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Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad

July 17, 2021 by Great Grub, Delicious Treats

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There is something about the mix of sweet and salty that makes a dish irresistible. This recipe has a perfect balance of both, with apples, cinnamon and pretzels in every bite! The key to this awesome dessert is smashing up those pretzels into small pieces so that you can get all three flavors in each forkful. Both crispy on top and bottom, and creamy in between, apple cinnamon pretzel salad is always a hit at gatherings because it’s easy to make ahead of time.

A white plate with a piece of apple salad, with crushed pretzel crust, a whipped cream filling, all topped with a cinnamon apple topping.

Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad Recipe

This pretzel salad is actually a layered dessert. It’s sort of an apple pie casserole. It has all the flavors that we love, a pretzel crust, topped with a creamy, cream cheese and cool whip layer followed by an apple pie like apple and cinnamon topping combined with crushed pretzels to make a tasty, crunchy top. It’s full of varied flavors and textures which makes it both delicious and fun to eat. I serve this quite often for family desserts, and I love to bring it to potlucks. It’s a great dish for crowds because it comes together so quickly, and it’s easy for everyone to serve themselves. 

A 9 x 13 baking dish with apple cinnamon pretzel salad in it with two green apples in the background.

Tips

This is an exceptionally easy recipe. You only need to do a small amount of cooking to make the apple mixture and bake up the crust. Aside from that, this recipe is mostly a matter of layering. With a recipe this simple, it’s fairly difficult to ruin it, however, there are things to remember that will help you make the absolute best apple cinnamon pretzel salad that you possibly can. 

Crushing the Pretzels

When you crush your pretzels to make the crust, be sure that the pieces aren’t too big. The smaller the pretzels are crushed, the better they’ll bind with the butter and sugar. That helps keep your crust together. If your pretzel pieces are too large, your crust will fall apart. The dessert will still be delicious, but it won’t be as pretty. 

Dicing the Apples

When you dice the apples for your topping, be sure they’re on the smaller side. This allows you to get a texture that’s more like apple pie. Larger chunks will give you a texture that’s a bit more like a tart or a cobbler. Again, it will still be good, but it won’t have the right texture. 

A close up view of Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad in a 9 x 13 baking dish with some of the dessert removed showing the layers of the dessert.

Variations

This apple cinnamon pretzel salad may have been inspired by apple pie flavors, but you can mix it up and make it more your own. There are a few things you can do to tweak out the recipe to change up the flavors a bit and create new recipes that are a variation on the theme. 

Different Fruits

While this recipe uses apples, you can also use any other kind of fruit that you’d normally use in a pie or cobbler. Peach works well, as do berries. Try any kind of fruit you’d like. Just remember that you’ll have to tweak the filling amounts a bit based on what kind of fruit you use. 

Different Pretzels

This recipe uses plain Jane pretzels, but you can feel free to get creative to find new flavor profiles. Try butter pretzels for an extra buttery flavor. You can also try no salt pretzels if you’re watching your sodium. There are a ton of pretzel varieties out there so feel free to experiment. 

A super close up photo of the layers of Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad dessert.

Serving Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad

Serving this apple cinnamon pretzel salad couldn’t be easier. Just scoop it out onto a plate and let your family or guests enjoy the deliciousness. Everything you’d ever need is right there in the dessert, so there’s no need to add any extra toppings, either. It’s as simple to serve as it is to make. 

As to where you can serve it. Well, the answer to that is almost anywhere. This is the perfect dessert for family desserts, potlucks and get-togethers, and even holiday tables. With its classic apple pie flavors, this apple cinnamon pretzel salad is perfect on any table and at any event. 

A fork with a bite of apple cinnamon pretzel salad on it.

Storing Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad

This apple cinnamon pretzel salad will keep well in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. For longer storage, you can freeze this dish for up to a month. It’s worth noting that defrosted cream cheese isn’t as creamy as it is before freezing, however, when combined with the whipped topping, this shouldn’t be an issue. 

Try This Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad

If you love apple pie and you love anything in casserole form, then this apple cinnamon pretzel salad is for you. It has everything we love about apple pie in a unique dish. It even has the cool whip right in there! Give this recipe a try, and I know you’ll find yourself making it again and again. It’s so easy and so good, it will quickly become one of your go-to desserts.

Ingredients To Make Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad

  • Granny Smith apples
  • Sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Lemon juice
  • Cornstarch
  • Pretzels
  • Butter
  • Cream cheese
  • Powdered sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cool whip
A double collage photo with a  piece of Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad in the top photo and a forkful of the dessert in the bottom photo.

How To Make Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad

How to Make Apple Cinnamon Topping

  • In a medium saucepan, over low heat, bring water, cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice to a boil, stirring constantly.
  • Continue stirring until sauce thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Add diced apples, stir and let simmer for 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and let cool completely. Set aside.

How to Make a Pretzel Crust

  • Mix crushed pretzels, sugar and butter together until combined (save a cup for topping).
  • Press into an ungreased 9×13 baking dish.
  • Bake in a 350° preheated oven for 10-12 minutes then remove and let cool completely.

