What’s a potluck without strawberry pretzel salad? This summer side dish (or should we say dessert?) is definitely a recipe to keep in your back pocket.
Strawberry pretzel salad—otherwise known as strawberry pretzel dessert—is a recipe that I think of fondly. I get nostalgic when I remember my grandma preparing the potluck dessert for family get-togethers throughout my childhood. As it was with my family, this recipe is sure to be a hit with any crowd!
Whether you call it a salad or a dessert, this recipe is a winner, and not just because of the sweet-salty flavor combination. The crunch from the pretzel layer, the creaminess of the Cool Whip and cream cheese filling, and the inimitable Jell-O topping work together to provide several textures in each bite.
Ingredients for Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Pretzels: Crushed pretzels combined with melted butter serve as the salty element and the base for this sweet and salty dessert. Crush the pretzels by putting them in a gallon-sized resealable bag and breaking them up with a rolling pin.
Whipped topping: Store-bought whipped topping like Cool Whip, as compared to homemade whipped cream, is best for this strawberry pretzel salad recipe because it holds up better underneath the layer of strawberries and Jell-O. If it is frozen, thaw it in the fridge until soft.
Cream cheese: When combined with Cool Whip and sugar, cream cheese adds a cheesecake-like richness to the dessert. Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened so that there are no lumps.
Strawberry gelatin: This recipe calls for two 3-ounce boxes of strawberry gelatin to fill a 13×9-inch dish. (And as long as you’re in that aisle, try some more of our favorite Jell-O recipes!)
Sliced strawberries: We use fully thawed frozen sliced strawberries to make our recipe, but you could use sliced fresh strawberries as well. Just make sure you know how to clean strawberries properly beforehand.
Directions
Step 1: Make the pretzel crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl, combine the crushed pretzels, butter and sugar. Press the mixture into an ungreased 13×9-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Step 2: Whip up the filling
In a small bowl, beat the whipped topping, cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Spread the filling over the pretzel crust. Refrigerate until chilled.
Step 3: Make the topping
Dissolve the gelatin in boiling water in a large bowl. Stir in the strawberries, then chill the strawberry Jell-O topping in the fridge.
Step 4: Chill the strawberry pretzel salad
After the strawberry Jell-O topping has chilled in the fridge until partially set, carefully layer it over the filling in the 13×9-inch dish.
Chill the pretzel salad until firm, for four to six hours.
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