Strawberry Pretzel Salad Dessert
on Mar 23, 2020, Updated Jan 26, 2024
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Classic Strawberry pretzel salad dessert is a childhood favorite and easy to make. It’s crunchy, sweet, savory, full of flavor, and makes a great drop-off treat or everyday dessert.
I’ve been making my way through a family cookbook and stumble upon a dessert I haven’t had since I was a kid.
I remember loving when my mom would make this strawberry pretzel salad dessert because it was the best salad I’d ever had by a long shot.
I still don’t know why or how Jello became salad but you’ll hear no arguments from me. And I don’t even really like Jello! The combination of texture with sweet and savory elements makes this the perfect dessert.
Don’t have strawberries? Try this Maine blueberry cake instead!
Ingredients for Strawberry Pretzel Salad
What I love about this dessert is its basic ingredients. They are easy to find and you may have a few in your pantry already.
You will need:
- Strawberries (I prefer fresh but frozen works too)
- Strawberry Jello
- Pretzels
- Butter
- Sugar
- Cream Cheese
- Whipped Topping
- Milk
Once you have everything you need, you’ll make your dessert in two stages.
The first is to combing the butter and pretzels into the bottom layer and bake.
While that is cooling, prepare your strawberries and mix up the cream filling.
Then it’s as simple as spreading that on and topping with the strawberries.
Finally, you’ll prepare the Jello, pour it on and let it set for a few hours.
Waiting is the hardest part, I assure you! But it will be so worth it when you put that first slice on your plate.
It’s so yummy.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad is one of those things that sounds so strange on paper, but it really is delicious!
If you didn’t grow up with this treat on the menu, give it a shot and let me know what you think.
In fact, this would be a great recipe for the budding cooks in your house. If the kids are learning how to use the kitchen, they will love making this.
And of course, eating it. Enjoy!
For more dessert ideas, check out these recipes:
Get the Recipe
Strawberry Pretzel Salad Dessert
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 Cup Coarsely Crushed Pretzels
- 3/4 Cup plus 3 TBSP Sugar
- 3/4 Cup Butter
- 1 Tub Cool Whip Topping
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
- 1 Large Box Strawberry Jello
- 16 oz Strawberries, fresh or frozen
- 2 Cups Boiling Water
Instructions
- Cream together butter, 3Tbsp Sugar and crushed pretzels and press into 9×13 pan
- Bake for 10 minutes at 350°F
- Let cool
- Mix cream cheese and the rest of the sugar until creamy and add whipped topping
- Spread evenly over pretzels and make sure to seal all edges well. You won’t want holes at all.
- Stir 2 Cups boiling water with Jello and let thicken slightly
- Add strawberries to the top of the cream cheese mixture, then gently pour the Jello mixture on top. Be careful with this step because if there are gaps in the cream cheese, the Jello will leak to the bottom.
- Put in the fridge overnight or until set (around 4 hours).
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My husband and I didn’t like the pretzels in the bottom so we use vanilla wafer crumbs. They stay soft rather that be hard and crunchy.