This beautiful dessert is easier than you expect. There are three delicious layers starting with crushed pretzels. The middle layer is a cloud layer made up of cream cheese and whipped cream. It makes this "salad" so light and refreshing. The top layer includes blueberries floating in jello. It looks beautiful when served and tastes divine!
This is a twist on the classic strawberry pretzel salad. My two teen boys agreed if they could have this 'salad', they'd eat it for every meal! Here are couple of other blueberry desserts for you! This three ingredient blueberry cobbler is more of a casual and quick dessert to make. But, it's soooo good! And these blueberry muffins are great anytime of day!
Table of contents
Why you'll love this dessert
It has everything you could want in a dessert! There is a delicious pretzel crumb on the bottom with a delicious saltiness to contrast with the middle sweet and fluffy layer. Then on top, fresh fruit suspended in jello. Who doesn't like fresh fruit in jello?
Although this recipe takes a bit of time, nothing takes long or is complicated. You just need to let each layer to set and then proceed to the next one. This can be made the day before so you don't need to rush around making this the day of your gathering date.
It's actually a simple recipe based on an old classic - but simplified.
Ingredients
Crushed pretzels with salt. You can use any kind of salted pretzels just be aware you will have to crush them so don't get any that are too thick.
Melted butter - I always have salted on hand so thats what I use. Plus part of the flavor experience of this recipe is the salt and sweet contrast, so salted butter works well!
Cream cheese - our you can use Neufchatel which is a light cream cheese.
Cool Whip to mix with the cream cheese
The large package of blueberry jello - 6 oz size
Sugar - white sugar for this recipe
Fresh blueberries - this is one of the few recipes where I wouldn't use frozen or canned blueberries. The end result won't be the same.
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F
Step 1
Crush pretzels into small pieces. You don't want to crush too fine. Below shows a closeup of the baked crust, showing the varying sizes of the crushed pretzels. It's OK to have some small pretzel pieces.
Step 2
Mix in melted butter and 3 tablespoons of sugar.
In a 9 x 13 baking dish, spread pretzel mixture evenly and press down to form crust.
Bake for 8 minutes, remove from oven and let cool.
Step 3
Mix together the Cool Whip and cream cheese mixture and spread on the pretzel crust. After the pretzel crust has cooled, of course!
Step 4
Spread blueberries evenly. Then pour cooled blueberry jello.
Pro Tip
Make sure the jello is well cooled. Picture in your mind what happens when you pour very warm (ok, maybe hot) jello on the whipped cream/cream cheese mixture. {sigh} In the above image, I should have cooled the jello just a little more. You can see some of the white layer floated into the jello layer.
Storage
This stores well in the fridge with the dish wrapped. In fact, I usually make this the day before and refrigerate.
This dish does not freeze well. The jello changes it's texture when frozen.
FAQ
Most questions about this recipe are related to the layers.
1. Make sure the pretzel layer is spread to the edges and corners prior to baking. The pretzel layer must be well cooled prior to spreading the cream cheese/whipped topping layer.
2. The jello must be cooled to just before it starts to set (but still 'pourable'. Otherwise it will melt some of the cream cheese/whipped topping layer and it will look a little messy like the image I provided ablove.
Other fruit based desserts
Detailed printable directions below!
Come back and leave a 5 star rating if you loved this recipe!
Blueberry Salad Dessert
Ingredients
- 2 cups pretzels crushed (measure crushed pretzels)
- ¾ cups butter melted
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 8 oz Cool Whip
- 1 box Blueberry jello The large box - 6 oz
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 ½ cups water
- 16 oz fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Crush pretzels into small pieces. You don't want to crush too fine. Below shows a closeup of the baked crust, showing the varying sizes of the crushed pretzels. It's OK to have some small pretzel pieces.
- In a 9x13 baking dish, spread evenly and press down the crushed pretzel mixture to make a crust.
- Bake 8 minutes, remove from oven and let cool.
- Whip cream cheese with ¾ cup sugar. Stir in Cool Whip.
- Spread the cream cheese and cool whip mixture on the cooled pretzel mixture.
- Make jello according to package directions. Place in refrigerator and watch for the jello to partially set. You are looking for it to be cool and a thick liquid.
- Place blueberries on the whipped cream/cream cheese layer. They won't totally cover, you just want them to be evenly spaced.
- Gently pour cooled jello on this layer.
- Refrigerate until firm and set.
- Optional garnish is some leftover whipped cream, blueberries and a pretzel.
Nutrition (I am not a nutritionist. These are estimates only)
Shhhhhh, here's a big shortcut. If you don't want to make whipped cream, use Cool Whip. No one needs to know!
Looking for other easy and delicious desserts? Try this
Three Ingredient Peach Cobbler. It's delicious, easy and quick to make!!
First published Aug. 18, 2015
Leslie
I was introduced to this by a pineapple filling, instead of strawberry/raspberry/blueberry filling. I've had the strawberry one, but still favor the pineapple one. I imagine the others are just as tasty.
momcrieff
I have never tried this with pineapple filling. That sounds so good and I'll have to try it soon! Thanks for sharing.
erikaaldrich
we are going to make this because it looks yummy!
Debbie
When do you add the 3/4 cup sugar. I'm thinking to the cream cheese mixture.
pestep81
We have been making this dish in SW PA for years but.... it's called strawberry pretzel salad. I can't believe it never occurred to me to use different fruit! The blueberries look delicious and now I'm thinking red white and blue? Maybe for labor day. Thanks for the inspiration!
momcrieff
I still think it's funny that it's called a 'salad'.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!! Labor Day is coming up quick!
MӨƧ
ok this looks absolutely delish.. pinning and sharing. 🙂