Strawberry Pretzel Salad / Dessert

Strawberry pretzel salad is a delicious retro dessert that combines sweet and salty flavors. With its crunchy, buttery pretzel crust, rich cream cheese filling, and a bright strawberry gelatin topping filled with juicy sliced strawberries, it’s a popular retro classic!

4.84 from 6 vote(s)19 comments
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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

Karlynn and her 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 in a turquoise pan

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

Strawberry pretzel salad ingredients
  • 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.
a slice of Strawberry pretzel salad on a pink ruffled plate

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.
a slice of Strawberry pretzel salad on a pink ruffled plate

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 PartyWatergate 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

Strawberry pretzel salad is a delicious retro dessert that combines sweet and salty flavors. With its crunchy, buttery pretzel crust, rich cream cheese filling, and a bright strawberry gelatin topping filled with juicy sliced strawberries, it’s a popular retro classic!
4.84 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cooling and Refrigerator Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 20 slices
Calories: 282kcal

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

Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 221mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 527IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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This strawberry pretzel salad (or strawberry pretzel dessert) is a retro party favourite! Make this for your next party, your guests will love it! #strawberry #jello #pretzel #dessert #picnic #treat #sweet #baking #recipe #BBQ

Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

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Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Joyce zahaik says

    Absolutely love your recipes. Tried ordering your cookbook, but wasn’t successful.

  2. Caro says

    Sliced or whole frozen strawberries??? And 1 or 2 cream cheese blocks??

  3. Carol says

    Can sugar free jello be used???? For strawberry pretzel salad??

  4. Carol Jackson says

    Have made this before and used the frozen berries, would fresh berries mashed work as well since it’s strawberry season?

  5. 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?

  6. Bev Stepniak says

    it was great except when serving the pretzel crust fell apart,do i need to make it finer to stick together.4 stars

    • 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!5 stars

  7. Linda Leslie says

    If I use frozen strawberries in juice, do I drain the juice before added to the jello? Thanks.

  8. 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

  9. 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.2 stars

  10. Sarah says

    A classic for a reason! THanks for the great recipe, it was scarfed up by company! 5 stars

  11. 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! 5 stars

  12. 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!5 stars

  13. Rick Tomlinson says

    This was seriously amazing, so delicious and easy to make. Thanks Karlynn!5 stars

4.84 from 6 votes

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