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I love how strawberry pretzel salad gives you sweet, salty, creamy and crunchy in every single bite. Cool strawberry gelatin full of fresh berries sits on a fluffy cream cheese layer and a buttery pretzel crust. It works as a side dish or a dessert, so set it next to the turkey, the pie, or both.
I always put strawberry pretzel salad on my Christmas or Thanksgiving table, because that bright red layer looks so festive next to everything else. It’s cool and refreshing too, so it shows up at our summer barbecues as well.
Whichever table it ends up on, I want a crunchy crust under every square, so I spread the cream cheese layer right to the edges of the dish. That seals the crust so the strawberry gelatin can’t soak down into it, and when I tested a pan overnight, the pretzel crust was still crispy the next morning.
If you love strawberry desserts as much as I do, I keep all my easy strawberry recipes in one place.
Family TRADITION
The Holiday Dessert That Takes Me Back to Being a Kid
Every time I make strawberry pretzel salad, it takes me right back to being a kid at our family dinners, especially the ones around the holidays.
It’s an old-fashioned dessert, and that’s exactly what I love about it. Nothing about it is complicated. It’s a salty pretzel crust, a sweet and creamy middle and bright red strawberry gelatin on top, all in one pan.
That’s a big part of why I still make it for my own family’s holidays today, and every square tastes like the dessert I grew up on.
What Goes Into Each Layer
Pretzels: Salted pretzel sticks or twists are what I reach for, because they crush easily and that salt is where the sweet and salty taste comes from. About 5 cups of whole pretzels crushes down to the 2½ cups the crust needs.
Cream cheese: I buy full-fat cream cheese and let it soften on the counter first, so it beats up smooth with no little lumps in the middle layer.
Cool Whip: I thaw the Cool Whip in the fridge and use it instead of fresh whipped cream, because fresh whipped cream can make the filling too watery.
Strawberry gelatin: You need two of the small 3-ounce boxes, so 6 ounces total, not two of the big boxes. I skip the water amounts on the box, because this recipe uses half the water the box calls for, and that’s what gives you a firm layer that slices clean.
Fresh strawberries: I slice the strawberries first and then measure them, so the 3 to 4 cups on the recipe card means sliced berries, not whole ones.
How to make Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Step 1: Make and Bake the Pretzel Crust Crush the pretzels, mix them with sugar and melted butter, and press the mixture firmly into a buttered baking dish. Bake it for 10 minutes and let it cool completely before anything goes on top.
Step 2: Spread the Cream Cheese Layer Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth, then gently fold in the Cool Whip. Spread it over the cooled crust and take it right to the edges of the dish.
Step 3: Make the Strawberry Gelatin Stir the gelatin into the boiling water until it dissolves, then add the cold water and the sliced strawberries. When I tried it with all boiling water, it was still warm and watery after 15 minutes in the fridge, so don’t skip the cold water. Chill it until it starts to thicken but still pours, and check it every 5 minutes after the first 15 so it doesn’t set too far.
Step 4: Pour and Chill Pour the strawberry mixture slowly over the cream cheese layer, then cover the dish and refrigerate it for about 4 hours, until the gelatin is completely firm.
Cutting and Serving It
I serve strawberry pretzel salad cold, straight from the fridge. To cut it, I push the knife straight down through all three layers, then run it along the same line a second time to make sure I got all the way through the crust. It’s the same way you’d cut a cheesecake with a thick graham cracker crust.
Two cuts one way and three the other gives you 12 squares. For a little extra, I add a spoonful of Cool Whip on top of each one.
At a party, I keep it cold and put it back in the fridge within 2 hours of setting it out, or within 1 hour if it’s above 90°F. Once the cream cheese layer warms up, it loses its shape and the squares slump.
Making It Ahead and Storing It
For the crispest crust, I make it up to a day ahead. Cover leftovers and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I don’t freeze it. The cream cheese layer can separate and the gelatin turns watery once it thaws.
