Strawberry Pretzel Salad
User Reviews
4.5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Additional Time
7 hrs
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Total Time
7 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
12
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Description
Strawberry Pretzel Salad starts with a crust made by crushing tiny pretzel twists mixed with sugar and melted butter, then baked to form a crisp, salty foundation. The filling is a whipped mixture of softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and thawed whipped topping spread evenly over the cooled pretzel crust, offering a creamy and mildly sweet layer.
The topping combines strawberry gelatin dissolved in boiling water with frozen, sliced strawberries. The gelatin thickens as it cools, setting over the cream cheese layer. Using frozen strawberries helps the gelatin cool quickly and creates a firm topping with fresh fruit texture and flavor, balancing the saltiness of the crust and richness of the filling.
The dessert is served chilled, allowing clean slices revealing its distinct layers, and pairs well with casual gatherings or potlucks. Removing any frothy bubbles on the surface of the gelatin before it sets improves the topping's appearance but does not impact flavor.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 3 cups pretzels tiny twist shape
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons butter melted, unsalted
For the Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces whipped topping thawed according to package directions, frozen
For the Topping
- 1 package strawberry gelatin dessert 6 ounces, flavored
- 2 cups water boiling
- 16 ounces strawberry frozen, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the pretzels into a gallon size zip-top bag and crush the pretzels into coarse crumbs using a rolling pin. You can also pulse the pretzels in a food processor, just be careful not over-process them as you want there to be varying textures.
- Place the pretzels into a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar and melted butter. Transfer the pretzel mixture into a 9x13-inch glass baking dish and gently press the mixture into the bottom of the baking dish to form an even crust layer. Bake crust at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on medium speed for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the frozen whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Spread evenly over the cooled crust, taking care to spread the filling from edge to edge of the pan so the topping doesn’t seep into the crust layer. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
- After the cream cheese layer has been refrigerated for one hour, whisk together the jell-o and boiling water for 2 minutes or until the jell-o has fully dissolved. Stir in the sliced frozen strawberries and allow the mixture to rest for 2 minutes. Spoon the jell-o mixture directly onto the cream cheese filling layer and spread to form an even layer.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Notes
- Remove frothy bubbles from gelatin topping before setting for a smoother surface, though flavor remains unaffected.
- Let frozen strawberries rest at room temperature briefly and loosen any clumps before adding to gelatin.
- Using frozen strawberries chills the gelatin faster; if using fresh, cool gelatin to room temperature first to avoid melting the fruit layer.
- Whipped topping is recommended over whipped cream for best results in this recipe.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
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