Name: Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Prep time: 3 h 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 3 h 40 min
Ingredients: 2 – 2 1/2 cups broken pretzels; 1 stick (half a cup) melted butter or margarine; 1/4 cup sugar; 8-ounce package of cream cheese; 1 medium tub of Cool-Whip; 1/2 cup sugar; 1 large box of strawberry Jell-O; 2 cups boiling water; 1 – 2 cups of frozen strawberries, mostly thawed

Okay, so first of all, this dish isn’t exactly a salad. It’s more like a dessert. Other names for it include Strawberry Pretzel Jello or Pretzel Jello Salad.

There are plenty of ways you can make this delightful treat. In fact, in my extended family, we don’t usually use strawberries. (And I’m not usually the one who makes the dish.)

My aunt makes it and brings it to our holiday celebrations. She usually uses cherry Jello instead of strawberry and adds frozen cranberries instead of frozen strawberries, making it more of a holiday treat.

But using strawberry Jello and fresh or frozen strawberries turns it into a fun summer treat that is perfect for potlucks, picnics, or just because.

Ingredients for Strawberry Pretzel Salad

2 – 2 1/2 cups broken pretzels
1 stick (half a cup) melted butter or margarine
1/4 cup sugar
8-ounce package of cream cheese
1 medium tub of Cool-Whip
1/2 cup sugar
1 large box of strawberry Jell-O
2 cups boiling water
1 – 2 cups of frozen strawberries, mostly thawed

Amazon Brand – Happy Belly Mini Twist Pretzels, 2.5 pound (Pack of 1)

9.4/10 Our Score

One 40 ounce tub of Happy Belly Mini Twist Pretzels
Baked, not fried
Perfect for serving at parties, family get-togethers and picnics
Grab a handful and keep the rest fresh in the resealable canister
An Amazon brand

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How to make the Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Crush 2 1/2 cups of pretzels. I used pretzel rods, but you can use normal pretzels as well. You can crush them with a rolling pin like I did, or use a food processor if you’re in a hurry.

Melt 1/2 cup of butter and stir in a 1/4 cup of sugar. Then mix the pretzels into the butter mixture.

Press the pretzel mixture into a baking dish. It can be a 9 x 12 baking dish. I used a 9 x 9 baking dish, but found it was a little small, especially once I added the second layer, and I had to scoop some of it back out.

Bake at 350 degrees (F) for about 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it cool.

While the pretzel layer is cooling, prepare the Jell-O by mixing it with two cups of boiling water. To help it cool more quickly, you can also stir the Jell-O completely with a cup of boiling water, and then add a cup of cold water.

Then mix in the strawberries and refrigerate it for about an hour or until it is lightly set. Don’t let it set completely.

While it’s cooling, blend the room-temperature cream cheese with half a cup of sugar.

Fold in the Cool-Whip.

Now you’ll want to spread your cream cheese mixture over the pretzel layer. Make sure that you’ve spread it completely and there aren’t any gaps. You don’t want the Jell-O bleeding down into the pretzels or they can get soggy. Put it in the fridge for about half an hour before the last step.

cream blend being poured on pretzel layer

Spread the Jell-O over the cream cheese layer and refrigerate until the Jell-O is set. It’ll take a couple hours at least.

You’ll want to keep your strawberry pretzel salad refrigerated and serve it cold. (I don’t have to tell you to enjoy. That’s a given.)

Next time I make strawberry pretzel salad, I’m thinking of trying out something completely unique … maybe lemon Jello and mango slices. How does that sound? Let me know if you try out this recipe, and what substitutions you use.