Ingredients
For the pretzel crust:
- 2 cups pretzels crushed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup salted butter melted
For the cream cheese layer:
- 12 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup whipped topping
For the strawberry jello layer:
- 6 oz strawberry jello one family size box or two 3 oz boxes
- 1 ½ cups boiling water
- 1 ½ cups cold water
- 2 cups frozen strawberries sliced, thawed. can also use fresh
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- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine the crushed pretzels, sugar, and melted butter. Stir until evenly coated.
- Press the pretzel mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- While the crust cools, beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar, and milk with a hand mixer until smooth. Fold in the Cool Whip until fully combined. Refrigerate until the crust is completely cool.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled pretzel crust, all the way to the edges of the pan. Return to the refrigerator while you prepare the jello.
- In a large bowl, dissolve the strawberry jello in 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Stir until completely dissolved, then add 1 1/2 cups cold water. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and chill until syrupy (the consistency of egg whites) — about 30 to 45 minutes.
- When the jello is syrupy, stir in the sliced strawberries. Pour the jello and strawberry mixture evenly over the cream cheese layer.
- Refrigerate the assembled strawberry pretzel salad for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, until the jello is fully set. Cut into 12 squares and serve cold. Keep leftovers refrigerated.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Make-ahead: This dessert is best made the day before serving so the layers have time to fully set. Assemble the whole pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Storage: Keep refrigerated. Leftovers will hold for 2 to 3 days, though the pretzel crust softens slightly over time.
Do not freeze — the layers don't survive thawing.
Crush the pretzels in a zip-top bag with a heavy rolling pin — fine crumbs, not powder. Let the crust cool completely before adding the cream cheese layer, or the filling will melt on contact. Spread the cream cheese layer all the way to the edges to keep the jello from seeping down into the pretzels. Soften the cream cheese ahead of time for the smoothest cream cheese layer. Frozen strawberries release juice that flavors the jello — fresh works too but goes best as a garnish on top.
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