Easy Pineapple Pretzel Fluff
Pineapple Pretzel Fluff is a delicious and easy dessert that combines the sweetness of pineapple with the salty crunch of pretzels in a creamy cool whip and cream cheese fluff! Perfect for picnics, BBQs, or any time you want a tasty and easy dessert salad!
This easy Pineapple Pretzel Fluff salad is a fruity sweet side dish or dessert recipe that is perfect for any occasion. Its sweet and salty combination is sure to please anyone’s taste buds. Plus, it is super easy to make and customize to personal preferences. You can serve it in individual cups or in a large dish so it is great for parties, potlucks or a weeknight dessert!
The tart sweet pineapple and fluffy sweetened cream cheese base is complimented by buttery crunchy pretzel pieces that create a sweet and salty dessert that everyone loves!
- Other Recipes You’ll Love-
- Pineapple Cheesecake Bars– These pineapple cheesecake bars are the perfect dessert for any occasion! A delicious almond crust, creamy cheesecake layer, and sweet pineapple topping, combine to create a rich, creamy, just sweet enough dessert that is full of flavor!
- Pineapple Zucchini Bread- This pineapple zucchini bread recipe is the perfect easy quick bread! It is moist, sweet, and full of flavor. It is a great way to enjoy garden fresh zucchini for breakfast, dessert or a delicious snack!
- Pineapple Pico de Gallo- Are you looking for a tasty and colorful addition to your Mexican-inspired dishes? Look no further than Pineapple Pico de Gallo!
FAQ, Tips & Variations-
Can I make this with whipped cream instead of Cool Whip?
I know not everyone is a fan of Cool Whip whipped topping and I’m often asked for a good substitution. The best substitute I have found is stabilized whipped cream. You can find my recipe here, it uses cream cheese to create a whipped topping that is thick enough to be used in recipes and is made with simple ingredients.
Serving Ideas –
The easiest way to serve this fluff is in a big bowl so that everyone can dish out the amount they’d like. But if you are making it for a party or special occasion it is super easy to dress up! You can serve it in individual dessert cups garnished with pretzel for a great party dessert. Or you can layer it in a parfait with additional crushed pretzels, crushed pineapple and a dollop of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry on top! You can also serve this as a dip with additional pretzels, berries or fruit!
Other mix ins-
If you want to add more flavor to this fluff you can easily! Coconut is a delicious addition for a tropical flavor, we also love the addition of crunchy chopped toasted pecans. You can add additional fruit like mango or strawberry to create a sweet and salty tropical fluff! If you love mini marshmallows in your fluff salads you can also add them, reserve some pineapple juice and add a little at a time to get the right consistency.
How to store pineapple pretzel salad-
This pretzel salad stores well refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days. If you are making it ahead of time it is a good idea to assemble the fluff and then add the pretzel mixture right before serving to preserve their crunch.
Can I use fresh pineapple in this recipe?
This pineapple pretzel fluff recipe is super easy because it uses canned pineapple. However if you’d like to use fresh pineapple you can. It is important that it is ripe so that it can be easily chopped. Dice it into fine pieces and make sure to drain any excess liquid well so you don’t end up with a watery fluff.
Do I have to bake the pretzels?
You might be wondering why the pretzels need to be baked before adding to this pineapple fluff. Baking them helps make them nice and crispy and buttery and helps them not get soggy when added into the fluff. However if you want to make this a no-bake dessert you can, I suggest mixing the pretzel pieces and butter together and instead of mixing them into the fluff just sprinkle them across the top when you are ready to serve.
Ingredients for this Pineapple Pretzel Fluff recipe-
1 Cup Crushed Pretzels
½ Cup Butter (melted)
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
8 ounces Cream Cheese (softened)
20 ounces Crushed Pineapple (drained)
4 ½ Cups Cool Whip
Here’s how to make Pineapple Pretzel Fluff
Preheat your oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir together crushed pretzels, melted butter, and ½ cup sugar.
Spread the pretzel mixture out evenly across the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 7 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place on wire cooling rack to let cool completely.
Place cream cheese in a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until creamy and fluffy.
Mix in remaining ½ cup sugar and continue beating until well mixed.
Add the crushed pineapple to the cream cheese mixture and mix on low until well incorporated.
Next mix in the cool whip, until well combined.
Fold in the cooled crushed pretzels, reserving 1/4 cup if desired for topping the fluff.
Serve immediately or store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Easy Pineapple Pretzel Fluff
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Crushed Pretzels
- ½ Cup Butter melted
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese softened
- 20 ounces Crushed Pineapple drained
- 4 ½ Cups Cool Whip
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together crushed pretzels, melted butter, and ½ cup sugar.
- Spread the pretzel mixture out evenly across the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven for 7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and place on wire cooling rack to let cool completely.
- Place cream cheese in a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until creamy and fluffy.
- Mix in remaining ½ cup sugar and continue beating until well mixed.
- Add the crushed pineapple to the cream cheese mixture and mix on low until well incorporated.
- Next mix in the cool whip, until well combined.
- Fold in the cooled crushed pretzels, reserving 1/4 cup if desired for topping the fluff.
- Serve immediately or store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Sounds so good, can’t wait to make it. !
Could I add a little coconut to the fluff?