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Strawberry Pretzel Salad makes a classic, nostalgic recipe. It is deliciously creamy, crunchy, sweet, salty and great for any gathering! An easy strawberry dish and a favorite Southern recipe!
One of my favorite desserts throughout the spring and summer growing up was always this Strawberry Pretzel Salad. It was always a family favorite addition to so many special occasion meals and you’ll always find a large casserole dish with it’s sparkling red, strawberry filled top on the buffet for Easter, Southern reunions, and all throughout the summer. It is loved by so many and is always one of the first things to disappear.
Sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy, it has so much going for it that it is always a definite hit!
Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe
There are so many versions of this dish served here in the south that I have no idea who invented it first, but oh my goodness am I ever so thankful! It’s one of those dishes that goes with so many meals and works easily on the side – because, you know, it does have “salad” in its name – or as a dessert.
How to Make It
To make this delicious dish, you will need:
- Crushed Pretzels
- Melted Butter
- Sugar
- Cream Cheese
- Frozen Whipped Topping
- Boiling Water
- Strawberry Jello
- Frozen Strawberries
To make it, preheat the oven to 400˚F.
Mix the crushed pretzels with the melted butter and two tablespoons of sugar. Then, press this mixture into the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish and bake until it has set, about 8 to 10 minutes. Then, remove the casserole dish from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
While the pretzel crust is cooling, dissolve the Jello in boiling water and mix in the frozen strawberries. Allow to set until the Jello and strawberry mixture has slightly thickened.
Mix together the cream cheese, ¾ cup sugar, and the whipped topping in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Spread this mixture over the cooled pretzel crust, making sure to spread it completely to the edges of the crust.
Pour the strawberry jello mixture over the cream cheese mixture and refrigerate until firm.
When ready to serve this strawberry salad, be sure to use a sharp knife and cut through all of the pretzel crust for the prettiest serving.
What to Serve With Strawberry Pretzel Salad?
No matter if you serve it right alongside your chicken salad as a side dish or as part of the dessert buffet offerings, I can just about bet you that it will be well loved by everyone that tries it. And you know, if they are from this neck of the woods, they most likely have been expecting it.
More Favorite Salads and Desserts
Here’s how I make my family’s version of Strawberry Pretzel Salad. I hope you enjoy it!
Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups pretzels crushed
- 3/4 cup butter melted
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 (8-ounce package) cream cheese
- 1 8-ounce package frozen whipped topping
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups boiling water
- 2 (3-ounce) packages strawberry Jell-O
- 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚.
- Mix crushed pretzels with melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Press pretzel mixture into the bottom of 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and bake until set, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- Mix together cream cheese, ¾ cup sugar, and whipped topping in a large bowl until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust, making sure to spread completely to the edges.
- Dissolve the Jell-O in boiling water and mix in frozen strawberries. Allow to set until the jello and strawberry mixture has slightly thickened and set and then pour over the cream cheese mixture. Chill until firm and serve.
Nutritional Information
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2010.
Do you want us to use bagged, whole frozen strawberries or the frozen sliced strawberries in juice? They come in a tub here, though I can remember them in a frozen cardboard package years ago.
You can use either one you want. I usually make it with the sliced strawberries in juice in a tub. I used the ones in the cardboard package until they quit making them. I hope you enjoy, Laura.
Using a bag of frozen sliced strawberries, do I have to defrost the strawberries?
Gloria, you don’t thaw the strawberries. Just follow the directions in Step 4: Dissolve the Jell-O in boiling water and mix in frozen strawberries. Allow to set until the jello and strawberry mixture has slightly thickened and set and then pour over the cream cheese mixture. The frozen strawberries help the Jello to thicken. I hope you enjoy!