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Strawberry pretzel salad is a sweet, salty, layered dessert with a crunchy pretzel crust, a creamy middle layer, and a strawberry gelatin topping with sliced strawberries.
Karlynn’s Recipe Rundown: Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- My version of this recipe makes a thicker cheesecake filling in the middle and uses more cream cheese than other recipes. The middle layer is more like a cheesecake, which I prefer.
- It is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s a hit at potlucks, parties, and family gatherings. It’s so vibrant and pretty that it always gets attention!
- This is so easy to make. The recipe is straightforward and uses simple ingredients. The layers take a while to build, but it’s easy.
- And it’s make-ahead friendly – It can be prepared in advance, making it convenient for events.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Despite its name, strawberry pretzel salad is more of a dessert than a salad, and it’s especially popular at potlucks and holiday gatherings. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and salty—the pretzel crust contrasts nicely with the cheesecake-like center and the top fruit layer.
Ingredient Tips You Need To Know
- Crushed pretzels -Can be straight or curved pretzels.
- Granulated sugar –Sweetens the crust and balances the saltiness of the pretzels, and sweetens the cheesecake layer and helps smooth out the cream cheese.
- Unsalted butter – Binds the crust ingredients together and helps it crisp up when baked. Do not use salted butter as the pretzels are salty!
- Cream cheese– I use two packages of cream cheese to make this layer thicker and more like a cheesecalke.
- Frozen whipped topping – you can use light or sugar free.
- Strawberry flavored Jell-O® – you can use sugar free and it doesn’t have to be the Jello brand.
- Sliced strawberries – I have tested frozen and fresh strawberries and both of them work.
Quick Recipe Summary: How to Make Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix pretzels, sugar, and melted butter.
- Press mixture into a 9×13″ pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- Let the crust cool completely.
- Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Fold in whipped topping and spread over cooled crust.
- Refrigerate for 30–40 minutes to set.
- Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water.
- Stir in strawberries until thawed.
- Pour Jell-O mixture over cream layer.
- Refrigerate for 2–3 hours until fully set.
This is Perfect For a Retro Party
When I first made this dessert, it was for a winter 1970s theme party—a Rhinestone Cowboy theme party, to be exact. So, really, when it comes down to the 70s, baby, you gotta have jello—and the strawberry pretzel dessert salad is one of those quintessential wiggly, wobbly desserts of that era that had to grace the table. Granted, it couldn’t hold a candle to my brother’s shirt that he thrifted from Value Village.
Karlynn’s Baking Tips For Success
- Always chill each layer thoroughly before moving on to the next; you will achieve the beautiful, separate layers that you see in my photos.
- When adding the strawberries, press them firmly into the top of the cream cheese layer, then pour the jello over the back of a spoon so that it spreads out and doesn’t make an indent into the cream cheese layer.
- Watch the step-by-step video I made for more help.
Some other posts you should check out for vintage desserts and parties: How to Throw a Mad Men Party, Watergate Salad, and my Seafoam Salad. Now, back to this dessert, who has tried this jiggly deliciousness from the mid-century? What are your thoughts?
Happy Baking!
Love,
Karlynn
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Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients
Pretzel Crust
- 2 cups crushed pretzels measured after crushing
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed
Strawberry Jello Topping
- 6 ounces strawberry flavored Jell-O® a family size or two 3 ounce packages
- 2 cups boiling water
- 3 cups sliced strawberries frozen or fresh
Instructions
Prepare the Pretzel Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 ℉. Get out a 9×13-inch baking pan. and set aside.
- Mix the pretzels, granulated sugar, and melted butter in a medium-sized bowl until they are combined thoroughly.
- Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until it's lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and cool completely while preparing the next layers.
Prepare the Cheesecake Filling
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Fold in the whipped topping and then spread evenly over the cooled crust.
- Make sure that the cream cheese reaches all the edges of the pan and seals it up, or you will have a soggy crust! A barrier is formed with this layer between the crust and the jello.
- Cover and refrigerate until set, about 30-40 minutes.
Prepare the Strawbery Jellow Topping
- Stir together the jello mix and boiling water in a bowl.
- Mix in the frozen strawberry slices and stir until thawed in the jello. This should bring the Jello to room temperature. Pour over the cream cheese layer without disturbing it, cover with plastic wrap and then refrigerate for 2-3 hours. You need this to be firm and set!
- Once ready, slice and serve. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Video
Nutrition
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Joyce zahaik says
Absolutely love your recipes. Tried ordering your cookbook, but wasn’t successful.
Caro says
Sliced or whole frozen strawberries??? And 1 or 2 cream cheese blocks??
Carol says
Can sugar free jello be used???? For strawberry pretzel salad??
Carol Jackson says
Have made this before and used the frozen berries, would fresh berries mashed work as well since it’s strawberry season?
Nancy says
Can you make this the night before?
Marie says
I noticed that this recipe is made with 2 bricks of cream cheese, whereas other recipes only call for 1. Is this correct?
Bev Stepniak says
it was great except when serving the pretzel crust fell apart,do i need to make it finer to stick together.
Judy Myers says
Are the frozen strawberries sweetened?
Juli Johnson says
Hi! I made this yesterday and used frozen sliced strawberries that are unsweetened. It came out great! I also found that the pretzel mixture for the bottom was not enough so I made a half cup more than the recipe and it worked for my 9×13 pan. I cooked it for 12 minutes and it was perfect. It was a great dessert!
Linda Leslie says
If I use frozen strawberries in juice, do I drain the juice before added to the jello? Thanks.
Jocelyn says
Question! Can you use fresh strawberries? Also, in the past I’ve made this and it told me to let jello mixture reach room temp and when I added strawberries it started to jellofy! Putting them in right after jello moisture dissolves, I’m assuming keeps it from doing this? Thanks
Sarah says
Should include the 2-3 hour setting time for the jello in the total time. Picked this recipe because I only had an hour. Nothing like getting to the last line of the instructions and reading “refrigerate for 2-3 hours” when you’re in a hurry.
Sarah says
A classic for a reason! THanks for the great recipe, it was scarfed up by company!
Karlynn Johnston says
Glad you liked it!
TONI says
This was totally awesome! I haven’t eaten it in years, now it’s going to be a summer time regular at my barbecue’s!
Karlynn Johnston says
Awesome to hear!
JoAnne says
Can u use like a different fruit and jello?
April says
This is the best strawberry pretzel salad everrrr! Some of the other recipes don’t seem to set, this one sets perfectly! Thanks for another 5 Star recipe!
Rick Tomlinson says
This was seriously amazing, so delicious and easy to make. Thanks Karlynn!