Dessert · 9 Ingredients
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Make strawberry pretzel salad with a baked pretzel crust, cream cheese filling, and strawberry gelatin. Includes cooling steps and overnight chilling.
By Spare Hours · · Adapted from Spend With Pennies
- Prep*
- 20 min
- Cook*
- 15 min
- Total*
- 6 hr 35 min
- Makes
- 12 servings
*Source recipe estimates. The source lists 20 minutes prep, 15 minutes cooking, and 6 hours 35 minutes total. The method specifies a 10-minute crust bake, complete crust and gelatin cooling, at least 1 hour of filling chilling, and at least 4–6 hours of final chilling or overnight. Plan around the cooling and setting stages rather than the summary alone.
Before You Begin
Strawberry pretzel salad is a layered dessert with a pretzel crust, a cream cheese and whipped-topping filling, and fresh strawberries in strawberry gelatin. A 9 x 13-inch pan makes 12 servings.
Give each layer time to cool before adding the next. The crust must cool completely, the filling chills for at least an hour, and the finished dessert needs at least 4–6 hours in the refrigerator or an overnight chill.
- Crush the pretzels first, then measure 2 cups. A food processor or rolling pin can do the crushing.
- Use the larger 6-ounce package of strawberry Jell-O and the 2 cups boiling water in this recipe. Do not follow the separate box directions.
- Soften the cream cheese, thaw the whipped topping, and plan for complete cooling plus at least 1 hour of filling chilling and 4–6 hours of final chilling.
Printable Recipe Card
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
12 servings · 9 ingredients. Adapted from Spend With Pennies. The source lists 20 minutes prep, 15 minutes cooking, and 6 hours 35 minutes total. The method specifies a 10-minute crust bake, complete crust and gelatin cooling, at least 1 hour of filling chilling, and at least 4–6 hours of final chilling or overnight. Plan around the cooling and setting stages rather than the summary alone.
Ingredients
Check off each ingredient as you prepare it.
Pretzel Crust
Cream Cheese Filling
Strawberry Topping
Cooking Steps
Heat the oven
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake and cool the crust
Mix the crushed pretzels, melted butter, and crust sugar in a bowl. Press the mixture across the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then take it out and let the crust cool completely.
Add and chill the cream cheese filling
Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the cream cheese and filling sugar in a medium bowl until fluffy. Gently fold in the thawed Cool Whip with a spatula. Spread the filling evenly over the cooled pretzel crust and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Dissolve and cool the gelatin
While the filling chills, whisk the strawberry Jell-O with 2 cups boiling water until the gelatin dissolves completely. Leave the mixture at room temperature until fully cooled.
Add the strawberry layer
Arrange the sliced strawberries over the cream cheese filling. Pour the cooled gelatin mixture over them.
Chill until firmly set
Refrigerate until the dessert is firmly set, allowing at least 4–6 hours or leaving it overnight. Cut into squares and serve.
Recipe Notes
Measure after crushing
The crust uses 2 cups of crushed pretzels, measured after crushing rather than before. Use a food processor or rolling pin.
Follow the recipe's gelatin ratio
Use a 6-ounce package of strawberry Jell-O with 2 cups boiling water. The source specifically says not to follow the directions on the Jell-O box.
Finish each cooling stage
Cool the baked crust completely before spreading on the filling. Chill the filling for at least 1 hour, and cool the dissolved gelatin completely at room temperature before pouring it over the strawberries.
Plan for the final chill
The dessert must be firmly set before cutting. Leave it in the refrigerator for at least 4–6 hours, or chill it overnight.
Spare Hours · sparehours.puzzlegames.app/recipes/strawberry-pretzel-salad/ · Recipe source: https://www.spendwithpennies.com/strawberry-pretzel-salad/
Recipe Source
Adapted from Spend With Pennies: Strawberry Pretzel Salad. Ingredient amounts, method details and source time estimates come from the supplied recipe record. The instructions have been rewritten for this page.
The food image is an illustration supplied in this collection, derived from the source recipe photograph. Image credits
