Strawberry Pretzel Salad

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This strawberry pretzel salad recipe is a classic summer dessert. It’s sweet, crunchy, creamy, and a little salty and perfect for a hot day! I prepare this strawberry pretzel salad with fresh strawberries, but when strawberries aren’t in season, you can use frozen thawed strawberries.

You’ll love this sweet, salty, creamy strawberry pretzel dessert!

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This was my first time ever even hearing about the concept of a strawberry pretzel salad and I knew I had to try it out. My husband loves strawberries, so this summer treat seemed right up his alley.

How to make this Strawberry Pretzel Salad with Fresh Strawberries:

This pretzel salad recipe isn’t terribly difficult to make but it does have three main parts: the pretzel crust, the cream filling, and the strawberry topping. You’ll start with the strawberry topping first, then prepare the crust, and then make the cream filling shortly before the jello topping is partially set.

This recipe seems to commonly use frozen strawberries and full-fat cream cheese. I opted to use fresh since they’re in season. I sliced them thinly lengthwise and macerated them in a bit of sugar to pull out a bit of a strawberry syrup.

Have you ever tried out Neufchâtel cheese? It’s very similar to cream cheese and can be substituted in almost any recipe except it has 10% less fat and it tastes almost exactly the same. I use Neufchâtel in my recipe instead of cream cheese so I didn’t feel QUITE so guilty about having a second slice.

You’re going to love this strawberry pretzel dessert – it’s easy to prepare and perfect for a hot summer day!

Looking for more dessert recipes? Check my archives!

If you made this recipe, please rate the recipe below and leave a comment to tell me how you liked it! If you take a picture of it, please tag me on Instagram so I can feature you in my feed!

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

This strawberry pretzel salad is a classic summer dessert. It's sweet, crunchy, creamy, and a little salty and perfect for a hot day!
4.64 from 11 votes
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 382kcal

Equipment

  • Medium pot
  • 13''x9'' baking dish
  • Electric hand mixer

Ingredients

Strawberry Topping

  • 6 ounces strawberry jello 2 3-ounce packages
  • 2 cups water
  • 16 ounces fresh strawberries sliced (or use frozen, thawed strawberries)
  • 3 tablespoons sugar

Pretzel Crust

  • 2 cups crushed pretzels or Ritz crackers
  • ¾ cup butter melted
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • Butter cooking spray optional

Cream Filling

  • 8 ounces Cool Whip
  • 8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese or use cream cheese
  • 1 cup sugar

Instructions

Prepare the Strawberry Topping:

  • First, macerate the strawberries. Toss the sliced strawberries with sugar in a large bowl and set aside.
  • Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water and turn off the heat.
  • Pour the water and gelatin mixture over the strawberries and transfer to the fridge to partially set for 1 hour 30 minutes.

Prepare the Crust:

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine the pretzels, butter, and sugar in a bowl. Grease a 13×9'' baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer the pretzel mixture to the pan and use your hands to evenly press the crust over the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Bake for 10 minutes and cool the crust as the jello continues to set up.

Prepare the Cream Filling:

  • During the last 10 minutes of the jello setting up, prepare the cream filling. Combine the Cool Whip, Neufchâtel cheese, and sugar in a bowl and mix with a hand mixer until smooth.

Assemble the Pretzel Salad:

  • Spoon the cream filling over the cooled pretzel crust and gently spread over the crust. Spoon the partially set strawberries and jello mixture over the cream filling.
  • Chill the pretzel salad for at least 6 hours before serving.

To Serve:

  • Cut into slices and serve with more fresh strawberries or whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 415mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin C: 22mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @triedandtruerecipes or tag #triedandtruerecipes so I can feature you in my feed!

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