Description
This Strawberry Pretzel Salad combines a salty pretzel crust with a creamy cream cheese layer and a fresh strawberry gelatin topping, making it a perfect sweet and salty dessert that’s refreshing and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Crust
- 2½ cups crushed pretzels (from about 5 cups whole pretzels)
- ¾ cup melted butter
- ¾ cup sugar (divided: half for crust, half for cream cheese layer)
Cream Cheese Layer
- 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup sugar (remaining part of sugar)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 12 ounces Cool Whip
Strawberry Gelatin Layer
- 6 ounces strawberry Jello (two 3-ounce packages)
- 2 cups boiling water
- 3 to 4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter to prevent sticking.
- Make Pretzel Crust: In a medium bowl, combine the crushed pretzels, ¾ cup sugar, and melted butter. Mix well until combined. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to form the crust.
- Bake Crust and Cool: Bake the pretzel crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Once done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely to prevent melting the cream cheese layer later.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Layer: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, remaining ¾ cup sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Gently fold in the Cool Whip until incorporated evenly.
- Spread Cream Cheese Mixture: Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled pretzel crust. Make sure to reach all the edges to create a seal, which will prevent the gelatin topping from soaking into the crust.
- Make Strawberry Gelatin: In a medium bowl, whisk the strawberry Jello packets into 2 cups of boiling water until fully dissolved. Stir in the sliced fresh strawberries. Refrigerate the mixture for about 15 minutes until it begins to thicken but is not fully set.
- Add Gelatin Layer and Chill: Slowly pour the thickened strawberry gelatin mixture over the cream cheese layer. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for about 2 hours, until the gelatin is completely set and firm.
- Serve: Once set, slice the salad into squares and serve chilled.
Notes
- Crush pretzels by placing them in a Ziploc bag and using a rolling pin or wooden spoon for best results.
- Ensure the pretzel crust is completely cooled before adding the cream cheese layer to avoid melting.
- Be sure to spread the cream cheese layer fully to the edges to keep the gelatin from leaking into the crust and making it soggy.
- You can substitute Cool Whip with homemade whipped cream for a fresher taste.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor and texture in the gelatin layer.
- Refrigerate the dessert at least 2 hours before serving, but it can also be chilled overnight for convenience.
