There is something about the combination of sweet and salty that makes me happy. Spoiler alert, this Strawberry Pretzel Salad is not really a salad. It has a crunchy pretzel crust on the bottom, a creamy cheesecake center and a sweet fruity topping and the combination of textures and flavors between the different layers make it simply irresistible. We like to make this dessert for our big family get-togethers. It’s always a big hit!
This decadent dish is made with fresh strawberries, but can also be made with frozen sliced strawberries if fresh are out of season! Both work beautifully, but the fresh make it look so beautiful. I’ve also used frozen triple berry blend in a pinch, and it’s quite lovely too. If you do use frozen fruit, make sure to let it defrost and drain before using.
You can switch up the fruit and the jello for this. A couple of cans of drained mandarin oranges with orange jello is delicious. Raspberries with raspberry jello, sliced peaches (or canned) with peach jello or blueberries with berry blue jello! The possibilities are endless!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups crushed pretzels
- 5 Tbsp brown sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, melted
- 8oz pkg cream cheese
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 8oz container frozen whipped topping, defrosted (Cool Whip)
- 16oz fresh strawberries, sliced. (Can use 16oz frozen sliced strawberries in a pinch.)
- 6oz pkg strawberry flavored gelatin
- 1-1/2 cups boiling water
- 1/2 cup ice
Instructions:
- Spray the bottom of a 9×13 pan very lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix crushed pretzels, brown sugar and butter and press on the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes and allow crust to cool completely.
- In a medium mixing bowl whip the cream cheese and white sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Fold in the defrosted whipped topping and spread over cooled crust, spreading all the way to the edges. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set.
- While the cream cheese layer is setting, place the jello powder in a medium mixing bowl, (or I use my four cup glass measuring cup.) Pour the boiling water over the top and stir until the jello is dissolved. Add the half cup of ice and stir until it’s melted.
- Once the cream cheese mixture has set, remove the 9×13 pan from the refrigerator. Layer the sliced strawberries all over the top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Pour the jello mixture very gently over the strawberry layer, then carefully place in the refrigerator to set for 2-3 hours.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups crushed pretzels
- 5 Tbsp brown sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, melted
- 8 oz pkg cream cheese
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 8 oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip)
- 16 oz fresh strawberries, sliced (or can use sliced frozen in a pinch)
- 6 oz pkg strawberry flavored gelatin
- 1-1/2 cups boiling water
- 1/2 cup ice
Instructions
- Spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan very lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix crushed pretzels, brown sugar and melted butter and press on the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes and allow crust to cool completely.
- In a medium bowl whip the cream cheese and white sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Fold in the defrosted whipped topping and spread over cooled crust, spreading all the way to the edges. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set.
- While the cream cheese layer is setting, place the jello powder in a medium mixing bowl. Pour the boiling water over the top and stir until the jello is dissolved. Add the half cup of ice and stir until it's melted.
- Once the cream cheese mixture has set, remove the 9x13 pan from the refrigerator. Layer the sliced strawberries all over the top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Pour the jello mixture very gently over the strawberry layer, then carefully place in the refrigerator to set for 2-3 hours.
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