Perfect Strawberry Pretzel Salad (the insider tips) *Recipe 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on my site, I may earn a commission

Salty, buttery pretzel crust.  Sweet and tangy cream cheese filling.  Tart and sweet strawberry Jell-O topping.  This strawberry pretzel salad recipe has beautiful distinct layers and is a nostalgic recipe that is classic at any potluck dinners.  

I really love this Perfect Strawberry Pretzel Salad.  I don’t call it a dessert because I eat it right along with my main meal.  But, I am sure it should be viewed more as a dessert.  The first time I made this,  I came out with a mess.  A real mess.  But after a little practice and a few suggestions, I have been enjoying it ever since.

I'm from "the North-MidWest" and we love any kind of salad side dish that involves jello and cream cheese.  If there is a family gathering, there will be jello salads served.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups crushed pretzels
• 5 tablespoons white sugar
• ¾ cup butter, melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 (8 ounces) packages of cream cheese, soft at room temperature
• 1 (8-ounce) container of frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (6-ounce) package strawberry-flavored gelatin
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 (24-ounce) package of frozen strawberries (sliced strawberries with sugar added) Usually in a container of some sort.  These are not the strawberries in the bag.  I found mine on the bottom shelf of the freezer section at Walmart.

Legacy Recipe™

Over on Instagram, I have been talking about the idea and category of Legacy Recipes™.  Legacy Recipes™ involve time, love, and effort. This is not a salad you want to make on a whim, and for good reason.  You need to be patient and attentive if you want it to turn out just perfect. 

*Remember these 3 things and you will be successful every time. 
1. The crust needs to cool completely
2. Thee cream filling needs to be set 
3. The jello portion also needs time to set before layering. 

How to make Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Pretzel Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crush the pretzels until coarsely ground. *see photo above Measure out 2 ½ cups and place in a medium bowl. 

Pour melted butter and 5 tablespoon granulated sugar in with the crushed pretzels and stir to mix well.

Pour the pretzel mixture into the bottom of an *ungreased glass 9x13 casserole dish.  Spread out evenly.  This won't seem like a very thick crust, but it turns out perfectly.

Bake for 10 minutes exactly.  Do not be tempted to over-bake the crust.  It will come out looking bubbly and not set.  It will set up perfectly as it cools.

Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool completely before starting the next step.

Cream Cheese Filling

In a medium bowl, beat together 1 cup of granulated sugar and 16 ounces of softened cream cheese.  Use an electric hand mixer and beat until nice and smooth.  Then, slowly stir in the cool whip with a spatula.  Don't use your mixer for the cool whip.  Taste test as you see fit.

Spread the smooth cream cheese mixture over the cooled pretzel crust.  Spread all the way to all the edges of the pan in all directions.  This will create a seal for the jello topping.  We don't want to have the jello seep down and make the crust soggy.

Place pan in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.  You can start the jello topping once you place the pan in the fridge to chill.

Strawberry Jello Topping

After you have the crust and cream cheese filling layered and in the fridge, begin making the jello topping.

In a medium bowl, thaw the strawberries (and juices) in the microwave.  Only microwave long enough to thaw it but do not let it get warm.  It's ok to have a few frozen berries and a bit of slush. 

*Do not make the jello according to the package instructions.  Only use these instructions or your jello topping won't set up properly.

In another medium bowl, combine 1 cup boiling water and the 6 oz box of strawberry jello.  Stir until the jello is completely dissolved.

Add the strawberry and juice mixture to the jello.  Stir until mixed well and combined.  

Place bowl of strawberry jello in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.  *set a timer so as to not leave it in too long.  We want it to thicken up but not set up fully.

After the strawberry jello mixture has chilled for 1 hour, carefully layer it over the cream cheese filling.  Spread into a nice even layer.  It will be a bit bumpy.

Cover the dish and keep refrigerated overnight (minimum 6 hours).  Cut into squares and serve to your friends and loved ones with a proud smile.  

Enjoy! 

Substitutions

*If you need to use fresh berries in the strawberry jello layer, you will need 2 cups of thinly sliced strawberries and 4 tablespoon granulated sugar.  Slice the strawberries thin and then sprinkle with sugar and stir them up well.  This needs to rest for about 2 hours to get the maximum juice. The sugar will pull out the juices and make the fruit soft.  

When you are ready to make the Jell-O layer, dissolve the strawberry gelatin in 1 cup of boiling water.  In a large glass measuring cup, measure out the 2 cups of strawberries with their juice (from sitting with sugar) and then add enough cold water to equal 24 oz. 

If you love a good Jell-o salad, my grandma's recipe for Blueberry Raspberry Jell-O Salad is fantastic and much less finicky than this recipe.

Common problems and how to prevent them

#1 Very hard crust. 

​-don't crush the pretzels into dust.  Crush them just coarsely.  See photo

-don't be tempted to overbake the crust.  It will come out of the oven with a bubbly butter texture.  It will be not set up at all, it will harden as it cools.

-don't make too thick of a crust or be tempted to use more pretzels or butter/sugar.  I know it will seem like a thin crust layer, but this amount is perfect and has been tested for decades with success.  

#2 Soggy, mushy mess in the middle.  

-don't rush the chill time.  The cream cheese filling needs to chill and firm up before you add the Jell-O.

-don't add the strawberry jello topping until it has set in the fridge for an hour.  It needs to be at the consistency of applesauce or yogurt.  Err on the side of "thicker is better".  If you worry is has gotten too thick, give it a good stir before pouring it over the cream cheese filling.

