty 😉
Hi Natasha..:) I’ve finally made this jello!!! Yumminess!:) thank you soucj for such amazing recipes!:)
I only have a question, why did my jello go all the way under the pretzels and cream?…
This happens if you don’t spread your cream layer all the way to the edges. If you leave gaps at the edges, the jello has a way to go under the cream part. Also, pour the jello over the top slowly so you don’t create a hole in the cream part. I hope that helps! 🙂
Thank you!:) this sure helps!:) will make another oner soon !:) it’s so delicious:)
How far in advance can this dessert be made? We are headed out of town tomorrow for New Years and I’d like to make this tonight. So it will be in the fridge tonight, and all day tomorrow (partially in an ice chest) and I just want to make sure the pretzels won’t get soggy or anything 🙂 Thanks for your help! (I ate this at my grandma’s when I was a little girl and loved it, but haven’t had it since).
As long as you spread the cream cheese all the way to the edges so the jello won’t seep into the pretzels, they shouldn’t get soggy. Yes you can make it tonight 🙂