How to Make the Cream Cheese Filling for Pretzel Salad

  • Using a large bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar together until light and fluffy.
  • Add cool whip and beat until combined.
  • Spread cream cheese mixture over pretzel crust.
  • Place in the fridge until chilled.
  • Once chilled, spoon apple mixture over cream cheese, spread evenly then sprinkle remaining pretzel mixture on top of apples.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 4-6 hours until set.

Try This Delicious Pretzel Salad Today

A 3 photo collage of pictures of Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad and the title on the upper left hand side of the photo.

Here are a few more delicious dessert recipes that can be found on the blog:

  • Orange Cream Cheese Pie
  • No Bake Oreo Pie
  • Easy Banana Pie
  • Chocolate Covered Cookie Butter Stuffed Pretzels

And here is a delicious Frozen Blueberry Dessert from Deliciously Seasoned that is so good, and the perfect refreshing dessert.

Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad

Great Grub, Delicious Treats
A delicious pretzel salad filled with a creamy, cream cheese filling and topped with an apple cinnamon topping and crushed pretzels.
4.73 from 203 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Chill Time 4 hrs
Total Time 4 hrs 50 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 360 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Apple Cinnamon Topping

  • 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, diced into small pieces
  • 1½ cups water
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the Pretzel Crust

  • 2 cups crushed pretzels
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup butter, melted

For the Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 8 oz cool whip
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions
 

For the Apple Cinnamon Topping

  • In a medium saucepan, over low heat, bring water, cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice to a boil, stirring constantly.
  • Continue stirring until sauce thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Add diced apples, stir and let simmer for 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and let cool completely. Set aside.

For the Pretzel Crust

  • Mix crushed pretzels, sugar and butter together until combined (save a cup for topping).
  • Press into an ungreased 9×13 baking dish.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, in a 350° preheated oven, then remove and let cool completely.

For the Cream Cheese Filling

  • Using a large bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar together until light and fluffy.
  • Add cool whip and beat until combined.
  • Spread cream cheese mixture over pretzel crust.
  • Place in the fridge until chilled.
  • Once chilled, spoon apple mixture over cream cheese, spread evenly then sprinkle remaining pretzel mixture on top of apples.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 4-6 hours until set.

Notes

Nutritional values are approximate.
 
Please note that these values can change with different brands and any modifications made to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 3gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 302mgPotassium: 145mgFiber: 2gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 557IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Apple Desserts, Apple Pretzel Salad, Cream Cheese, Easy Pretzel Salad, Pretzel Salad
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Here are a few pics that you can pin to your favorite Pinterest boards.

A close up photo of a piece of Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad with the title of the recipe on the top of the photo.
A close up photo of a piece of Apple Cinnamon Pretzel Salad on a white plate with the title of the recipe at the top of the photo.

Enjoy, Terri

Copyright © Great Grub, Delicious Treats. All content and images are copyright protected. Do not use any images without prior permission.
If you want to republish this recipe, make sure to re-write the recipe in your own words and only list ingredients making sure to link back to this post for the original recipe and directions.

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Filed Under: All Recipes, Desserts, Fall Desserts Tagged With: apple cinnamon dessert, apple pretzel salad, Apples, easy dessert recipe, Pretzel Salad, Pretzels

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. DEBBIE K LAMBERT

    July 19, 2021 at 9:14 am

    can you use canned apple pie filling

    • Great Grub, Delicious Treats

      July 19, 2021 at 9:28 am

      Hi Debbie, you can. I haven’t used it but it will work.

  2. Sue in Tampa, FL

    July 17, 2021 at 5:51 pm

    Sounds great……..but you overlooked mention’g prehtg & oven temp.

    • Great Grub, Delicious Treats

      July 18, 2021 at 10:12 am

      Hi Sue, thank you so much. I’ve added that into the directions. Thanks for letting me know! :)

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Welcome to Great Grub, Delicious Treats! Hello, my name is Terri and I'm so glad you stopped by. I'm a self taught cook/foodie at heart, mom to three kids, photographer and have a love for amazing food. I left my full time job of being a hospice admissions RN, which was super tough and extremely sad, and at times, very rewarding to be there for the patients and families to blog full time which I absolutely love. I hope you enjoy, and check out, all of the delicious recipes on my site while you're here! And don't forget to sign up to receive every new recipe right to your email. Thanks again for stopping by! :)

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Welcome to Great Grub, Delicious Treats! Hello, my name is Terri and I'm so glad you stopped by. I'm a self taught cook/foodie at heart, mom to three kids, photographer and have a love for amazing food. I left my full time job of being a hospice admissions RN, which was super tough and extremely sad, and at times, very rewarding to be there for the patients and families to blog full time which I absolutely love. I hope you enjoy, and check out, all of the delicious recipes on my site while you're here! And don't forget to sign up to receive every new recipe right to your email. Thanks again for stopping by! :) Read More…

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