This Strawberry Pretzel Salad features salty-sweet crust, fluffy cheesecake layer, and fresh strawberries and jello top. Festive, delicious and easy to make, this dessert is perfect for get-togethers, cookouts and celebrations!
If you like no-bake desserts with layers, you may also like my Cherry Delight or the Pumpkin Lush Dessert. Perfect for parties and cookouts!
No-Bake Strawberry Dessert
Of course, technically, this is not a salad. Not even close. It's a dessert! A retro dessert, similar to Cherry Delight, Ambrosia Salad, and any desserts that include fruit, whipped topping, and a layer of crunch.
It's also a fun and festive treat to make for Spring, Summer, or any time of the year, really. This Strawberry Pretzel Salad has three layers, each made with 3 ingredients. All of them are typical of retro desserts: cool whip, cream cheese, jello, pretzels.
If you are hosting or attending a get-together, this is a perfect dessert to make. It's simple and can be made ahead of time. Besides, it's fun to eat it too!
Ingredients:
- pretzels
- granulated sugar
- butter
- whipped topping
- cream cheese
- fresh strawberries
- strawberry jello
- water
How to make Strawberry Pretzel Salad?
- Crush pretzels and mix with butter and sugar.
- Press onto the bottom of your baking dish. Bake, then cool completely.
- Mix cream cheese and sugar. Fold in whipped topping.
- Spread creamy mixture over crust. Chill 30 minutes.
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- Mix jello with boiling water. Layer strawberries over cream cheese mixture.
- Pour cooled jello mixture over strawberry slices.
- Chill for 4 to 6 hours.
Best tips for making Strawberry Pretzel Salad:
- time: keep in mind that each layer needs time to set; the estimates total prep time is about 6 hours; it's best to make this dessert one day ahead
- ingredients: use fresh strawberries for the best texture and presentation
- prep: make sure to thaw out the whipped topping and soften cream cheese; if not, they will not mix properly
Variations:
- use any berries you like and match with jello flavors
- use graham crackers or nuts if pretzels are not your jam
- use serving bowls to make individual servings
- no-bake: instead of baking the crust, chill it for at least 30 minutes
Storing leftovers:
I recommend storing any leftovers in the fridge since this dessert is made with dairy.
More dessert recipes:
- Strawberry Crumble
- Bread Pudding
- Grilled Pineapple
- Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp
- Mini Lemon Cheesecakes
- Air Fryer Peaches
For more recipes like this one, feel free to browse our dessert category.
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment!
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients
for the crust:
- 2 cups crushed pretzels
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
for the filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 8 oz whipped topping such as Cool Whip, thawed
for the topping:
- 6 oz strawberry jello I used two 3oz packages
- 2 cups boiling water
- 4 cups sliced strawberries fresh
Instructions
to make the crust:
- In a medium bowl, combine crushed pretzels, sugar and melted butter.2 cups crushed pretzels, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Press the pretzel mixture into the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking pan. Bake for 7 minutes. Cool completely before adding filling.
to make the filling:
- In a large mixing bowl, mix cream cheese with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.8 oz cream cheese
- Add sugar and whip until fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.½ cup granulated sugar
- Add ⅓ of whipped topping and fold in gently with a spatula. Repeat until all whipped topping is folded in.8 oz whipped topping
- Spread the filling over cooled crust. Place pan in the fridge and chill for 30 minutes.
to make the topping:
- Add jello to boiling water. Stir until it dissolves. Cool to room temperature.6 oz strawberry jello, 2 cups boiling water
- Arrange strawberry slices over filling. Slowly pour cooled jello over slices.4 cups sliced strawberries
- Place the dessert in the fridge to set, for at least 4 hours.
Notes
- To crush pretzels: place pretzels in a food processor and pulse until crushed into small pieces, but not ground OR place in Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Keep in mind that each layer needs time to set; the estimated total prep time is about 6 hours; it’s best to make this dessert one day ahead.
- Don't want to bake the crust? Chill it for at least 30 minutes!
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
- The total time is an estimate.
Sammy says
Loved the pretzel crust!
Anna says
Yay! Thanks, Sammy!
Wilhelmina says
I have loved this sweet salad since I was a kid! It is the perfect sweet and salty and cool mix of deliciousness!
Beth says
Oh wow! This looks amazing and so yummy. Can’t wait to make this pretzel salad! My family is going to devour this!
Betsy says
One of my favorites to find at potlucks! Both a side dish AND a dessert! Love this dish. It's so wonderful!
Camille olivieri says
Can you use whipped cream in place of cool whip.
Anna says
Hi Camille! Yes, you can. You will need about 2 cups. I hope this helps!