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Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Strawberry pretzel salad is an easy dessert with lots of contrasting textures and flavors. It isn't too sweet, nor too salty, and looks really pretty when you make it in a glass dish.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 people
Calories 2498.4 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 inch Baking Dish
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Electric Hand Mixer
  • 1 Whisk Or sturdy spoon for mixing
  • 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 cups crushed pretzels
  • ¾ cup butter melted
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 8 ounce container frozen whipped topping, thawed
  • 2 3 ounce packages strawberry flavored Jell-O
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 2 10 ounce packages frozen strawberries

Instructions
 

  • Gather all ingredients and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Stir crushed pretzels, melted butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar together until well-combined; mix well and press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Bake in the preheated oven until set, about 8 to 10 minutes; set aside to cool. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Place cream cheese and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth; fold in whipped topping. Spread mixture onto cooled crust. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in still-frozen strawberries and allow to set briefly. Pour and spread over cream cheese layer; refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Serve and enjoy! Allrecipes / Qi Ai

Notes

Ensure pretzels are finely crushed for a uniform crust; press firmly and cool completely before applying the cream cheese layer to prevent melting. Soften cream cheese fully for a smooth, lump-free mixture, beating well with sugar before gently folding in whipped topping to maintain its light texture. When preparing the gelatin, ensure it's fully dissolved in boiling water. Adding still-frozen strawberries not only chills the mixture quickly but also helps it set faster, minimizing bleed-through into the cream cheese layer. For optimal presentation, spread each layer evenly and allow sufficient refrigeration time for a firm, clean set. A touch of vanilla extract in the cream cheese layer can elevate the overall flavor profile.