Pineapple Pretzel Saladrn

Name: Pineapple Pretzel Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 265 min
Ingredients: 2½ cups crushed pretzels, (5 cups of whole pretzels); 1¼ cups granulated sugar, (divided into ½ cup and ¾ cup); ¾ cup salted sweet cream butter, (melted); 12 ounces cream cheese, (softened); 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 12 ounces whipped topping,; 1 cup boiling water; 40 ounces of crushed pineapple in 100% pineapple juice ((two 20-ounce cans)); 6 ounces pineapple gelatin mix; 20 ounces pineapple chunks, (the chunks can be used as optional garnish)

a close-up shot of a slice of Pineapple Pretzel Salad on a plate

This easy, light pineapple pretzel salad dessert recipe combines crushed pretzels with pineapple and jello for a unique and delicious combination of sweet, salty, and tangy flavors.

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Table of Contents

Pineapple Pretzel Salad Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Pineapple Pretzel Salad Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
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If you are looking for a delicious and unique dish to serve at your next gathering, look no further than this sweet pineapple pretzel salad! This delightful treat will have everyone begging for more with its combination of sweet, salty, and crunchy flavors.

Pineapple Pretzel Salad Ingredients

Pineapple Pretzel Salad raw ingredients that are labeled

Pretzel pineapple salad is an incredibly flavorful and decadent dish.

The sweet and salty combination of pineapple, pretzels, cream cheese, and Jell-O creates an explosion of delightful flavors in the mouth.

The crunchy texture of the pretzels complements the creamy smoothness of the cream cheese, while the tartness of the pineapple adds the perfect balance.

You’ll need:

2½ cups of crushed pretzels (5 cups of whole pretzels)
1¼ cups of granulated sugar (divided into ½ cup and ¾ cup)
¾ cup of salted sweet cream butter melted
12 ounces of cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
12 ounces of whipped topping, thawed (if choosing to top with a spoonful of whipped topping, you will need an additional amount of whipped topping, you can buy 2 (8-ounce) whipped topping and use one full container and half of the other container for the recipe and the remaining half container for the topping)
1 cup of boiling water
2 (20-ounce) cans of crushed pineapple in 100% pineapple juice
2 (3-ounce) boxes of pineapple gelatin mix
Optional: 1 (20-ounce) can of pineapple chunks (the chunks can be used as optional garnish)

Substitutions And Additions

PRETZELS: I chose to use the small pretzel twists, but you can also use the small pretzel sticks in this great recipe.

PINEAPPLE: I do not recommend using fresh pineapple. The enzymes in the fresh pineapple will keep the gelatin from thickening.

TOPPING: You can add coconut flakes and top with a maraschino cherry on each square to make a pina colada pretzel salad.

How To Make This Pineapple Pretzel Salad Recipe

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.

STEP TWO: Add the crushed pretzels and ½ cup granulated sugar to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Add the melted butter to the pretzel mixture. Stir to coat completely. Press into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

You can crush the pretzels in the food processor or add them in batches to a gallon-size ziplock bag and use either a rolling pin or even the cans of crushed pineapple to crush the pretzels.

STEP THREE: Bake the pretzel layer for 10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely.

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your crust as the suggested baking time approaches.

STEP FOUR: Using a stand mixer or a large bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese for 1 to 1½ minutes until no lumps remain.

STEP FIVE: Add the remaining ¾ cup granulated sugar and vanilla extract for another 1 to 1½ minutes until completely incorporated.

STEP SIX: Fold in the thawed whipped topping.

STEP SEVEN: Use an offset spatula or silicone spatula to evenly spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust. When smoothing the cream cheese mixture, make sure to create a small ledge around the sides with the cream cheese mixture. This will help create a wall or barrier to prevent the jello from seeping down the sides into the pretzel base and making it soggy.

PRO TIP:

Be sure to really seal the cream cheese mixture all the way to the edges over the pretzels so that when the gelatin is added, it doesn’t seep into the pretzel crust and make it soggy.

STEP EIGHT: Drain the juice of 1 can of crushed pineapple, but do not drain the second can.

STEP NINE: Add the boiling water to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Sprinkle both packages of gelatin over the boiling water. Stir to dissolve the gelatin completely.

STEP TEN: Add both cans of crushed pineapple, 1 can drained, and 1 can with the juice to the dissolved gelatin. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes or until the gelatin is just starting to thicken but has not set.

STEP ELEVEN: Carefully spoon the jello mixture over the cream cheese layer, be sure it does not go over the edges of the cream cheese. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until the jello layer is set. Slice 3 slices x 4 slices before you are ready to serve.

jello mixture spooned over the cream cheese layer

STEP TWELVE: You can garnish with a spoonful of whipped topping and a small piece of drained pineapple chunk

Whipped topping and pineapple chunk garnished

How To Serve

Pineapple pretzel fluff salad is a delightful and refreshing summer dessert, perfect for any occasion.

It pairs nicely with a variety of sides, including fresh fruit, yogurt parfait, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

A refreshing drink is a delicious accompaniment to your pretzel salad. Try a cold iced tea or pineapple lemonade for two great choices.

Pineapple isn’t the only flavor you can make this tasty dessert with. Check out our peach pretzel salad and strawberry pretzel salad too!

MORE PRETZEL SALAD RECIPES

No Bake Desserts

Mandarin Orange Pretzel Salad

No Bake Desserts

Strawberry Pretzel Jello

Storage

So let’s delve into some handy tips and instructions on how to keep this tasty salad fresh and delicious.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers of this dessert salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days

IN THE FREEZER: It’s not a good idea to freeze this delicious recipe. Freezing jello destroys the chemical bonds in the gelatin, which means that it will become runny when you defrost it. The pineapples and hard pretzels are likely to go a bit mushy too.

a close up shot of a slice of Pineapple Pretzel Salad on a spatula

Pineapple pretzel salad is a refreshing summer dessert perfect for any occasion. With its perfect combination of salty pretzels, sweet cream cheese filling, and pineapple jello, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser. And the best part? It’s super easy to make!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different base for this salad?

While pretzels are in the name of this easy pretzel salad dessert, you could replace the crushed pretzels with graham crackers or vanilla wafers for the crust.

Can I change the flavor of this dessert?

This light dessert recipe is flexible. Change up the fruit and jello flavor to whatever you prefer. Or mix and match. Try blueberries with lemon or black cherry jello for fun combinations.

What kind of pretzels are the best choice for this recipe?

Salted pretzels should be used for the crunchy pretzel crust as they add that salty element. You can use either pretzel sticks or twists.

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