Old fashioned Strawberry Pretzel Salad is a sweet-and-salty dessert that's been a potluck favorite for decades. With its crunchy pretzel crust, creamy whipped center, and strawberry gelatin topping, this nostalgic treat is irresistible!
My Family’s Favorite Sweet Salad
I get so excited when I see Strawberry Pretzel Salad on our family’s holiday table. My aunt has been making this one for quite awhile, and at this point, there would probably be a revolt if it didn’t show up to our holiday get-togethers.
It’s sweet and salty, with a variety of textures and flavors. We serve it as a side dish, as all good Midwesterners do with their sweet “salads”. But it’s a delightful dessert as well (it reminds me quite a bit of Strawberry Jello Pie).
In addition to Christmas time, it’s great for Easter dinner, a summer cookout, or a potluck any time of year. Just be sure to bring a copy of the recipe. You’re going to get asked for it!
Enjoy! Kate
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Important Tips: Start Here First!
- Leave time to soften the cream cheese and defrost the whipped topping before starting.
- You may be thinking, “this is way too much butter for the crust”, even after baking it. It’s not, I promise! The crust will firm up as it cools.
- Be sure to spread the cream cheese layer to the edges of the pan so the gelatin doesn’t sneak through to the crust.
- The strawberry gelatin layer can be a little tricky. You don’t want to pour hot gelatin over cream cheese (which makes it runny), and you don’t want the gelatin to cool down so much that it starts to firm up. Read the instructions in the recipe card carefully for how long to wait until pouring the strawberry gelatin layer over the cream cheese layer. I timed it carefully so that you can do this worry free!
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Ingredients for Strawberry Pretzel salad
- The crust is made with pretzels, sugar, and butter. You can use any shape of pretzels that you have, just be sure to crush them finely. If the pieces are too big, the crust won’t stick together.
- I used full-fat versions of the cream cheese and whipped topping. Low fat versions work just fine here if you’d like to use those.
- You’ll need one large box of strawberry gelatin (like Jell-O), or two small boxes.
- You can use either frozen strawberries or fresh strawberries.
Step 1: The Crust
- Crush the pretzels in a food processor or in a zip-top bag. I used a meat mallet to crush them. Don’t leave any big pieces here.
- Mix the crushed pretzels with sugar and butter, and pat into a baking dish. Bake and let cool. The crust may slide all over when you remove it from the oven. That’s ok! It’ll firm up as it cools.
Step 2: The Cream Cheese Filling
- Mix the softened cream cheese and sugar until blended, then fold in the whipped topping.
- Spread the mixture on the cooled pretzel crust. Spread to the edges of the pan so the gelatin mixture doesn’t seep through.
Step 3: The Strawberry Gelatin Topping
- Mix the strawberry gelatin and boiling water, then add the strawberries.
- Spread the mixture on top of the cream cheese layer. Let set completely in the fridge.
Tips for serving (how to get pretty slices!)
My family just passes around the dish with a spoon and everyone serves their own. That works great! However, if you’d like to slice the salad for serving, here are a few tips:
- Freeze the dessert for 30 minutes before slicing.
- Slice with a sharp knife dipped in warm water and dried.
- Clean the knife between cuts.
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Strawberry Pretzel Salad
This sweet and salty "salad" is a nostalgic treat that's a tasty side dish OR dessert!
Ingredients
For the pretzel layer:
- 2⅔ cups pretzels crushed into very small pieces
- ¾ cup melted butter (1½ sticks)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the cream cheese layer:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 carton (8 oz) whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)
For the strawberry layer:
- 1 large box (6 oz) strawberry gelatin (such as Jell-o)
- 2 cups boiling water
- 16 ounces frozen sliced strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, stir together 2⅔ cups pretzels (crushed), ¾ cup melted butter, and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar.
- Press into a 9×13-inch pan and bake for 10 minutes. It may seem very wobbly even after baking. Let cool completely-it will firm up as it cools.
- Beat 8 ounces cream cheese (softened) and 1 cup granulated sugar together until smooth. Fold in 1 carton (8 oz) whipped topping (defrosted).
- Spread on top of the cooled pretzel crust.
- In a large bowl, stir together 1 large box (6 oz) strawberry gelatin and 2 cups boiling water until dissolved. Stir in 16 ounces frozen sliced strawberries. Let sit for 2 minutes only, to cool down slightly (don't walk away, it'll thicken too much if you let it sit). If using fresh strawberries, put it in the fridge for 10 minutes (set a timer!). Either way, make sure it's room temperature or slightly cool before pouring onto the cream cheese layer so it doesn't make the cream cheese layer runny.
- Spread the cooled strawberry mixture over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least two hours, or until set.
- Cut into slices or serve straight from the casserole dish.
Video
Notes
You can substitute fresh strawberries for the frozen strawberries. Wash, hull, and cut into slices before using.
You can also substitute fresh or frozen raspberries for the strawberries. You could also swap the gelatin for raspberry flavor in that case. I’ve tried this and it’s really delicious!
Want to use whipped cream instead of whipped topping? Beat 1½ cups of heavy cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Use that in place of the whipped topping.
If you’re going to cut it into slices, I recommend freezing the whole pan for 30 minutes, then cutting with a sharp knife, wiping the knife in between cuts for the prettiest slices.
Hungry for more sweet “salads”? I have 12 sweet salads on my site, from fluff to gelatin!
Nutrition
Calories: 378kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 4gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 438mgPotassium: 127mgFiber: 1gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 613IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg
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