Easy Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe (Sweet & Salty)

A classic chilled dessert salad made with a salted pretzel crust, sweet cream cheese filling, and strawberry gelatin layered with fresh strawberries. This crowd-pleasing recipe makes 12–16 servings in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Total Time 4

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Pretzel Crust

2 1/2 cups Crushed salted pretzels
3/4 cup Unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons Granulated sugar

Cream Cheese Layer

8 ounces Cream cheese, softened
1 cup Granulated sugar
8 ounces Frozen whipped topping, thawed

Strawberry Gelatin Layer

6 ounces Strawberry gelatin
2 cups Boiling water
2 cups Cold water
16 ounces Fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

Method

Step-by-Step

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Crush the salted pretzels into coarse crumbs, then combine them with the melted butter and 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Press the pretzel mixture firmly and evenly into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake for 8–10 minutes, then cool completely.
Beat the softened cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar until smooth. Fold in the thawed whipped topping, then spread the mixture over the completely cooled crust all the way to the edges.
Dissolve the strawberry gelatin in 2 cups of boiling water, stirring until no granules remain. Stir in 2 cups of cold water, then refrigerate for about 30–60 minutes, until slightly thickened but still pourable.
Fold the sliced strawberries into the cooled gelatin mixture. Gently pour it over the cream cheese layer.
Refrigerate the dessert for at least 4 hours, or overnight for the cleanest slices. Cut into squares and serve cold.

Notes

Cool the crust completely before adding the cream cheese layer, and spread the cream cheese mixture fully to the edges to protect the pretzels from the gelatin. Do not pour hot gelatin over the cream cheese layer. Frozen strawberries may be used if thawed and drained first.