Description
Mandarin orange pretzel salad merges sweet and salty flavors in a delightful dessert that promises refreshing summer memories. Cool, creamy layers blend perfectly with crunchy pretzel crust, offering you a delectable treat that delights every palate.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups pretzels
- 1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges
- 8 oz cream cheese
Dairy and Binding Ingredients:
- 1 cup whipped cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 package (3 oz) orange jello
Crust and Topping Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and pulverize pretzels into coarse crumbs, creating a rustic base for the dessert.
- Melt butter in a skillet, blend with brown sugar and pecans, then press this nutty mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish to form a crunchy foundation.
- Bake the pretzel crust for 10 minutes until golden and fragrant, then allow to cool completely at room temperature.
- Whip cream cheese with sugar until smooth and creamy, gently folding in whipped cream to create a light, airy filling.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled pretzel crust, ensuring a consistent layer.
- Drain mandarin oranges thoroughly, arranging them delicately across the cream cheese surface.
- Prepare orange jello according to package instructions, allowing it to cool slightly but remain liquid.
- Carefully pour the warm jello over the mandarin oranges, ensuring complete coverage and minimal disruption of the orange placement.
- Refrigerate the dessert for at least 4 hours or overnight, allowing the layers to set and flavors to meld together.
- Before serving, slice into squares and garnish with additional mandarin orange segments if desired.
Notes
- Select pretzels with a robust, salty flavor to enhance the dessert’s sweet-savory contrast.
- Toast pecans briefly before mixing with butter and brown sugar to intensify their nutty essence and release aromatic oils.
- Drain mandarin oranges completely on paper towels to prevent excess liquid from making the jello layer soggy.
- Chill serving plates beforehand to help maintain the dessert’s firm texture and prevent quick melting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg