This blackberry pretzel dessert is a symphony of sweet and salty, creamy and crunchy, and is bursting with juicy blackberries. The buttery, salty pretzel crust forms the base for the sweet cream cheese filling and the sun-ripened blackberries. A delightful combination of textures and flavors that will leave you wanting more.
If you love complex flavors in recipes that are anything but, then this delicious dessert is for you! This is a relatively recent addition to my rotation. I’ve only been making it for about 5 years but fell in love with it from the first bite. So did the rest of my family! I love making this one when my kids and grandkids visit because it’s so easy to make, but it delivers a wonderful variety of flavors. It’s a fantastic dessert or afternoon snack, and it’s easy to make. I’m a big fan, and once you make it, you will be, too!
Blackberry Pretzel Dessert
This delicious dessert starts with a buttery, salty crushed pretzel crust. Then, I top it with a sweet and tangy cream cheese mixture – it’s basically no-bake cheesecake. Finally, I spoon homemade blackberry topping over the cream cheese mixture and chill it overnight. That’s all there is to it. When I’m all one, I have a sweet, salty, and tangy dessert that everyone loves. This is one that always goes fast when I serve it!
Why You’ll Love This Blackberry Pretzel Dessert Recipe
- It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty. The salty pretzel crust complements the sweet cream cheese filling and the homemade blackberry topping.
- It is easy to make and can be customized to your family’s liking, such as using different fruits like blueberries, raspberries, cherries, or mixed fruit.
- The fresh and flavorful blackberries, combined with the sweet cream cheese mixture, and the salty pretzel crust are simply irresistible.
Blackberry Pretzel Dessert Ingredients
The crust, cream cheese filling, and blackberry topping are entirely homemade, so there are a few ingredients required to make this recipe. That being said, they’ll all basic items that you can find at any grocery store anywhere.
Pretzel Crust
- Coarsely crushed pretzels
- Brown sugar
- All purpose flour
- Vanilla extract
- Melted butter
Blackberry Topping
- Fresh blackberries
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon juice
- Cornstarch
Cream Cheese Layer
- Cream cheese, room temperature
- Extra creamy cool whip
- Powdered sugar
How to Make Blackberry Pretzel Dessert
This recipe is far easier to make than you might think. The only cooking involved is baking the pretzel crust. The rest of the recipe is simply mixing, pouring, and chilling. That’s it! It’s an easy recipe that you’ll be able to make in no time.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: Crush the Pretzels
Use a food processor or a large baggie and a rolling pin to crush the pretzels into small pieces.
Step 3: Make the Crust
Combine the coarsely crushed pretzels, brown sugar, flour, and vanilla in a large bowl. Then, melt the butter and add it to the mixture, stirring to combine.
Step 4: Bake
Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish, reserving ½ cup of the mixture. Press the mixture down firmly into an even layer and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the dish and let the crust cool completely.
Step 5: Make the Blackberry Topping
Combine the blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and let it cool.
Step 6: Make the Cream Cheese Filling
Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat it with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Then, add the powdered sugar and beat until well combined. Finally, mix in the Cool Whip until combined.
Step 7: Make the Dessert
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled pretzel layer. Then, spoon the blackberry filling over the cream cheese mixture evenly. Top with the reserved pretzel crumbs mixture, cover, and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to press your pretzel mixture firmly into the bottom of the baking dish so it forms a crust that won’t fall apart when you slice the dessert.
- Fully soften your cream cheese for a lovely, creamy filling.
- Stir your blackberry filling frequently as it cooks to prevent sticking or burning.
- A minimum of 4 hours of chilling is required, but I recommend chilling this dessert overnight for the best results.
- When making the homemade blackberry topping, add lemon zest to the blackberries for extra lemon flavor.
Variations
- Use your favorite berries to make the topping. You can even finely dice apples, pineapples, pears, or peaches if you like.
- You can replace the pretzels with crackers if you want a cracker crust.
- For a super luscious dessert, try making your own whipped topping for the cream cheese filling.
What to Serve with Blackberry Pretzel Dessert
Serve this dessert with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee for dessert or an afternoon snack. You can also pair it with cookies, wafers, and other sweets for a larger dessert spread. Fresh fruit makes a wonderful accompaniment, as well.
Recipe FAQ
You can use frozen or fresh blackberries interchangeably in most dishes, especially those that use blackberries as a filling.
Yes, you’ll need to bake the crust. Baking the crust gives it a wonderful crunch and melds the ingredients together to create a nice crust layer that won’t fall apart when you slice into the dessert.
Any of your favorite berries will work well in place of blackberries for the topping. You can also make a topping by finely dicing almost any of your favorite fruits, as well.
You can and should make this dessert ahead of time. It’s best when it’s chilled overnight, so feel free to make it the day before you plan to serve it.
This dessert freezes well and will last for up to a month when stored properly.
How to Store Blackberry Pretzel Dessert Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container or tightly covered with plastic wrap in the original dish for up to 4 days. For longer storage, chill the slices individually, wrap them in plastic wrap, and freeze them in an airtight container for up to a month.
Try This Delicious Blackberry Pretzel Dessert Recipe Today
This blackberry pretzel dessert recipe is the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and tangy, and it’s so much easier to make than you’d think. It’s a delicious dessert that even beginners can make, and everyone wants more and more of. Give it a try, and I know you’ll make it a permanent part of your dessert recipe rotation.
More Delicious Blackberry Recipes You’ll Enjoy
This Peach Blackberry Cobbler is a delicious summer recipe made with fresh peaches and fresh blackberries. A family favorite mixed fruit cobbler.
Blackberry Pretzel Dessert
Ingredients
Pretzel Crust
- 2 ½ cups coarsely crushed pretzels
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup butter melted
Blackberry Topping
- 3 cups fresh blackberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 8 ounce extra creamy cool whip
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° and lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray.
Pretzel Crust
- Using a food processor or a large baggie, add pretzels and crush into small pieces.
- In a large bow add coarsely crushed pretzels, brown sugar, flour, and vanilla. Stir.
- Melt butter and add to the pretzel mixture. Stir to combine.
- Spread the pretzel mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Press into an even layer, reserving ½ cup of the pretzel mixture to use for the topping.
- Bake for 10 minutes then remove and let cool completely.
Blackberry Topping
- In a medium saucepan, add blackberries, sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch. Stir.
- Heat over medium heat until the blackberries have thickened.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
Cream Cheese Mixture
- In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and beat until combined.
- Next, add the cool whip and mix just until combined.
- Once the pretzel crust has cooled completely, spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the pretzel layer.
- Spoon the blackberry filling on top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle reserved pretzel mixture on top of the blackberry topping.
- Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Notes
Nutrition
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