Strawberry Pretzel Salad – Lauren’s Newest

May 9, 2025

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Strawberry Pretzel Salad is not any salad in any respect, however a scrumptious nostalgic dessert made with simple store-bought components like Jell-O, Cool Whip, pretzels, and strawberries. It’s at all times a success at potlucks and picnics as a result of it’s the right mixture of salty, candy, and creamy. My recipe is so straight-forward, anybody can pull it off. Simply comply with my step-by-step directions under and also you’re in your strategy to having the assured crowd favourite.

Elements Wanted

Listed below are the important thing components that come collectively to create this scrumptious strawberry pretzel dessert:

Strawberry gelatin – Use a typical field of strawberry Jell-O for that vibrant, fruity taste.
Boiling water – Helps totally dissolve the gelatin combination.
Recent strawberries – Or frozen strawberries, sliced. Provides nice texture and taste to the strawberry topping.
Salted pretzels – Measured earlier than crushing; they provide that signature salty pretzel crust.
Unsalted butter – Melted butter binds the crust collectively.
Granulated sugar – Utilized in each the pretzel layer and the cream cheese layer.
Cream cheese – Softened to room temperature for straightforward mixing and a clean cream filling.
Cool Whip – Folded into the cream cheese combination to make it gentle and fluffy.
Non-obligatory instruments – A rolling pin or meals processor for crushing the pretzels, and an electrical hand mixer or stand mixer for the cream cheese.

Ingredients for a recipe: strawberry Jell-O, boiling water, cool whip, cream cheese, granulated sugar, strawberries, salt pretzels, butter, arranged on a white surface.

Recipes Variations

Attempt these easy swaps for those who’re trying to swap issues up:

Make it extra decadent with a little bit of bitter cream folded into the cream filling.
Attempt a mixture of contemporary fruit for the topping: sliced kiwi, blueberries, and even mango.
Substitute brown sugar for white sugar within the crust for a barely deeper taste.

Jello + Fruit Variations

There are a lot of variations you may attempt with this basic dessert, so be at liberty to experiment with totally different fruits, Jell-O flavors, and toppings to create your individual distinctive model of strawberry pretzel salad. Listed below are a couple of frequent flavors:

Raspberry pretzel salad: Exchange the strawberries with contemporary raspberries or a combination of berries.
Blueberry pretzel salad: Use contemporary blueberries as a substitute of strawberries and take a look at including lemon zest to the cream cheese layer for a burst of taste.
Peach pretzel salad: Exchange the strawberries with diced contemporary peaches and add a sprinkle of cinnamon to the cream cheese layer.
Pineapple pretzel salad: Use crushed pineapple as a substitute of strawberries and add shredded coconut to the cream cheese layer.
Chocolate pretzel salad: Add a layer of chocolate ganache between the pretzel crust and cream cheese layer for a decadent twist on this basic dessert.
Cheesecake pretzel salad: Swap the cream cheese layer for a no-bake cheesecake filling, and add a layer of contemporary fruit or fruit compote on prime.
Nutella pretzel salad: Combine Nutella into the cream cheese layer for a chocolatey twist, and prime with sliced bananas or chopped hazelnuts.

How one can Make This Strawberry and Pretzel Recipe

For full recipe particulars, together with components wanted and measurements, see the printable recipe card down under. Here’s what you may anticipate when making this recipe:

1. Prep the Jell-O Layer

Add bundle of Jell-O to a small bowl. Pour in 2 cups of boiling water, whisking till fully dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

dissolving jello in liquid measuring cup

2. Preheat Oven + Make the Pretzel Layer

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Place pretzels in a zipper bag. Utilizing a mallet or rolling pin crush into small crumbles.

Add butter and sugar to a small sauce pot and prepare dinner on medium warmth to soften butter, stirring sometimes to fully dissolve sugar. Take away from warmth, then add pretzel crumbs, stirring to mix.

3. Bake + Cool

Pour pretzel combination right into a 9×13 baking dish, urgent all the way down to create a good layer on backside of dish.

Bake for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

4. Make the Cream Cheese/Whipped Cream Layer

In a mixing bowl, utilizing a hand mixer or stand mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar till fluffy, about 2 minutes…scraping sides of bowl as wanted.

With a spoon or spatula, fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese combination till no white streaks stay.

5. Unfold Over Cooled Pretzel Layer

Evenly unfold cream cheese/Cool Whip combination over cooled pretzels being positive to create a seal throughout baking dish so the Jell-O doesn’t seep via and you’ve got good clear layers.

Cowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for half-hour.

spreading whipped cream over pretzel layer

Can I exploit home made whipped cream as a substitute of Cool Whip? Technically sure, however I don’t advocate it. Recent home made whipped cream doesn’t maintain up as properly and may result in a soggy crust over time. Cool Whip is extra steady and the higher selection for this recipe.

6. Assemble

Evenly disperse sliced strawberries overtop cream cheese layer.

Evenly pour Jell-O overtop strawberries. This could fully fill the dish, but when your dish isn’t deep sufficient, you could have to omit among the Jell-O combination to keep away from overflowing. This won’t have an effect on the ultimate consequence.

adding strawberries to whipped cream layer

Cowl dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or till Jell-O is about.

Professional Tip: I like to position the baking dish on a baking sheet first to make for simpler switch for the reason that Jell-O isn’t set and fills the dish to the tippy prime.

7. Slice + Serve

Slice into sq. parts and serve chilly.

strawberry pretzel salad slice on a spatula

Storage + Make Forward Instructions

If in case you have leftovers, cowl dish with plastic wrap or foil to forestall it from drying out within the fridge. Discover a degree spot for it within the fridge. We don’t need all the pieces to slip to 1 finish.

Can I make this prematurely?

Sure! You may make this 1-2 days earlier than you wish to serve it.

Can I freeze Strawberry Pretzel Salad?

No, I wouldn’t advocate freezing it. The pretzel crust will change into soggy and the feel of the cream cheese layer will change and be grainy.

Extra Potluck Facet Salad Dishes to Attempt!

I hope you’re keen on this salad, aka dessert! It’s a very good one and at all times one which disappears rapidly at potlucks and get-togethers. After all, it’s technically a salad, which makes it really feel barely extra acceptable to eat for lunch. 😉 The printable recipe card is under. Have a wonderful day, pals! 🙂

Should you make this recipe, I’d actually admire it for those who would give it a star ranking and go away your assessment within the feedback! If in case you have an image of your completed dish, publish it on Instagram utilizing the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.