Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a 9x13 baking dish by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Add the crushed pretzels to a medium bowl. Add ½ cup of the sugar and stir to combine.

Add the melted butter to the pretzel mix and stir to fully coat.

Add the pretzel mixture to the baking dish and evenly spread across the bottom and press firmly to create a solid base. (I used a measuring cup to press)

Bake the pretzel crust for 10 minutes, then remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely.

Add the softened cream cheese to a large mixing bowl. Use either an electric hand or stand mixer to beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth and there are no lumps.

Add the remaining ¾ cup of sugar and vanilla to the cream cheese and mix for an additional minute until mixed well.

Add 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) of the thawed whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and fold until fully combined.

Add the cream cheese mixture to the top of the completely cooled pretzel crust. Spread evenly across the bottom and all the way to the sides to create a seal so that the pineapple jello can’t seep down the sides and into the pretzel base making it soggy.

Add the boiling water to a large bowl and sprinkle both pineapple jello packets into the water. Stir until fully dissolved.

Drain the juice from one can of pineapple and only add the pineapple to the jello mixture. Add the entire second can of pineapple (juice and all) to the jello and stir to combine. Chill the jello mixture for 20 minutes or until it’s almost cool and slightly thickened.

Pour the jello mixture over the cream cheese layer and spread evenly.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or until the jello is completely set.

Slice the dessert and add a dollop of the reserved Cool Whip and a small chunk of pineapple if desired.