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 have a great recipe sorta like yours except can use pretzels no butter nothing just the pretzels they can be crushed or use stick ones lay them in a row the long way if you still have more room lay the rest of them oppisite way on bottom of dish then take chocolate pudding (it you want you could mix with cream cheese) pour and spread pudding out then top with whipped cream ( you could mix with cream cheese) refrigerate for about an hour to and enjoy.✝💒✝
Thank you so much for sharing!! 🙂
Could I skip the pretzels part ? Will it still turn out good ?
Anastasia, I like the saltiness of pretzels in this recipe but it will still taste great without them.
Can I make this ahead of time, and freeze it for a month or so
Hi Joanne, I don’t think this is freezer friendly. I think the pretzels would soften. I love a little bit of crunch with the pretzels.
I made this for my daughter’s 2nd birthday party and OMG! Even I didn’t expect it to taste sooooo good, and it’s so simple to make it! My guests LOVED it! And asked for a recipe! And I of course referred them to your awesome site:) Thank you!
Natalya, I’m so happy to hear that and thank you so much for spreading the word 😀.
Natasha,thanks so so so much for this recipe. I’ve made it countless times. Anytime I ask my hubby what desert I should make, he always says jello cake. And it’s perfect every time. Thanks very much for the step by step instructions. Have a great September. ::))
Thank you Helen!! I hope you have an awesome September as well. Hello Autumn! 🙂
Thank you Natasha for this yummy desert!!!
My hubby is gluten free, so there are not many cakes I can make, thanks to gluten free pretzels (even tho they don’t taste as yummy to me), he LOVED this jello cake! & so did his coworkers 🙂 even asked for a recipe.
We already bought all the ingredients for the other peach kind. Thanks!
I’m so happy to hear that! That’s a great tip about using gluten-free pretzels for those who are gluten-free. Thank you so much for sharing that!
I would suggest to provide a ‘weight’in ounces or grams for the crushed pretzel crumbs. It would remove any subjective guess at what constitutes 2 1/2 cups of pretzel sticks
That’s a great idea! I’ll try to remember that next time I make this! 🙂
This is my sons new fav. I added more pretzels because we lot the crunch. I also used a 8×11 Pyrex and it turned out great. Proportions were all the same which is what i wanted. Thank you for the recipe Nathasha.
I”m so happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing your great review 🙂
I made this dessert yesterday and we really enjoyed it. It’s quite large though, and I have a lot left. How long will it keep? I’m having guests in 3 days…
Hi Dar, keep it covered with plastic wrap and refrigerate 🙂
I have done that, but I’m wondering how long it will keep – covered, and in the fridge. Has anyone ever had any left that long after making it? 😊
We’ve had it in the fridge up to 3 days, but I think the pretzels are the most crisp for the first couple of days. I haven’t tested it beyond that.
I forgot to bake the crust before I placed the cream cheese mixture on top. 😂😂😂
Oh no!! I think it will still taste good but you might get some grainy sugar texture if the crust isn’t baked. It also helps to keep the pretzels firm.
I thought I mixed my butter sugar and pretzels together really well but after pulling it out of the oven there are large clumps of sugar. Is that okay or should I redo it before I add the other layers?
I think it’s ok if there are some clumps of sugar after baking the pretzel base.
I have looked at what seems like hundreds of these recipes and they all call for 2 cups of pretzels for a 9 by 13 pan. I just can’t believe that 2 cups fills the bottom. I have always doubled the recipe for the pretzels and never regretted it.
It definitely doesn’t hurt to make a thicker crust. Thanks Molly!
I made this for my husband as a practice run for Easter. He said it was the best dessert I had ever made. I did use gluten free pretzels (we have some celiac in our family) and sugar free raspberry jello and coolwhip and Splenda for the sugar (we have some diabetics too)–it is a fabulous dessert. Keep ’em comin’—Dixie in Eolia
I love that there is a gluten free, sugar free version of this recipe – gluten free pretzels are brilliant!! Thank you for sharing that withe us. I’m so happy you and your husband loved it. Happy Easter! 🙂
Hi, I am from Germany and we dont have cool whip available here. What can be the substitute for it. More over, we have Frischkase here for cream cheese or Quark. Please can you help me in finding the correct ingrediants..
Thanks 🙂
I’m not sure what frischkase or quark are. Cream cheese is also called neufchâtel cheese if that helps. You can use your own whipped cream – beat heavy whipping cream with some sugar until thick and spreadable and use that but if you use that substitute, it’s best if you eat the dessert within a day and a half since it softens the pretzels more than cool whip would.
Will using the frozen fruit make this soupy even though its thawed & drained? Frozen is so much cheaper than fresh.
No, it shouldn’t make it soupy. I usually use frozen raspberries for this recipe and it works fine. I use fresh strawberries for my strawberry pretzel salad but even that one would work with frozen.
Would fresh raspberries work the same?
Yes, they would 😀.
I made this cake many times over the past couple of years. It never gets old, always a favorite with kids and yes, adults…..!!
Love you blog and your pictures are mouthwatering….:)
Mila, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review! 😊
I’ve made this at least 10 times. This is the most requested dessert from my coworkers at Potluck party!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
Made the jello preztel salad and was easy and tastes great! Will make this again for sure!!!!
I’m so happy you liked it. Thank you Judy! 🙂
I’m heading to the store to buy ingredients for this recipe. I’m so excited to bring it to our church party tomorrow. I’m a “baker in training” so I hope this goes well.
Let me know how it turns out. I will post a video next week with strawberry pretzel jello so stay tuned 😁.
How long does it usually take for your jello to set? After it has been poured
I wish I had timed it now that you’re asking :). I want to say it was about 2 hours.