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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
  • 2 Large Mixing Bowls
  • 1 Electric Mixer
  • 1 Medium Saucepan
  • 1 Food Processor (or zip-top bag and rolling pin for crushing pretzels)

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

For a superior crust, ensure pretzels are crushed to a coarse, irregular consistency, not too fine, to maintain texture. Press firmly into the dish. Allow the baked crust to cool completely before applying the cream cheese layer; any warmth will cause the cream cheese to soften excessively. Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature for a lump-free, silky smooth mixture. When preparing the gelatin, dissolving it fully in boiling water is crucial, then stirring in frozen strawberries helps to rapidly cool and slightly thicken it before pouring. This helps prevent the gelatin from seeping into the cream cheese layer. For an elevated touch, consider adding a hint of lemon zest to the cream cheese mixture for brightness, and garnishing with fresh strawberries and a sprig of mint for visual appeal.