Old-fashioned strawberry pretzel salad is a delicious layered dessert made with fresh strawberries, cream cheese, crushed pretzels, strawberry jello, and cool whip. The classic summer dessert is also a wonderful make-ahead dish for the holidays, potlucks, or any occasion.
Ingredients
For the crust:
2cupscrushed pretzels
¾cupunsalted buttermelted
3Tablespoonsgranulated sugar
For the filling:
18 oz package cream cheese, softened
18 oz container whipped topping, thawed
1cupgranulated sugar
For the topping:
3cupsstrawberrieswashed, trimmed and sliced
16 oz package strawberry jello
2cupsboiling water
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine the crushed pretzels, melted butter, and sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish and bake for 8 minutes. Remove and allow to cool fully.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping until just combined. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled pretzel crust and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, mix together the boiling water and jello mix until dissolved. Set the jello aside to cool fully.
Place the sliced strawberries over the top of the cooled cream cheese layer and pour the cooled jello mix over the strawberries. Return to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 (overnight is best) until fully set and firm.
Notes
Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Crush the pretzels first, then measure. You will likely need about 3 cups of pretzels twists to make 2 cups of crushed pretzels. You can crush your pretzels in a food processor or by hand with a freezer baggie and rolling pin.
Dry your strawberries well after washing. You don't want to add moisture to the topping which can cause it to become runny.
Take your time. Make sure that each layer is fully cooled/chilled before adding the next. I recommend making the dessert a day before you plan on serving it.
Seal in the pretzel crust layer. Make sure that you spread the cream cheese filling all the way to the edges. This will prevent any of the jello from seeping down into the crust and making it soggy.