Orange Pretzel Salad

If you are looking for a sweet and salty refreshing treat, you are in the right place. This orange pretzel salad is a fun citrusy twist on a summer classic. Make one to see how good it is for yourself.

A perfect mashup of two old school favorites, this mandarin orange pretzel salad will remind you a little bit of those orange dreamsicle popsicles mashed up with another summertime treat, strawberry pretzel salad. The result is a perfect mix of sweet and salty, orange, and vanilla.

Let me start by telling you whoever decided that a layer of pretzel crust followed by sweetened cream cheese and topped with jello a salad was an absolute genius! Mostly because whoever made that decision somehow made what might normally seem like a dessert be an acceptable side dish at gatherings my whole childhood.

Strawberry pretzel salad was a fixture at gatherings during my childhood. It makes an appearance at most family reunions, potlucks, and BBQs in the Midwest.

But you know me, I can’t leave well enough alone.  So I went to tinkering.

If you have been hanging around here lately, you know I am going through my creamsicle phase.  I want everything to have that mix of bright orange citrus and creamy vanilla.

There was the orange cheesecake ice cream, orange creamsicle jello salad, and the orange creamsicle no bake cheesecake. So, of course, I had to put an orange creamsicle twist on that pretzel salad I loved so much growing up.

I did make a few changes besides the basic flavor of the top layer.  This recipe makes orange pretzel salad without Cool Whip.

I mimicked my favorite no bake cheesecake filling, which is fluffy and delicious and made of just cream cheese, cream, sugar, and vanilla.

The little mandarin orange slices are always a hit at our house as well, so I loaded it up with them.  No smattering of oranges for us.

We wanted orange in every bite!  I delivered the finished “salad” to my parents’ house.

Tips and Tricks

This recipe is super simple to make, but it does take a little time between each step. You may be tempted to rush it along, but for the best results, you will want to give each layer the time it deserves.

Your pretzels don’t have to be ground completely into powder, but you do want them pretty well broken up to make serving and eating your salad more enjoyable. You can use plastic bags and a rolling pin to make that happen, but if you have a food processor, it is the perfect tool for the job.

Allow the crust to cool completely before you add the cream cheese filling. Then, make sure the cream cheese filling touches the pan the whole way around.

If your cream cheese filling isn’t making contact with the pan, the jello can leak underneath. Your dish will still be edible, but not nearly as pretty, and the pretzels will be soft.

Allow the cream cheese filling to set in the refrigerator while the jello mixture cools at room temperature a bit. Then gently pour the jello over the cream cheese and put the whole thing back in the refrigerator until the jello is set.

It really is an easy recipe, but taking care between layers is the key to the best finished product!

4.91 from 11 ratings

Orange Pretzel Salad

Author: Carlee

Servings: 16 Servings

Salty pretzel crust, vanilla cream cheese center, and plenty of mandarin oranges on top, this orange creamsicle pretzel salad has it all. The only question is do you serve it as a side or a dessert?

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Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Additional Time 2 hours hrs

Total: 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Equipment

• Hand Mixer
• PYREX 3QT Glass Baking Dish Cover 9×13"

Ingredients 

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Pretzel Crust

• ▢ 2 cups crushed pretzels
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• ▢ ¾ cup butter

Cream Cheese Filling

• ▢ 16 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Orange Jello Topping

• ▢ 6 oz box orange gelatin
• ▢ 2 cups boiling water
• ▢ 1½ cups ice water
• ▢ 20 oz mandarin oranges (2 cans)

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place crushed pretzels and white sugar in the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Melt the butter and pour over the pretzels and sugar. Mix and spread over the bottom of the pan, pressing slightly. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove to cool.
  2 cups crushed pretzels, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, ¾ cup butter
• In a stand mixer, or a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese until super smooth.
  16 ounces cream cheese
• Add sugar and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
  1 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Slowly drizzle in the cream while the mixer is running and whip until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  1 cup heavy whipping cream
• Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled pretzel crust. Be sure to spread it all the way to the edges to create a seal that will keep the Jello from seeping into the crust.
• Drain the oranges and arrange slices over the cream cheese. Place in the refrigerator to set.
  20 oz mandarin oranges
• Stir the gelatin powder into the hot water until it is dissolved. Add the ice water and stir until cooled. Allow the Jello to sit until it reaches room temperature.
  6 oz box orange gelatin, 2 cups boiling water, 1½ cups ice water
• Slowly pour cooled Jello over orange slices and cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate until set, at least a couple of hours.

Notes

You can use 8 oz. of Cool Whip instead of the heavy cream. Just fold it into the cream cheese and sugar mixture.

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Nutrition Information

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 243mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g

“Cooking With Carlee” is not a dietitian or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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