Cranberry Cheesecake Pretzel Dessert is a sweet and salty holiday favorite with a pretzel crust, cheesecake filling, and cranberry Jell-O.
Also called Cranberry Pretzel Salad, this scrumptious sweet and salty holiday favorite has three irresistible layers-a crunchy pretzel crust, a creamy cheesecake filling, and a bright cranberry Jell-O topping. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any festive gathering, this nostalgic dessert is always a crowd-pleaser. It's quick to assemble, easy to make ahead, and most of the time is chilling time for the dessert and you!
While you are thinking about delicious Cranberry recipes, be sure to check out my Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce, Cranberry Jello Salad, and Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread.
🔍 Quick Look: Cranberry Cheesecake Pretzel Dessert
- Ready in: Prep Time- 40 minutes, Chilling Time- 6 Hours
- Servings: 12
- Calories: ~437 kcal per serving
- Main Ingredients: Pretzels, Butter, Cream Cheese, Whipped Topping, Sugar, Raspberry Jell-O, Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce
- Elements of Taste: Sweet, Creamy, & Salty
- Cook Method: Combine, Bake, & Chill
- Difficulty: Easy, most of the time is spent chilling the dessert
- Why You'll Love It: With a salty pretzel crust, creamy no-bake cheesecake layer, and sweet-tart cranberry topping, this Cranberry Cheesecake Pretzel Dessert is a simple, delicious recipe that always impresses.
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Why This Is The Best Cranberry Cheesecake Pretzel Dessert!
When I created this recipe I was inspired by my mom's delicious Cranberry Jell-O Salad of the 1960s and the super popular Strawberry Pretzel Salad. It's a Jell-O salad/dessert that remains popular today because it offers flavor notes and texture changes we love.
The flavor combination of the three layers, the salty crust, creamy filling, and a sweet-tart topping makes for both a great dessert and a great palate-cleansing salad. Each layer is super simple to make, and for the best results, let all of the ingredients come to room temperature before beginning.
To make it loaded with whole cranberries, I make my own Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce, but you can also use Ocean Spray's whole-berry canned sauce.
Whether you call this treat a salad or a dessert, my Cranberry Cheesecake Pretzel Dessert brings festive flavor and a beautiful pop of color to the holiday table. Doesn't this sound delicious and easy? Great!
So, let's cook!
Ingredient Notes
Here's what you need to make this Cranberry Cheesecake Pretzel Dessert:
Pretzel Crust Ingredients:
- Crushed Pretzels - These are the hard pretzels found in the chip and snack aisle of the grocery store. To crush them, place pretzels in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or give them a whirl in a small food processor.
- Butter - You can use either salted or unsalted butter for this recipe. Do not substitute margarine or butter spreads. Those products contain water and the crust will not properly set.
- White Granulated Sugar - Adding sugar to crushed salty pretzels will make this crust extra tasty.
Cheesecake Layer Ingredients:
- Cream Cheese - This is what makes this layer taste like cheesecake and full-fat cream cheese is recommended.
- White Granulated Sugar - Some additional sugar is needed to sweeten the cheesecake layer. White granulated sugar gives sweetness and texture.
- Cool Whip - This whipped topping stabilizes and lightens the texture of this layer.
- Vanilla Extract - Although Cool Whip has vanilla in it, more vanilla flavor is needed.
- Lemon Juice - Just a touch of lemon lifts the flavors of this layer and makes it super delicious.
Cranberry Layer Ingredients:
- Raspberry Jell-O - I prefer the Jell-O brand of gelatin. It has a stronger flavor and beautiful color.
- Boiling Water - The Jell-O gelatin will dissolve best if the water has come to a full rolling boil.
- Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce - I prefer to make my own cranberry sauce so that I have lots of beautiful whole cranberries for this recipe. But you can substitute 1 can of whole berry cranberry sauce.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- SUBSTITUTE Strawberry, Cherry, or Cranberry Jell-O. Instead of raspberry Jell-O you can use strawberry, cherry, or cranberry.
- SUBSTITUTE Crushed Graham Crackers for all or part of the pretzels. You won't have that intense sweet and salty flavor, but graham crackers are a good substitution if you don't have pretzels.
- ADD Mandarin Orange Segments and/or Crushed Pineapple. For an extra fruity version add one large can of drained mandarin orange segments and/or one 8-ounce can of drained crushed pineapple.
Special Note: Do not add fresh pineapple. The enzymes in fresh pineapple prevent gelatin from setting.
How to Make this Cranberry Cheesecake Pretzel Dessert Salad
This Cranberry Cheesecake Pretzel Dessert has three layers: the pretzel crust, a cheesecake layer, and a cranberry gelatin layer. Each layer is super simple to make!
