Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Classic Strawberry Pretzel Salad combines a crisp, buttery pretzel crust with a fluffy cream cheese filling and strawberry Jello for a delicious three layer dessert that's perfect for summer cookouts and potlucks.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 10

Additional Time: 4

Total Time: 4 35

Servings: 20

Calories: 291kcal

Ingredients

For the jello:

6 oz. strawberry gelatin (large box)
2 cups boiling water

For the crust:

4 cups pretzel twists (to equal 2 cups crushed pretzels)
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)

For the filling:

16 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 cup granulated sugar
8 oz. container whipped topping
1 qt. strawberries (sliced)

Instructions

For the jello, stir boiling water into the gelatin mix for about 2 minutes, or until powder is completely dissolved. Set aside at room temperature to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Place the pretzel twists in a sturdy ziplock bag and use a heavy rolling pin to crush them into small pieces. In a bowl, mix together the pretzels, sugar, and melted butter. Pour the pretzel mixture into the prepared pan, and use your fingers to gently press it evenly across the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes then remove. Allow to cool.
When the crust is almost cooled, place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping until smooth.
Gently spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust, spreading it all the way to the edges on all sides, sealing the crust. Scatter the sliced strawberries over the cream cheese, cover the dish, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
When the jello is at room temperature, pour over the strawberries. Some of them may float a bit. Cover with saran wrap and chill until firm, at least 3 hours. Serve chilled.

Notes

The chilling and cooling steps are very important. Don’t skip them!
To avoid a soggy crust, make sure to spread the cream cheese layer all the way to the edges around the whole length of the pan. This will seal off the crust and allow the Jello layer to set up on top.