The ingredient list to strawberry pretzel salad is pretty short. Short = Easy! A salty pretzel crust, tangy cream cheese filling, and sweet strawberry topping. This quick and easy strawberry pretzel salad is a classic holiday side dish. This recipe uses fresh strawberries and is made up of three delicious layers: a pretzel crust, a cream cheese filling, and a strawberry jello topping!
Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
Pretzel Crust
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 cups)
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 cups crushed pretzel sticks crushed in food processor for best results*
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 (8 oz) tub cool whip thawed in the fridge
- 1 pint strawberries sliced
Strawberry Jello Topping
- 1 (6 oz) package strawberry jello mix
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- Whipped cream if desired
Instructions
Pretzel Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray, then make a parchment paper sling and place into greased pan.** Set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, stir together melted butter, sugar, and crushed pretzels.
- Press firmly in the bottom of the pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool completely before topping with the cream cheese filling.
Cream Cheese Filling
- In a large bowl, beat together sifted powdered sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla until well combined.
- Beat in cool whip.
- Spread evenly onto the completely cooled pretzel crust.
- Top evenly with sliced strawberries.
- Chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes while you make and cool the top layer.
Strawberry Jello Topping
- Place jello mix into a large bowl, then pour hot water over.
- Stir until completely dissolved then cool at room temperature for 30-60 minutes while your middle layer is chilling.
- Pour over the chilled middle layer.
- Cover with saran wrap, then store in the refrigerator until the jello has set, at least a few hours.
- Use the parchment paper sling to remove the salad from the pan, then cut into pieces.
- Top with whipped cream, if desired, and serve!
