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Strawberry Pretzel Salad Dessert

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Prep Time5 hr
Serves12

This classic Strawberry Pretzel Salad Dessert combines a buttery, salty pretzel crust with a creamy cheesecake filling and a sweet, strawberry-gelatin topping for the ultimate crowd-pleasing treat. With its perfect mix of crunchy, creamy, and fruity layers, it’s a nostalgic favorite that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.

INGREDIENTS

    For the Crust:

  • 4 cups mini pretzels, crushed
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

    • For the Cream Cheese Filling:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature (see notes)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    • For the Strawberry Topping:

  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 1 (6 ounce) box powdered strawberry gelatin
  • 1 pound fresh California Giant strawberries, hulled and sliced

DIRECTIONS

  • Make the Crust:

      • Preheat oven to 350ºF. In the bowl of a food processor, add pretzels and sugar. Pulse until pretzels are broken down, leaving pieces remaining (don’t over-process into crumbs). Pulse in butter until just combined.
      • Remove S-Blade and transfer pretzel crumbs to a 9x13 glass dish, pressing down with the back of a flat measuring cup. Bake for 10 minutes and place dish on a wire rack to cool.
      • Alternatively, you can place pretzels in a gallon storage bag and roll with a rolling pin to crush, transfer crushed pretzels to a bowl and combine with sugar and melted butter.

  • Make the Filling:

      • In a large bowl add softened cream cheese, ½ cup granulated sugar and vanilla. Using an electric hand mixer, beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute .
      • In a separate bowl, beat heavy whipping cream and remaining sugar (¼ cup) on medium-high speed, gradually moving to high speed, until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Whipped cream should hold its consistency on the beaters when it’s ready.
      • Transfer 1.5 cups of the whipped cream to an airtight container and store in the fridge for serving later. Add remaining whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, mixing on medium speed until fully combined.
      • Transfer the filling onto the cooled pretzel crust, making sure to spread all the way to edges. Chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

  • Make the Strawberry Layer:

      • To a large heat-proof bowl, add boiling water and powdered strawberry gelatin.
      • Whisk until powdered mixture is dissolved and allow to cool at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

  • Assemble:

      • To the cream cheese layer, add sliced strawberries, making sure they’re evenly distributed throughout.
      • Carefully pour cooled gelatin liquid over the strawberries. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
      • When you’re ready to serve, re-whip the reserved whipped cream using an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed until it has thickened again.
      • Use a large sharp knife to slice into 12 pieces, wiping the knife clean in between each cut for clean slices. Serve with a dollop or so of fresh whipped cream, and an extra pretzel and strawberry slice for a pretty presentation. Enjoy!

  • Notes:

      • If you prefer a sturdier/thicker filling, you can use up to 16 ounces (two bricks) cream cheese. If doing this, increase sugar in the cream cheese to ¾ cup (and use ¼ cup for the heavy whipping cream).
      • You can also use a 9 ounce container of store-bought whipped topping for similar results. You can reduce the sugar in the cream cheese to ½ cup if going this route.

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