How to Make the Pretzel Crust:
- Preheat & Prepare. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Using 1 tablespoon of butter, grease the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking dish or pan.
- Mix Pretzel Crust. Add the butter to a medium-sized microwave safe bowl. Microwave the butter at 30 second increments until it is melted.Add the crushed pretzels and sugar to the melted butter and mix well.
- Press Crust into Prepared Dish. Press the pretzel crust into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes and cool completely. PRO-TIP: Use a measuring cup to press and smooth the pretzel crust. The rounded corners and flat bottom of a measuring cup are perfect for this job!
How to Make the Cheesecake Layer:
- Beat Cream Cheese, Sugar, & Flavorings. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Then add the vanilla extract and lemon juice, and continue beating until everything is well combined.
- Add Cool Whip. Add the thawed Cool Whip to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold until no streaks of white remain.This cheesecake layer needs to be mixed well to make sure the cranberry layer doesn't leak through it and make your dessert streaky.
- Create Cheesecake Layer. Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly over the cooled crust and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
How to Make the Cranberry Layer:
- Combine Jello & Cranberry Sauce. In a large mixing bowl combine the raspberry Jell-O and boiling water until the Jell-O is completely dissolved. Stir in the whole berry cranberry sauce until it is well combined with the Jell-O.
- Chill. Refrigerate the cranberry and raspberry Jell-O until cooled and slightly set.
- Create Cranberry Layer & Chill. Spoon the cranberry Jell-O layer over the cheesecake layer and refrigerate until firmly set for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Cut into squares to serve. You can serve it plain or with a dollop of whipped cream or whipped topping.
My Top Tips
♡ Although this is a simple recipe, each layer takes time to set. I prefer to make this very early in the morning or the day before serving.
♡ I like to take just a little extra time to even out and smooth every layer to make the most beautiful layers.
Make-Ahead & Storage
- Make-Ahead: This cranberry pretzel dessert is best when made the day before serving it. This gives the dessert plenty of time to chill and be well set for slicing it.
- Storage: It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week if covered in cling wrap.
More Delicious Cranberry Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Cranberry Cheesecake Pretzel Dessert
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Ingredients
Pretzel Crust:
- 1 Tablespoon Salted Butter, Softened
- ¾ Cup Salted Butter, (1-½ Sticks)
- 2 Cups Crushed Pretzels
- 3 Tablespoons White Granulated Sugar
Cheesecake Layer:
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, At Room Temperature
- ¾ Cup White Granulated Sugar
- 8 Ounces Cool Whip, Thawed
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
Cranberry Layer:
- 6 Ounces Raspberry Jell-O, (One Large Package)
- 2 Cups Boiling Water
- 2 Cups Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
Instructions
- Pretzel Crust:Preheat & Prepare. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Using 1 tablespoon of butter, grease the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking dish or pan.1 Tablespoon Salted Butter
- Mix Pretzel Crust. Add the butter to a medium-sized microwave safe bowl. Microwave the butter at 30 second increments until it is melted.Add the crushed pretzels and sugar to the melted butter and mix well.2 Cups Crushed Pretzels, ¾ Cup Salted Butter, 3 Tablespoons White Granulated Sugar
- Press Crust into Prepared Dish. Press the pretzel crust into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes and cool completely. PRO-TIP: Use a measuring cup to press and smooth the pretzel crust. The rounded corners and flat bottom of a measuring cup are perfect for this job!
- Cheesecake Layer:Beat Cream Cheese, Sugar, & Flavorings. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Then add the vanilla extract and lemon juice, and continue beating until everything is well combined.8 Ounces Cream Cheese, ¾ Cup White Granulated Sugar, 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract, 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
- Add Cool Whip. Add the thawed Cool Whip to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold until no streaks of white remain.This cheesecake layer needs to be mixed well to make sure the cranberry layer doesn't leak through it and make your dessert streaky.8 Ounces Cool Whip
- Create Cheesecake Layer. Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly over the cooled crust and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Cranberry Layer:Combine Jello & Cranberry Sauce. In a large mixing bowl combine the raspberry Jell-O and boiling water until the Jell-O is completely dissolved. Stir in the whole berry cranberry sauce until it is well combined with the Jell-O.6 Ounces Raspberry Jell-O, 2 Cups Boiling Water, 2 Cups Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
- Chill. Refrigerate the cranberry and raspberry Jell-O until cooled and slightly set.
- Create Cranberry Layer & Chill. Spoon the cranberry Jell-O layer over the cheesecake layer and refrigerate until firmly set for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
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Leann F says
This was so delicious. The recipe was very easy to follow.
Jan Nunes says
Hi Leann,
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Have a wonderful day! ~Jan 😊