No Bake Summer Berry Pretzel Salad is quick and easy dessert recipe for delicious summer treat. Red, white and blue dessert is definitely fun and festive idea for 4th of July party. It’s perfect for summer BBQ, potlucks or a party, to feed the crowd just like No Bake Summer Berry Lasagna.
In short, this is layered no bake dessert with pretzel crust, cream cheese filling and lemon-lime flavored jello topping loaded with fresh berries.
The top layer of this No Bake Summer Berry Pretzel Salad is very refreshing, therefore it’s perfect for summer. I wanted to make clear, colorless jello that would allow the berries to show off their vibrant colors. So for a liquid part I chose the Sprite, since it’s clear, soft drink with refreshing lemon-lime flavor. You can substitute it with 7 Up, or any of your favorite lemon, colorless soft drink. Jello will look good but taste good as well. Lemon-lime jello pair perfectly with fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, too.
Since it’s summer I was looking for refreshing no bake summer dessert to make. While strawberries, raspberries and blueberries are in season I wanted to make mixed berries treat.
While I was looking for inspiration on Pinterest, I stumbled upon this Sparkling Red, White and Blue Sangria from Gimme Some Oven. I was impressed with Ali’s gorgeous photos, as always. That Sangria looks so pretty, fun and festive so I wanted to transform it into dessert. And that’s how this patriotic No Bake Summer Berry Pretzel Salad was born.
Instead of sangria, I made clear, lemon-lime flavored gelatin as a bond for delicious fresh, juicy berries.
The base for this dessert is crispy and salty, no bake pretzel crust and sweet, tangy and smooth cream cheese filling. And the star of this no bake summer dessert is jello topping overloaded with fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
At the end I threw just a few stars (cut off from apple slices) on top. It makes this No Bake Summer Berry Pretzel Salad looking so fun and festive, perfect for 4th of July party.
Check for more Easy No Bake Summer Dessert Recipes:
No Bake Summer Berry Lasagna is EASY SUMMER DESSERT RECIPE for refreshing sweet treat. RED WHITE and BLUE no bake dessert is fun idea for Memorial Day and 4th of July.
No Bake Strawberry Jello Lasagna is quick and easy dessert recipe for refreshing summer sweet treat and use only few ingredients: fresh strawberries, whipped cream, strawberry Jello, cream cheese, Golden Oreo, white chocolate and strawberry Greek yogurt.
Pin No Bake Summer Berry Pretzel Salad image:
PrintNo Bake Summer Berry Pretzel Salad
Prep Time: 30- Total Time: 4
Yield: 12 1x
Category: desserts
Method: no bake
Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
No Bake Summer Berry Pretzel Salad is quick and easy dessert recipe for delicious summer treat.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 8 oz. (220g) salted pretzels-crushed (about 2 cups of crushed pretzels)
Cream cheese layer:
- 8 oz. cream cheese-softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz. Cool Whip thawed in the fridge ( or 3 cups whipped topping )
For gelatin layer:
- 0.75 oz. (21 g.) unflavored gelatin
- ½ cup cold water
- 2 cups lemon-lime flavored clear, soft drink (I used Sprite)
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 2 cups fresh raspberries
- 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
- For the stars you’ll need 1 apple and fresh lemon juice to brush the apple slices
Instructions
- Combine melted butter and brown sugar, stir well, then stir in crushed pretzels and press into the bottom of 9 x 13 x 2 inch dish. (I prefer glass dish for prettier presentation. Press the pretzel layer really strong so it won’t fall apart when serving. Place in the freezer to firm while making the filling.
- To make the filling beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy and smooth. Mix in Cool Whip. Spread over chilled crust. Place in the fridge.
- To make the topping place gelatin in a large bowl and pour ½ cup cold water over gelatin, let it sit a few minutes. Heat 1 ¼ cups of Sprite to the boiling point and pour over gelatin, stir until the gelatin dissolve completely. Stir in remaining Sprite and set aside to cool.
- Arrange the berries over chilled cream cheese layer.
- If you want to make the stars cut the apple in thin slices, and using a small star shaped cookie cutter cut off the stars. Brush the stars immediately with lemon juice to prevent browning. Arrange the stars on top.
- Gently pour room temperature gelatin over fruit layer. Don’t pour warm gelatin, it will melt cream cheese layer!!!
- Refrigerate a few hours or overnight until the gelatin has completely set.
Notes
Fruit ratio can be changed and adjust to your own taste. Just use enough fruit to cover the cream cheese filling with thick layer of fruit, almost to the top of dish.
Recipe inspired by Red, White and Blue Sangria from Gimme Some Oven
2 comments
No Bake Pretzel Salad, was so yummy … but I was disappointed I had to chisel it out of the bowl , the crust was too solid. Is there any ideas on how to make it a little easier to serve?
This looks tasty! Can’t wait to try this out. I love all things red, white and blue for my bday around 4th of July