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This pineapple pretzel salad recipe combines a sweet-and-salty pretzel crust with a fluffy cream cheese layer and fruity pineapple jello topping. After baking the crust for 10 minutes, the rest of the recipe is made by chilling the remaining layers, making this great summer make-ahead dessert.
I’ve been making strawberry pretzel salad pretty much my whole life. I fondly remember making it with my Nana for all types of occasions. Our whole family loved that classic combination of sweet and salty flavors.
As an adult, I’ve branched out and started experimenting with different fruits in this family favorite dessert. This pineapple version is a newer favorite, but one that we really love.
What is pineapple pretzel salad?
There are a couple different recipes that come to mind when you think of pineapple pretzel salad. Both are classic Midwestern “salads” that are actually served as a dessert.
One version is essentially pineapple fluff but with crushed pretzels added into the mix.
The other type — which is what my version is — is a pineapple take on the classic strawberry pretzel salad and the less-popular but just-as-delicious raspberry pretzel salad.
This version is a layered dessert, starting with a pretzel crust. The middle layer is made with cream cheese and Cool Whip for a fluffy texture and tangy flavor. And the topping is made with pineapple tidbits and sweet pineapple jello.
It’s a little crunchy and salty from the pretzel pieces, a little creamy from the fluffy middle layer, and super fruity from the pineapple topping. It’s easy to make and perfect for taking to a summer potluck or cookout.
Jamie’s testing notes
- Don’t crush the pretzels too much. You need to crush up the pretzel twists to bring the crust together, but don’t get too excited and pulverize them to crumbs. Leaving some different sized pieces allows for better crunch later on!
- Make sure to spread the cream cheese layer to the edges of the pan. This will create a barrier to prevent the jello topping from seeping into the crust and making it soggy later.
- Use some of the pineapple juice in the topping. I like to reserve some of the juice from the canned pineapple and use it as part of the liquid in the jello mixture. This adds even more real pineapple flavor to the topping.
Ingredient notes
⬇️ For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below!
If you’ve made any of my summer no-bake desserts in the past, a lot of these ingredients are going to be pretty familiar to you. But there are a couple things to keep in mind before you get started:
- Tiny pretzel twists: Make sure you buy the tiny ones, not the big ones! You could use gluten-free pretzels if you need. Just make sure the rest of your ingredients are certified gluten-free if someone has an allergy or intolerance.
- Cream cheese: This needs to be softened before you start making the filling. If you forget to set it out ahead of time, check out my tips for softening cream cheese quickly.
- Whipped topping: Thawed according to package directions. I don’t recommend swapping this for regular whipped cream, as it won’t hold up the same way after chilling. If you don’t like using whipped topping, you could try using stabilized whipped cream instead.
- Pineapple tidbits: Be sure to buy pineapple tidbits in juice, not syrup. When draining the fruit, reserve 1 cup of the juice to use later.
How to make this pineapple pretzel salad
The crust is the only part of this dessert that requires baking. So while this isn’t a no-bake recipe, it is definitely a low-bake recipe!
After crushing the pretzel twists, mix them with the sugar and melted butter, then evenly press the mixture into the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan, just like if you were making a graham cracker crust.
Bake this for 10 minutes, then let it cool completely before you add the next layer.
Once the crust is cool, use a mixer to beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla for 5 minutes. Yes, 5 minutes! You want this mixture to be super creamy so you don’t get any graininess from the sugar.
Fold in the Cool Whip and then spread this evenly over the cooled crust. Make sure you get it all the way to the edges of the pan!
Let this chill for 1 hour while you work on the pineapple topping.
Whisk the jello and boiling water until the jello has dissolved, then add the pineapple tidbits and the reserved juice. At this point, this mixture is still going to be too hot to add to the dessert—it would melt the cream cheese layer.
Place the pineapple mixture in the fridge to chill for 1 hour. This will bring down the temperature so it isn’t too hot, but not set it so much that you can’t spread it onto the dessert.
After 1 hour, pour it over the cream cheese layer and spread evenly. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours before slicing and serving.
Make-ahead and storage
You can easily make this pineapple pretzel salad recipe up to 1 day ahead of time. Keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The crust may lose some of its crunch after a few days, but it’ll still taste great.
I don’t recommend freezing this dessert.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! I personally prefer having larger chunks of pineapple in the topping, but you could use 2 (20-ounce) cans of crushed pineapple in juice instead. Again, be sure to drain and reserve 1 cup of the juice.
Sure! I’d recommend adding shredded or flaked coconut to the crust. Start with 1/2 cup and see if that gives you the added flavor you’re looking for.
You could also fold some into the filling, but keep in mind that it will change the smooth and creamy texture a bit.
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Place the pretzels into a gallon size zip-top bag and crush the pretzels into coarse crumbs using a rolling pin. You can also pulse the pretzels in a food processor, just be careful not over-process them as you want there to be varying textures.
3 cups tiny pretzel twists
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Place the pretzels into a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar and melted butter. Transfer the pretzel mixture into a 9×13-inch glass baking dish and gently press the mixture into the bottom of the baking dish to form an even crust layer. Bake the crust in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and move to a wire rack to cool completely.
¼ cup granulated sugar, 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
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In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on medium speed for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Spread evenly over the cooled crust, taking care to spread the filling from edge to edge of the pan so the topping doesn’t seep into the crust layer. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
16 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 8 ounces frozen whipped topping
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While the cream cheese layer chills, whisk together the Jell-o and boiling water for 2 minutes or until the Jell-o has fully dissolved. Stir in the reserved 1 cup of pineapple juice and drained pineapple tidbits. Place this mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour to cool.
2 (3-ounce) packages Island Pineapple Jell-o, 1 cup boiling water, 2 (20-ounce) cans pineapple tidbits in juice
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After the cream cheese layer and the Jell-o mixture have both chilled for 1 hour, pour the Jell-o mixture directly onto the cream cheese filling layer and spread to form an even layer.
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Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
- When whisking the jell-o with the boiling water, the top will get frothy/bubbly. If you want a super smooth finish on your pineapple topping, simply use a spoon to remove some of the froth (though it won’t affect the taste!).
- I have not tried this recipe using whipped cream instead of whipped topping, so I cannot attest to the outcome.
Storage
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Calories: 460kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 333mg, Potassium: 215mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 51g, Vitamin A: 821IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More pineapple dessert recipes
If you love pineapple as much as we do, make sure you try making grilled pineapple next time you’re firing up the grill! It’s especially delicious with grilled pound cake a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
We’re also big fans of using cake mixes to make pineapple angel food cake, super easy cherry pineapple dump cake, and the ever-popular easy pineapple cake.
And when in doubt, whip up a batch of pineapple banana bread! It’s just as delicious for dessert as it is for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