-don't make the Jell-O according to the package directions.  Follow these amounts here.  

#3 Soggy crust

-bake the pretzel crust for exactly 10 minutes and let it cool completely.  If you add the cream cheese filling before the crust is cool, it will make the pretzels soggy.

-make sure that you spread the cream cheese filling edge to edge of the pan.  You don't want any little crevices that jello could seep down to the pretzel crust.

-don't use whipped cream in place of cool whip.  It will 'weep' and make the pretzels soft.

Related

Looking for more Legacy Recipes like this? Try these:

Perfect Strawberry Pretzel Salad (the insider tips) *Recipe

By

Get the recipe for Strawberry Pretzel Salad. I give you all the tips to avoid a soggy crust, hard crust, a mixed up middle, or a sloshy jello. Avoid all the mistakes with this recipe and instructions

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Equipment

• 9x13 Baking Dish
• Measuring spoons
• Glass Measuring Cups
• Hand Mixer
• Medium Steel Bowl
• Utinsel Set
• Scraper Spatula

Ingredients

  

Pretzel Crust

• 2 ½ cup crushed pretzels
• 5 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3./4 cup melted butter

Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 blocks 16 oz total cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 8 oz frozen whipped topping Cool Whip, thawed *see notes

Strawberry Jello Topping

• 6 oz box of strawberry flavored gelatin
• 1 cup boiling water
• 24 oz container frozen sliced strawberries *see notes

Get ingredients with

Instructions

 

Pretzel Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Crush the pretzels until coarsely ground. *see photo above Measure out 2 ½ cups and place in a medium bowl.
3. Pour melted butter and 5 tablespoon granulated sugar in with the crushed pretzels and stir to mix well.
4. Pour the pretzel mixture into the bottom of an *ungreased glass 9x13 casserole dish. Spread out evenly. This won't seem like a very thick crust, but it turns out perfectly.
5. Bake for 10 minutes exactly. Do not be tempted to over-bake the crust. It will come out looking bubbly and not set. It will set up perfectly as it cools.
6. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool completely before starting the next step.

Cream Cheese Filling

1. In a medium bowl, beat together 1 cup of granulated sugar and 16 ounces of softened cream cheese. Use an electric hand mixer and beat until nice and smooth. Then, slowly stir in the cool whip with a spatula. Don't use your mixer for the cool whip. Taste test as you see fit.
2. Spread the smooth cream cheese mixture over the cooled pretzel crust. Spread all the way to all the edges of the pan in all directions. This will create a seal for the jello topping. We don't want to have the jello seep down and make the crust soggy.
3. Place pan in the fridge to chill for 1 hour. You can start the jello topping once you place the pan in the fridge to chill.

Strawberry Jello Topping

1. After you have the crust and cream cheese filling layered and in the fridge, begin making the jello topping.
2. In a medium bowl, thaw the strawberries (and juices) in the microwave. Only microwave long enough to thaw it but do not let it get warm. It's ok to have a few frozen berries and a bit of slush.
3. *Do not make the jello according to the package instructions. Only use these instructions or your jello topping won't set up properly.
4. In another medium bowl, combine 1 cup boiling water and the 6 oz box of strawberry jello. Stir until the jello is completely dissolved.
5. Add the strawberry and juice mixture to the jello. Stir until mixed well and combined.
6. Place bowl of strawberry jello in the fridge to chill for 1 hour. *set a timer so as to not leave it in too long. We want it to thicken up but not set up fully.
7. After the strawberry jello mixture has chilled for 1 hour, carefully layer it over the cream cheese filling. Spread into a nice even layer. It will be a bit bumpy.
8. Cover the dish and keep refrigerated overnight (minimum 6 hours). Cut into squares and serve to your friends and loved ones with a proud smile.
9. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

*2 ½ cups crushed pretzels.  Make sure you crush the pretzels first and then measure them out.  2 ½ cups whole pretzels (then crushed) are not the same thing.  Avoid using a food processor as this can make the pretzels too fine and result in a hard crust.

*Do not grease the pan.  The buttery pretzel layer is only baked for 10 minutes so it will not stick.  Do not line with foil, the cream cheese and jello layers don't work well with any kind of spray or lining.

*Do not use whipped cream in place of Cool whip.  Using Cool Whip (or any store brand of frozen whipped topping) is important.  Do not use a can of spray-whipped topping.  The fat-to-water ratio in anything other than Cool Whip will cause the cream cheese layer to separate and make the pretzel crust soggy.

*Frozen sliced strawberries in a container with juice and sugar is what you are looking for. I often find this in 16 oz or 8 oz containers, so use what you need to make the 24 oz.  If you can only find a bag of sliced frozen strawberries, see the substitution instructions in the post for instructions on using them.

*If you need to use fresh berries in the strawberry jello layer, you will need 2 cups of thinly sliced strawberries and 4 tablespoon granulated sugar.  Slice the strawberries thin and then sprinkle with sugar and stir them up well.  This needs to rest for about 2 hours to get the maximum juice. The sugar will pull out the juices and make the fruit soft.  When you are ready to make the Jell-O layer, dissolve the strawberry gelatin in 1 cup of boiling water.  In a large glass measuring cup, measure out the 2 cups of strawberries with their juice (from sitting with sugar) and then add enough cold water to equal 24 oz. 

 

Did You Make This Recipe?Share it on IG or Facebook and tag me @joyfulmomma