Strawberry Pretzel Salad is so easy to make! This dessert salad has a salty pretzel crust filled with a creamy, sweet, no-bake cream cheese layer, and a strawberry topping that is irresistible! This layered strawberry pretzel dessert is a favorite for kids and adults alike.
The Best Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe
So there has always been a huge debate about the name of this recipe since the word “salad” is used. (As you can see from the picture, it looks more like a kind of dessert bar.) I didn’t come up with the name, but I grew up with my grandma making dessert salads, so it seems totally normal to me. I would love to know what you would call this recipe, though!
At the end of the day, since it’s filled with crushed pretzels, sweet velvety cream cheese, and sugary strawberries, I guarantee that you’ll fall in love with it, regardless of what name you decide on.
(Also, if you’re looking for some more tried-and-true dessert salads, you will love our popular Snickers Apple Salad, Cherry Fluff Salad, Watergate Salad, Ambrosia Salad and Creamsicle Salad!)
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Strawberry pretzel Jello salad is a year-round favorite dessert in my house! Here’s why your family will immediately be hooked on it too:
- Great texture. Crunchy pretzels, silky cream cheese, and juicy strawberries are a divine combination!
- Sweet and salty. Made with a buttery, salty crust, a sugary cream cheese filling, and a jiggly strawberry jello topping, this strawberry pretzel salad is the perfect sweet and salty treat!
- Quick and easy. This recipe requires about 30 minutes of prep/cook time in total – the rest is just chill time!
Ingredients You Need
You only have to round up a handful of ingredients to make this dessert salad! For the exact amounts, take a look at the recipe card below.
- Pretzels – Crush any type of pretzels for the crust (with a rolling pin or food processor).
- Butter – Melt the butter before you begin to make the crust.
- Sugar – Regular granulated sugar is all you need for this recipe.
- Cream cheese – Make sure to let this soften before you start as well.
- Cool whip – Make sure to use a whipped topping such as Cool Whip instead of making your own whipped cream. Homemade doesn’t set as firmly.
- Strawberry jello – You need boxed strawberry gelatin.
- Fresh strawberries – Thinly slice these for the jello layer and for the garnish!
How to Make Strawberry Pretzel Salad
As mentioned above, strawberry jello pretzel salad is so easy to put together. You will have to wait just a little bit for refrigeration, but it’s mostly finished in 3 simple steps (see the recipe card for the full set of directions):
- Make the crust. Combine crushed pretzels, sugar, and melted butter, and press the mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Next, bake the crust for 8 minutes, then set it on a wire rack to cool.
- Prepare the cheesecake filling. Whip the softened cream cheese and sugar, then fold in the whipped topping. Spread the mixture over the baked pretzel layer and refrigerate until firm.
- Mix the strawberry jello topping. Combine jello and water with fresh sliced strawberries, and pour the strawberry jello mixture over the cream cheese layer. Finally, let the finished salad firm up in the fridge for about 4-6 hours, then enjoy!
Can I Make This In Advance?
Yes! We like this the best when it has been in the fridge to chill for 1 full day, and it will keep there for up to 4 days.
Tips and Variations
- Take a quick look at this list of tips and tricks before you begin to get the best results with your pretzel salad!
- Use frozen strawberries. You can use frozen strawberries if you can’t find fresh (just defrost and drain them first). You could also substitute or add other fresh fruit, if you like.
- How to crush the pretzels. Easily crush the pretzels using a food processor, or place them in a large zip-loc bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- Refrigerate each layer. Allow each layer to cool before adding the next layer to prevent any melting.
- More possible flavor variations. The flavor of this dessert salad can easily be changed with different berries and jellos. You could try orange jello instead, for example, with mandarin oranges, or you could try our Raspberry Pretzel Salad.
How To Store
Strawberry pretzel salad should be kept in the fridge in an airtight container. It will be good in there for 3-4 days, but I doubt it’ll last that long!
More Strawberry Dessert Recipes
Looking for more easy strawberry desserts? You’re in the right place!
- Strawberry Upside Down Cake
- Baked Strawberry Donuts
- Strawberry Poke Cake
- Best Strawberry Cheesecake
- Homemade Strawberry Cake
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups salted pretzels crushed
- 3/4 cup butter melted
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 8 ounce container frozen whipped topping thawed
Topping
- 6 ounce package strawberry Jell-O
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 cups fresh strawberries thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a bowl, whisk together jello and boiling water until the jello is completely dissolved. Add the strawberries. Place in the refrigerator.
- In a medium bowl, mix the crust ingredients. Press into ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake 8 minutes. Cool on cooling rack.
- In a medium bowl, beat the filling ingredients with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over cooled crust. Cover and refrigerate until cool, 30 minutes or more.
- Carefully spoon the gelatin topping over the filling. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or until firm.
Last Step:
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Notes
- To store. Strawberry pretzel salad should be kept in the fridge in an airtight container. It will be good in there for 3-4 days, but I doubt it’ll last that long!
Nutrition
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98 comments on “Strawberry Pretzel Salad”
I’ve made this recipe before and it turned out great, but this time the jello sunk through everything and the whipped filling floated up. So sadddd I don’t know what went wrong.
Sorry to hear that Bridget. It may be the brand of cream cheese and cool whip you are using. Name brands work better in recipes like this. Also, you can try chilling the cream cheese layer before adding the jello.
I’ve made this a million times, always comes out great. Like an idiot I read the instructions on the jello box this time, do not add the two cups of cold water at the end. It all sinks in and ruins it.
Thank you Tom!
Can I make in a spring pan verse casserole
Hi Heather. We haven’t tried that, but it should work just fine.
Can you freeze this?
Hi Alyssandra. I don’t recommend freezing this pretzel salad as it doesn’t do well. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
I had to use 2 3 oz. boxes of jello, so I doubled up on the water as well. I didn’t have 2 additional boxes of strawberry jello, so I added one 3 oz. box of raspberry jello and one 3 oz. box of cherry. I’m sure it will be fine, just need to remember to half all that jello in the recipe! Haha!!
Sounds tasty! Thank you Jill!
My husband’s family loves this recipe! They request this dish every time we have a get together and one dish of this is never enough!
Thank you Bonnie!
Very easy and tasty!!
Thank you Cheryl!
There is a difference between saying “2 cups pretzels, crushed” and “2 cups crushed pretzels.” I took 2 cups pretzels and crushed them and it wasn’t nearly enough. Did I do something wrong or did you perhaps mean 2 cups crushed pretzels?
Hi Becky. The measurement should be before crushing. I guess it all depends on what type of pretzel you are using (sticks, mini or large) and how you place them in the cup. I usually break them to fill the space to get a “true” so there isn’t too much space between them.
I love this recipe And so does my family!!
Could I make the crust ahead of time and then add the filling? Would I store it in the fridge or room temperature?
Thank you Melanie! Yes you could pre-make the crust. I would store in the fridge until you are ready to add the filling.
Delicious and easy to make
Thanks Sharon!
Could you use 2 boxes of zero jello instead 0.3 oz.
Hi Mary. You could use two 3 oz boxes.