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Cranberry Pretzel Salad

A delightful blend of salty pretzels, sweet cranberries, and creamy topping, perfect for family gatherings and holiday celebrations.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 12 hours
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert, Salad
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pretzel Crust
  • 6 cups pretzel minis or 2 cups pretzel crumbles
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup salted butter melted
Cream Cheese Layer
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese very soft
  • 1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Jello Layer
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 package (6 oz) raspberry Jello powder
  • 1 can (28 oz) whole cranberry sauce
Optional Toppings
  • Whipped cream optional
  • Extra pretzels optional
  • Fresh cranberries optional

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your kitchen—spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
  2. Use a blender or food processor to turn the pretzels into coarse crumbles (about 2 cups).
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine pretzel crumbles with melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Spread this mixture across the bottom of your prepared dish and press it down. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
  4. Whip together powdered sugar, soft cream cheese, Cool Whip, almond extract, and lemon juice using a mixer. Spread this mixture over the chilled pretzel layer and chill for another hour.
Jello Layer
  1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and dissolve the raspberry Jello powder.
  2. Mix in the whole cranberry sauce until combined and pour over the cream cheese layer.
  3. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least six hours.
Serving
  1. Serve chilled, adding optional whipped topping and extra pretzels for crunch.

Notes

Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. For added flavor, consider chopped pecans for the crust or use fat-free Cool Whip and cream cheese for a lighter version. Experiment with different Jello flavors as per seasonal availability.