Friends, I can’t wait to introduce you to one of my all-time favorite desserts! This Strawberry Pretzel Salad is one of the absolute best summertime (or anytime) desserts! The salty & sweet crushed pretzels create the perfect foundation for the cream cheese, whipped cream, and strawberry layers that go on top. It’s seriously the best combination. This is one dessert that will have all of your guests asking just how in the world did you make it?!
This recipe was originally published in July 2021. It has been completely updated and refreshed with new photos and information.
Well if you haven’t guessed by now it’s actually not a salad at all, it's definitely a dessert! So I’m not sure where the name strawberry pretzel salad comes from. When I was growing up we always called this sweet treat “Strawberry Pretzel Surprise.” It’s definitely my family’s favorite dessert during the summertime, especially for holidays and BBQs, along with this peach crisp recipe!😉
Three Layers Of Goodness
The ingredients to make this strawberry pretzel salad are really simple. Here's what you'll need:
- Pretzel Layer: Crushed pretzels, butter, and sugar are mixed together to form the bottom crust layer.
- Cream Cheese Layer: Softened cream cheese and cool whip (or fresh whipped cream) are mixed together to form the creamy second layer of the dessert.
- Strawberry Layer: The final layer is a combination of juicy strawberries and strawberry gelatin (jello).
Let’s Make Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Now here’s a quick step-by-step overview of how to make this simple dessert. The full measurements are included in the recipe card below:
Step One: Mix crushed pretzels, melted butter and sugar together until combined. Spread it into the bottom of a baking dish and bake. Allow the crust to cool completely before adding the next layer.
Step Two: Combine the softened cream cheese and sugar together with a hand mixer. Then fold in the whipped cream until the mixture is completely blended and smooth.
Step Three: Spread the cream cheese layer evenly on top of the cooled pretzel crust. Refrigerate the dish while you prepare the strawberry layer.
Step Four: Melt the strawberry gelatin with hot water. Allow the gelatin to cool slightly, then stir in the sliced strawberries.
Step Five: Carefully pour the strawberry gelatin mixture on top of the cream cheese layer.
Step Six: Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and place the entire dish back in the refrigerator to completely cool and set for at least 4 hours before serving. Enjoy!
Key Tips For Success!
- Allow each layer to cool: Make sure to cool each layer before moving on to the next one. This helps make sure each layer is set and doesn’t melt too fast when moving to the next step.
- Soften the cream cheese: Make sure your cream cheese is softened and cool whip is thawed enough to blend together well. Be careful not to overmix.
- Crushing the pretzels: Decide how small you want to crush your pretzels. I tend to lend towards chunky crushed pretzels because I love a good crunch, but you can certainly crush your pretzels smaller than mine.
- Frozen vs. fresh strawberries: For years I used frozen strawberries to make this recipe, which works well. However, frozen strawberries can cause the gelatin to set a lot faster and ultimately end up not as smooth on top. I recently started using fresh strawberries and I like the consistency a lot better. Either way, both options work well and taste great!😊
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Pretzel Crust
- 2 ½ cups crushed pretzels*
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 3 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
Cream Cheese & Strawberry Layers
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 8 oz. cool whip, thawed in the refrigerator
- 6 oz. strawberry gelatin (jello)
- 2 cups hot water
- 3 cups fresh or frozen sliced strawberries*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add several handfuls of pretzels to a large ziplock bag and crush them with your hands or a rolling pin. You can also add the pretzels to a food processor and pulse several times. Measure the crushed pretzels and repeat this process until you have roughly 2 ½ cups of crushed pretzels.*
- Add the crushed pretzels to a medium bowl along with the melted butter and 3 tablespoon of white sugar. Mix until well combined. Layer the pretzel mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Press the mixture down and spread it evenly.
- Bake the pretzel crust in the oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and let it cool for approximately 20 minutes.
- While the crust is cooling, in another large bowl, blend the softened cream cheese and ½ cup white sugar together with a hand blender. Blend until the sugar is thoroughly combined and cream cheese is smooth. Now fold in the thawed cool whip into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the cooled pretzel crust. Make sure to spread it evenly all the way to the edge. Do not leave any gaps around the sides of the dish. Place the dish in the refrigerator to keep the cream cheese layer cold.
- Now melt the strawberry gelatin in a large bowl with the hot water. Allow the gelatin to cool slightly for 10 minutes. Next add the sliced strawberries to the bowl and stir them carefully with the gelatin. Carefully pour the strawberry mixture on top of the cream cheese layer.
- Cover the dish with a lid and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours. You want the dessert to completely set. Once the strawberry pretzel salad has fully set it’s time to enjoy!
Notes
- You can crush your pretzels very small or leave them a little chunky. I tend to lend towards chunky crushed pretzels because I love a good crunch!
- If you are using frozen strawberries, make sure to get pre-sliced frozen strawberries.
Glenda says
Making it today for the first time . Will give an update . Looks delicious .
Becky Buckley says
It’s been awhile since I’ve made this. It’s so good.