Pineapple Pretzel Salad

This cool, creamy pineapple fluff filled with candied pretzels is the perfect combination of sweet and salty, and can be served as a dessert or sweet side dish!

Servings

Calories 1566kcal

Author Sara

Ingredients

2 cups pretzels crushed into small pieces
1 cup butter melted
1 ½ cups sugar divided
8 ounces cream cheese softened
20 ounce can crushed pineapple drained
8 ounces whipped topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400º Fahrenheit.
Melt butter in a medium mixing bowl.
Stir in 1 cup sugar.
Pour in pretzels and stir until they are coated.
Spread pretzels out evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 6-8 minutes or until they hold together like toffee. Do not over-bake.
Allow pretzels to cool.
When cool, break pretzels apart into small pieces and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and ½ cup sugar until whipped.
Mix in pineapple.
Fold in whipped topping.
Right before serving, stir in 1 ½ cups pretzels and sprinkle remaining pretzels on top.

Notes

Precision in Baking: When baking the pretzels coated with butter and sugar, keep a close eye on them to prevent over-browning or burning. Baking for 6–8 minutes at 400°F should yield pretzels that hold together like toffee. However, oven temperatures can vary, so check the pretzels frequently towards the end of the baking time to ensure they reach the desired texture without becoming overly crispy.
Maintaining Crunch: To preserve the crunchy texture of the pretzels in the salad, wait until they are completely cooled before breaking them into small pieces. Breaking them too soon while they're still warm may result in uneven or soggy pretzel pieces. Allowing them to cool ensures that they maintain their crispiness and add a satisfying crunch to the salad.
Last-Minute Assembly: To prevent the pretzels from becoming too soggy before serving, stir in the pretzel pieces just before serving the salad. This ensures that the pretzels retain their crunchiness and add a delightful texture to each bite. Sprinkle the remaining pretzel pieces on top as a garnish for added visual appeal and an extra crunch factor.

Nutrition