by Alyssa RiversWhen I did my BBQ round-up idea and found this recipe I knew I had to make it. I have seen it everywhere and it looks so amazing and perfect for summer! I was curious to know how a pretzel crust would taste and the result was fantastic!
I especially loved the layers in this dessert. The sweet and salty pretzel crust, the cream cheese middle, and the jello strawberry layer on top! Perfection! Everyone loved this salad and it didn’t last long. I am so glad I finally gave this recipe a try because it is a keeper!
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Delicious sweet and salty pretzel crust with a cream cheese and strawberry layer. This is perfect for summer!
Author: Alyssa
Ingredients
- 2½ cups pretzels, crushed
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- ¾ cup butter, melted
- 1 6 ounce box instant strawberry jello
- 1 16 ounce container of fresh strawberries, sliced, or 1 10 ounce package frozen strawberries
- 1 8 ounce package cream cheese
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 8 ounce container of cool whip
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine crushed pretzels, sugar, and melted butter. Press into a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 8 minutes and remove from oven. Let cool completely.
- Make the jello according to package directions. Mix in the fresh strawberries. Let refrigerate for an hour or so to let it partially set.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until creamy. Fold in the cool whip. Spread the mixture over the top of the pretzel crust completely to the edges so the jello won't leak through.
- Pour the jello over the cream cheese layer and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving!
Strawberry pretzel salad is one of my husband’s summer favorites! I’ll have to make this for him again soon!
Just made it for Easter, and it was delicious.
I’ve been wanting to make a version of this for a while now. I need to get on it…this looks too good.
I can’t believe you hadn’t ever tried this salad. it is one of my favorites. A raspberry version is delicious too!
This looks incredible! I have to ask, what type of camera do you use?
Love this salad but recipe didn’t specify white or brown sugar for the crust and topping. Made it wrong the first time using this recipe.
That’s what I was wondering too! Which way is correct??
I love this recipe we have used it for family picnics for years. It is always as good as the last time. Thanks for sharing/
My hubby would go nuts for this Alyssa! YUM!
I think pretzel salad is the greatest thing EVER!! This looks so yummy.
When I make the jello part instead of water I use two small cans of pineapple juice for it
WOW that sounds amazing!! I am going to have to try that!!’
Can you make this with fresh peaches and peach jello?
Oh my goodness! That sounds amazing! I am sure that it would be awesome that way!!
You can make it with just about any fruit and jello combination!
Can you freeze this dessert ahead of time?
I am not sure that the hello would freeze well but you can refrigerate it. 🙂
I haven’t made this yet. Do you use sweetened strawberries or unsweetened?
Hi Alyssa, can I substitute the cool whip for whipped cream?Thanks.
This is sooooo delicious!!!!!!
Thanks for the recipe! I would just make one suggestion – specify which sugar you are using in steps 1 & 3. I didn’t catch the brown sugar that was listed in the ingredients and ended up using too much sugar in the crust. 🙂
Agreed. I didn’t catch it though
What is instant jello?? I know of instant pudding…
It is in the same section at the grocery store. Instant jell-o is made quicker than other jellos or puddings. Hope you are able to find the jello. XOXO
Looking forward to trying this recipe!
Hi love your receipes want to know if I can freeze this pretzel crusted strawberry dessert?
Yes, of course! I have never tried it but I am sure it will taste great if properly stored correctly in the freezer. It may alter the taste and even the texture of the dessert.
Since I am obviously recipe illiterate, it would have been nice to know to mix brown sugar with pretzels and butter, but now I now the recipe goes in order and I shouldn’t have had all ingredients out at once. But, it was great!
This recipe is great but how can you keep the pretzels crisp? They get soggy so fast!! As soon as I fix it and refrigerate it a few hours the pretzels are soggy! I make sure that absolutely no jello seeps under the cream cheeese/cool whip layer. Help!!
When you put the cream cheese layer over the pretzel layer, make sure that you seal the cream cheese layer to the edges of your container and make sure that all areas on the pretzel layer are covered with cream cheese completely. Been making this for years. Turns out great every time. Sometimes I add an extra pkg of cream cheese – simply because I love cream cheese.
I can’t use cool whip, allergic. Could I fold in homemade whipped cream instead?
Thank you
Yes, that sounds delicious! XOXO
I’m looking forward to preparing this recipe, What brand of pretzel did you use for the bottom crust? There are so many brands and shapes.
I used just a generic pretzel brand at my local grocery store. If you have a preference that is great too! XOXO
I love the pretzel jellow salid
You need to fix the instructions! It says “combine crushed pretzels, sugar, and melted butter.”, so that’s exactly what I did… The WHOLE TWO CUPS! Reading down I realized I was supposed to mix the 3 tbl of BROWN sugar…
One cup, I should’ve said. It turned out OK though.
When you make the jello, do you add 2 cups boiling water and then 2 more cups cold water ?
Yes, you will make it according to the package recipe. Hope that helps! You will love this salad! XOXO
I make this recipe with a pecan crust instead of the pretzels and use pie filling for the strawberries. It’s always a big hit!
That sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing and following along with me! XOXO
I’ve had a variation of this where I work, but I do have one question? Can I use dream whip instead of cool whip? Dream whip is a powder that you add to milk and beat until consistency of whip cream I don’t really care for cool whip, it’s ok but prefer real whipped or dream whip.
Yes, that will work great! Let me know how you like it!
I tried your strawberry pretzel salad. It was great
The instructions told tell you how much sugar and what kind of sugar to mix into the crust or the cream. I mixed the 3 tbsp of brown sugar AND 1 cup of white sugar into the crust and it is backing. Now I get down to the whipped cream and cream cheese and it says to mix sugar in to that. How much? I think I may have ruined the crust :/