Strawberry Pretzel Salad is an easy, delicious dessert with a buttery pretzel crust, a cheesecake-like layer, and a sweet strawberry topping.It is the perfect combination of creamy, crunchy, sweet, and salty! A great dessert or side dish!
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 cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, and whipped topping in a large bowl until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust, making sure to spread completely to the edges. (Spreading to the edges of the crust makes a seal before the strawberry layer is added.)
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.
Notes
Tips on Ingredients
Pretzel Crust - I like to use small whole, salted pretzels and crush them with a rolling pin or in a zip-lock storage bag. Don't pulverize them; crush them into small pieces.
Cream Cheese Layer - This cheesecake-like layer is made with softened cream cheese and whipped topping. The whipped topping works best in this recipe because it doesn't make the pretzel crust soft, and it keeps better overnight.
Strawberry Topping: Frozen strawberries are stirred into Jello for this topping. You can also substitute raspberries, blackberries, and peaches. I find the frozen berries work best with the Jello. When ready to serve, I sometimes garnish it with fresh strawberries.
Storage InstructionsTo store: Wrap the dish well or cover it with a lid and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Freezing is not recommended.