Recently I had the opportunity to try a new recipe from my daughter Allie’s dear friend Brittany Bras. Brittany brought this pineapple pretzel salad to our 4^th of July party…. I was intrigued! She said her step-Mom brought it to a family function where the “dessert table is larger than the actual food table” and it was a big hit! I did too!!!  You’ve got to love the old family recipes that are scribbled on a piece of paper… Britt’s step-Mom changed the recipe to brown sugar because it “creates a better glaze of goodness” Brittany recently went gluten free and has introduced me to her new world of eating. I absolutely loved the gluten free pretzels. I found that they are crunchy, light and airy and not as salty. I prefer them over the old standard and they work especially well in this recipe in absorbing the brown sugar “glaze of goodness”. I couldn’t wait to share Britt’s wonderful family recipe as well as include my twist on it updating her recipe to a lighter gluten free version for Miss Brittney & I. Thank you Britt! – Here’s to many more 4th of July celebrations together!

Brittany and her family (Britt is 2nd from the right)

Location: Minnesota

Favorite Recipe: Pineapple Pretzel Recipe

• 3 cups pretzels
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• 1 ¼ cups butter

Melt butter, add brown sugar and pretzels. Bake pretzels on parchment covered cookie sheet- bake 7 minutes@ 350⁰ Do not over bake; cool completely.

• 2- 8 oz. lite cream cheese- softened
• 1- 20 oz. crushed pineapple- drained
• 2- 16oz. lite cool whip
• 1 cup sugar

Beat cream cheese and sugar until creamed. Add cool whip and pineapple. Add pretzels when ready to serve.
The Twist: Brittany & Mama Carp’s Butter Crunch Fluff
Break out your fabulous mini party vessels and wow your guests with this sweet recipe! This recipe is a riff off of a friend of the family, Miss Brittany Bras. Brittany is now gluten free and introduced me to gluten free pretzels. I actually prefer them over regular pretzels. They are more airy and not as salty and as a result I believe they soak up more of the brown sugar buttery goodness from this recipe. No time for layering small party bites? Just present this recipe in a medium glass bowl.

Preheat oven to 350⁰ Prepare baking sheet by covering with parchment paper; set aside.

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups gluten free pretzel twists
• 1 cup whole pecans

Put butter and brown sugar in a medium sized pan. Stir and bring to a low boil. When sugar is completely dissolved, add in pretzels and pecans and stir to coat. Immediately spread onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes – do not over bake.  Cool completely.

• 1- 8 oz. 1/3 less fat  cream cheese – softened
• 1- 16 oz. lite cool whip- thawed
• 1- 20 oz. Dole pineapple tidbits- drained
• ½ cup sugar

Beat cream cheese and sugar until creamed. Fold in whipped cream; add pineapple- chill in refrigerator.
Coarsely chop pretzels and pecans reserving a few whole pretzels for garnish.
Before your guests arrive fill ½ of your small glass vessel with the pineapple fluff. Add a layer of the butter crunch; top with another dollop of pineapple fluff- top with whole pretzel. Chill until ready to serve.