More Strawberry Desserts
- Strawberry Eclair Cake
- Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
- Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
- Strawberry Crisp
- Deviled Strawberries
Strawberry Jello Pretzel Salad
Ingredients
For the Pretzel Crust
- 2½ cups crushed pretzels about 5 cups whole pretzels
- ¾ cups sugar
- ¾ cup butter melted
For the Cream Cheese Layer
- 12 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 12 ounces cool whip thawed
For the Strawberry Layer
- 6 ounces strawberry gelatin two 3-ounce boxes
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup cold water
- 3-4 cups fresh strawberries sliced
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Rub a thin coat of butter over the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Crush the pretzels. A zip-top bag with a rolling pin works well, or you can use the back of a spoon or your fists. In a medium bowl, mix the crumbs with ¾ cup of the sugar and the melted butter until all the crumbs are coated. Press the mixture firmly and evenly across the bottom of the dish.2½ cups crushed pretzels, ¾ cup butter, ¾ cups sugar
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Take it out and let it cool completely before you add any layers.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with the other ¾ cup of sugar and the vanilla until it is smooth and fully blended. Stir in the Cool Whip with a light, gentle folding motion.12 ounces cream cheese, ¾ cup sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 12 ounces cool whip
- Spoon the cream cheese mixture onto the cooled crust and smooth it into an even layer, taking it right up to the edges of the dish. This seals the crust so the gelatin cannot soak into it.
- Put the gelatin in a medium bowl and stir in the boiling water until every granule has dissolved. Mix in the cold water, then add the sliced strawberries. Chill for about 15 minutes, until the gelatin has just begun to thicken and looks like unbeaten egg whites. If it is still thin and warm, check it again every 5 minutes.6 ounces strawberry gelatin, 1 cup boiling water, 1 cup cold water, 3-4 cups fresh strawberries
- Pour the strawberry mixture over the cream cheese in a slow, steady stream. Cover the pan and let it chill about 4 hours, until the gelatin is completely firm. Cut into squares and serve cold.
Jenn’s Notes
- I crush the pretzels until no big pieces are left. A food processor gives you a finer crumb.
- I keep an eye on the gelatin while it chills. If it sets too far, it turns lumpy and won’t pour smoothly.
- For extra creaminess, I top each square with a spoonful of Cool Whip when I serve it.
I make the strawberry 🍓 version all the time!!! And I have yet had anyone complain about it!!! it is one of my easy recipes that I make when I need to make a “showy” dessert!!!
Hi Sheryl! Thanks so much for the feedback! So glad you enjoyed it!
The layout of this recipe and details could have been written better. I found myself going back to the ingredients or recipe ingredients to read things like: finely crushed pretzels (had to look at the pic to see how crushed they should be), layering notes should be in the steps, it’s not 1.50 hours total time (3-4 hrs to chill after prepared), sugar divided should includ 3/4 c for pretzel crust and 3/4 for crème mixture, pressing the pretzel crust firmly should be in the steps, etc. preparing this recipe had me scrolling all over the place the entire time. My frustrations of the written recipe brought me to the comments. The recipe will taste good if you don’t mess it up because you read something after the fact. Also, 4 hours for cool whip in the fridge to thaw and the cool whip is just fine if 8 oz…there isn’t a 12 oz container.
not a quick dessert, but yummy. I only had 8oz. cream cheese & cool whip. it barely fit 9×13 pan
Made this recipe and realized that I only had 1 tsp. of vanilla so I substituted the remaining 1 tsp. with almond extract. Brought this to a whole new level! I highly recommend trying it with a 50/50 mix of vanilla and almond extract!
I LOVE almond extract! Going to try this next time I make it!
Is the bottom layer supposed to have that much sugar I’ve seen other recipes with less sugar. Reason why I’m asking is that the bottom layer is kind of gritty….and yes only baked for 10 minutes.
Do you not add cold water to the jello mix
I absolutely love this recipe …but I’m one of those who have trouble w/the crust falling apart….help!
Oh No!! I am so sorry! I added some new tips to the post, but here is the condensed version:
If your strawberry pretzel salad crust is falling off, consider these possible reasons:
Insufficient binding: Ensure you’re using enough melted butter or other binding ingredients.
Inadequate pressing: Press the crust mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.
Overbaking: Avoid overbaking the crust, as it can become dry and crumbly.
Insufficient cooling: Cool the crust completely before adding other layers.
Excess moisture: Ensure the cream cheese layer is thick and strawberries are drained to prevent sogginess.
Addressing these issues should help you achieve a stable, delicious crust.
6 ounces Jello( 2packages) can be interpreted two ways . I read it as 2…..6 oz. Packages!! 2 cups of boiling water is way too little for 2- 6 ounce boxes of jello . When the mixture starting setting up, it was obvious that 4 cups of water was needed. Very frustrating
I see how that may be confusing. It is 2 packages total = 6 ounces total. So 2 packages of 3 ounces each. I will try to clarify it in the recipe. Thank you for your feedback. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
The box says one cup hot one cup cold PER BOX OF GELATIN so yes 4 cups in total 2 hot water 2 cup
This turned out great and so easy to make !!
When i make the Strawberry pretzel salad i always have problems with the crust not firm.what am I doing wrong?