Cranberry Pretzel Salad Recipe

This deconstructed cranberry pretzel salad also has a gluten/dairy free option!

Hey there friends! Today is another post as part of the lovely series, Tastes of the Season with Kristen from Ella Claire. The theme for this round is all about Thanksgiving sides and I am showing how to make a beloved cranberry pretzel salad recipe. I deconstructed it just a bit making it more of an individualized side or even more of a “sweet bite” to enjoy/cleanse the pallet after all that turkey goodness.

We celebrated Thanksgiving either with my dad’s side of the family or my mom’s (depending on the year and rotation). Sometimes it was with a delicious home cooked meal or other times, it was a fancy dinner out. Either way we all enjoyed ourselves and most importantly loved the company (the food was the next best thing). But one side dish that was always a favorite after all those years and all those celebrations was my aunt’s Pretzel Salad… This was also a Christmas tradition so it works for either holiday ;)…

I decided to make this dish and put a twist on it with cranberries, mini cups (found here) and of course I am sharing how to make it gluten/dairy free too. You can still see the original option as well!

Here is what you will need for this sweet side… This will make around 20 small 2 ou. sized dessert cups.

For Crust:

• 3 cups of crushed pretzels (I used Trader Joe’s gluten free pretzels)
• 8 tablespoon of melted butter (I supplemented with this diary free butter)
• 1 tablespoon of sugar

For Cream Filling

• 3/4 cup of cool whip (here is the dairy free option I used)
• 3/4 cup of vegan cream cheese (I found one again at Trader Joe’s)
• 1 tablespoon of sugar

For the Cranberry Jell-O

•  3 ou. package of Jell-O mix (I used strawberry as Cranberry flavor was not available) and follow with packaging directions which will include water.
• 1 cup of cooked cranberries. Side note here, I originally put raw cranberries in for this pictured recipe, but after the fact realized they would be much better cooked or dried. So I would either give your cranberries  a quick sauté in some simple syrup so that they have popped and softened a bit. Or even use dried cranberries as an option. You don’t want it to be too runny though as it will mess with how your jello sets.

I’ve included a full recipe card down below, but here are the detailed instructions on how you will make this festive pretzel salad!

Set the oven at 350 degrees. Crush your pretzels up nice and fine (I do like to leave a few chunks but the crust will form best with a fine texture). I use a baggy zipped up and then the flat side of a wooden spoon to crush the mixture.

Now add the butter and sugar to the mix.

Since I used mini cups that could not be baked in as they would melt, I first spooned the buttered pretzels into the cups for measurement about 1/3 of the way up.

Then I turned them upside down on a non stick cookie sheet. A silicone mat would work wonderful as well.

Bake the pretzel crust in the oven for around 5 minutes. Until it has become bubbly and golden. Take it out and let it cool.

Mix the ingredients for your cream filling together (cool whip, cream cheese and sugar) without over mixing).

Set your cream mixture into the fridge while you prepare the remainder of the recipe.

Start on the Jell-O by following the packaging’s directions.

Pour the Jello – O into a glass dish and let it firm up in the fridge for a while. Once it was thicker but not fully set I put my cranberries into the gelatin dish. Mixing it up again.

Put your cranberry Jell-O into the fridge yet again, continuing to allow it to set. Do not let it set all the way as you want to be able to spoon it on your layers, so keep an eye on it as you work and pull it out if it starts to get too firm.

While the gelatin sets, begin spooning or placing your baked pretzel base into cups. Do not worry if your pretzel crust crumbles a bit. It will still taste just as good.

Now put a dollop of cream atop the crust (about another 1/3 of the way up).

I used a plastic spoon to smooth the cream across creating a layer.

Your Jell-O mixture will be the final layer on top of the pretzels and cream.

Now take your completed cups and let them finish setting in the fridge. In fact, I found this recipe to be best the second day as everything had really come together by that point.

This recipe is nice as it can be made ahead of time and even gets better with time in my opinion ;). I didn’t try myself, but I do think the portions would work fine if you made this in a glass/pie container.

Click here for other cranberry recipe ideas: Easy Vegan Cranberry Cream Cheese Loaf and Almond Crackers

These special little cups can be put out as part of your dining setting or scattered across the table too.

I had dusted my cranberries with sugar, but there are so many variations for the presentation… You could add a little mint (as seen below), swirl on whip cream or leave as is!

I hope you enjoyed this dish today and don’t forget to check out all the other lovely recipes down below. These friends are so talented and it is really inspiring to see what they prepare for their own tables!

Apple Walnut Cranberry Sauce by Ella Claire | Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole by Nesting with Grace | Herb and Garlic Roasted Carrots by Craftberry Bush | Bacon Green Beans by anderson + grant | Pumpkin & Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes by My Sweet Savannah

Sweet Potato Pie by City Farmhouse | Sweet Cornbread by Nina Hendrick Design Co. | Sally Lunn Bread by House 214 | Cranberry & Brie Bites by Finding Home Farms | Avocado Bacon Butternut Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette by Nest of Posies

Cranberry Pretzel Salad by Zevy Joy | Sweet & Savory Cornbread by Julie Blanner | Roasted Carrots with Candied Pecans & Goat Cheese by Inspired by Charm