Raspberry Pretzel Salad

Raspberry Pretzel Salad
¾ cup butter
2½ cups thin pretzel sticks or small round pretzels
1-8 oz. package cream cheese
1-8 oz. tub Cool Whip
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 large package raspberry or cranberry-raspberry Jell-O
2-10 oz. packages frozen raspberries, undrained and slightly thawed
1-15 oz. or larger can crushed pineapple, undrained

Melt butter and pour into a 9 x 13 pan. Break pretzels in half (if using the round ones, break a couple of times, but not into crumbs). Stir with melted butter and pat evenly in the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes at 400°. Remove and cool. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, Cool Whip, and sugar. Dab on top of pretzels and spread to edges of pan getting a good seal. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. After about 30 minutes bring water to a boil and  dissolve gelatin. Cool in refrigerator until syrupy (about 30 minutes). When you start to make the gelatin part pull the raspberries out of the freezer and set on the counter to thaw slightly. Add raspberries and pineapple to the gelatin when it is syrupy. Pour carefully over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate overnight or for several hours. Eat within 2 to 3 days or the pretzels start to go soggy.