Raspberry Pretzel Salad

What do you get when you combine a pretzel crust with a sweet, whipped cheese filling and juicy raspberries? Pure bliss in every delicious bite!

This holiday season, give your family and friends a special treat—raspberry pretzel salad. You get it all—crunchy, salty, sweet, creamy, and fruity in every bite. This dish will quickly become a holiday favorite and a new tradition in your house, but don’t wait for colder weather to make it; it’s good any time of year.

I find it funny that it’s called a salad when there’s no “salad” involved. When I think of salad, it often contains a bunch of fresh vegetables, occasionally with some protein or fruit added. But, since salads are often part of a meal, I see no reason why this dish can’t be as well. You may think of this as a dessert, but go ahead and add it to your dinner plate if you have a sweet tooth like me. After all, you eat cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes covered with marshmallows with your turkey and stuffing, so why not this?

The pretzels transform the crust from totally sweet to slightly savory, with the perfect balance of sugar and salt. The filling is fluffy and tastes as good as it sounds, making for a delicious flavor combination that surprises the taste buds.

Although this recipe calls for granulated sugar, you can also use light brown sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, or maple sugar in the crust and the filling. However, these sugars will definitely make the filling appear darker. Many keto sugars will also work, as long as they are one-to-one substitutes for sugar.

Make it without gluten or dairy

You can easily use gluten-free pretzels in this recipe. I tried it recently, and everyone loved it. So go ahead and crush your favorite GF pretzels so no one feels left out.

What about people who don’t eat dairy, you ask? Not a problem, either. Chances are that you’re already using a nondairy whipped topping. All you need to do is substitute your favorite plant-based unsalted butter and cream cheese for the dairy versions listed here. The dish works equally well. And, for those who want to take it a step further and make a vegan version, just pick up a package of raspberry vegan gelatin. If you can’t find raspberry gelatin, go ahead and substitute strawberry. It will taste just as good.

How do I store leftovers?

If you have leftover raspberry pretzel salad, lucky you. I think it tastes even better the second day, when the crust softens a bit but still has some crunchy bites. Store your leftovers in an airtight container or tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This dish does not freeze well.

Serving suggestions

It’s natural to serve raspberry pretzel salad with the traditional turkey or ham dinner. However, it’s also okay to get creative this time of year and serve dishes like Ground Turkey Zucchini Boats, Turkey Shepherd’s Pie, or Turkey Swedish Meatballs. Entrees like Pork And Sauerkraut, Pork Osso Bucco, and Instant-Pot Beef Brisket are equally at home on your holiday table. Crock-Pot Green Bean Casserole, Cornbread Stuffing, and my favorite, Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows, can help round out your feast.