Home > Recipes > Desserts > Dessert Salads > Strawberry Pretzel Salad
by Michelle
May 7, 2024
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4.98 (40 ratings)Strawberry Pretzel Salad is the perfect blend of sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy! It’s made with a buttery pretzel crust that is topped with a light cream cheese filling and finished off with a sweet strawberry Jello topping. This layered dessert is a nostalgic classic perfect for potlucks, summer BBQs, and more!
Strawberry pretzel salad is one of the first desserts that I became totally obsessed with.
My great aunt and my grandma would take turns bringing this to any family get together that occurred during the spring or summer, and it often made an appearance at Easter. I love the combination of salty pretzels, sweetened cream cheese, and fresh strawberries… if you’ve never had the dessert before, it can sound (and look) a little strange, but after one bite, you’ll be totally hooked.
More dessert than salad, this recipe comes from a category of desserts called “dessert salads”. Other recipes in this category includeGrandma’s Ambrosia Salad, Watergate Salad, and Strawberry Delight.
These sweet salads are made from layers and mixes of Jello, whipped toppings, fresh fruit, and on occasion vegetables and mayonnaise. Nobody really knows why these layered desserts were dubbed “salad” but they have become known as the go-to recipes for summer gatherings, potlucks, and BBQs.
Why We LOVE This Recipe
- The Flavors! It contains sweet, salt, and a little tart all in one bite!
- Minimal bake time.Keep your kitchen cool with a quick 10-minute bake for the pretzel crust.
- Easily adaptable.Swap out the fruit and Jell-O for different flavors! See below for some variations.
- Great for making ahead.It’s the perfect dessert to make in advance since it needs a decent amount of chill time.
The Ingredients
This simple summer dessert comes together with three unique layers that each offer a different taste and texture; the buttery crushed pretzel crust, a light and tangy cream cheese filling, and the sweet strawberry Jell-O topping. Below are a few of the key ingredients and notes about substitutions.
As always, be sure to check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Pretzels– I prefer using the “mini twists” or small sticks, as they are the easiest to crush up.
- Cream Cheese –Use full-fat cream cheese for a filling that is creamy and not watery.
- Cool Whip– This is mixed into the cream cheese and white sugar mixture to lighten it up. You can use any other whipped topping of your choice, but I would avoid fresh whipped cream, as it is not stabilized enough and could cause the filling to be watery.
- Strawberry Jello –Any brand of strawberry gelatin will work, and you can switch up the flavors, too!
- Fresh Strawberries– While I love this best with fresh sliced strawberries, my family has also made this many, many times with frozen strawberries. Be sure to thaw and drain the frozen berries before using.
Step-By-Step Directions
Now that you have your ingredients, let’s break this recipe down into the three distinct layers; crust, filling, and strawberry topping.
Step #1: Make thePretzel Crust– Stir together the pretzel crumbs and sugar, then stir in the melted butter until the mixture is evenly moistened. Press into the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan and bake in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes, then cool completely.
Step #2: Make the Cream Cheese Filling– Beat the cream cheese and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Then, gently fold in the Cool Whip. Spread over the cooled crust and refrigerate while topping is prepared.
Step #3: Prepare the Strawberry Jello Topping– Dissolve the gelatin mix in boiling water, stirring until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water and refrigerate until slightly thickened. Stir in the strawberries and pour over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until the Jello has completely set.
Recipe Variations
If you have made this strawberry pretzel salad recipe and are looking for fun ways to switch it up, here are a few creative options for your next batch:
- Peach: Replace the fresh strawberry with peach slices and use peach Jello in place of the strawberry Jello.
- Pineapple: Swap the fresh strawberry slices with fresh pineapple and keep the strawberry Jell-O.
- Orange: Use mandarin orange slices and an orange Jell-O mix in place of the strawberry.
- Raspberry: Use fresh raspberries and a raspberry Jell-O in place of the strawberry ingredients.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
- Make-Ahead: This recipe is the ideal make-ahead dessert. Since it requires a minimum of 3 hours to set, I would recommend making it the day before you plan to serve it.
- Storage: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this dessert.
Recipe Notes & Success Tips
After making this recipe for more than half of my life, here are a few helpful tips to ensure your strawberry pretzel salad turns out perfectly:
- Pretzels: For this recipe, I suggest using small pretzel twists or sticks. They will be easier to measure and crush.
- Crushing Pretzels:You can crush the pretzels two different ways. Place them in a ziplock bag and roll them with a rolling pin (or pound with a meat mallet) until well crushed. Or, pulse in a food processor until finely crushed.
- Chill Your Layers: Be sure to let the layers chill before adding the next layer. A warm pretzel crust will cause the cream cheese mixture to melt, and a soft cream cheese layer will allow the strawberry Jell-O to seep through.
- Spread Cream Cheese Layer to Edges: This will prevent any gaps for the strawberry Jell-O to seep through and keep the salad with three distinct layers, as well as keeping the pretzel crust from getting soggy.
Summer Dessert Recipes to Try Next
- Rainbow Ribbon Jell-O
- Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
- Easy Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
- No-Bake Banana Split Dessert
- Red, White & Blue Berry Trifle
Watch the Recipe Video:
If you make this strawberry pretzel salad recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating – it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Yield: 16 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
Resting time: 3 hours hrs
Total Time: 30 minutes mins
Salty, sweet, creamy, and crunchy this Strawberry Pretzel Salad has it all! With three unique layers this easy, nostalgic dessert makes the perfect potluck recipe.
4.98 (40 ratings)
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 cups (160 g) finely crushed pretzels
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (170 g) salted butter, melted
For the Filling:
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup (199 g) granulated sugar
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
For the Strawberry Topping:
- 2 cups (480 ml) boiling water
- 6 ounce package Strawberry Jell-O
- 1½ cups (360 ml) cold water
- 4 cups (668 g) sliced strawberries
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together the pretzel crumbs and sugar. Pour the melted butter over top and stir with a fork until all of the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake for 10 min, then cool completely.
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the Cool Whip. Spread evenly over the crust and refrigerate while you prepare the topping.
Place the dry Jello in a large bowl and add the boiling water. Stir for at least 2 minutes, until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in the cold water. Refrigerate for 1½ hours or until slightly thickened (will be the consistency of egg whites). Stir in the strawberries and pour over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until the Jello layer is set. Cut into squares to serve. Leftovers should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Pretzels: For this recipe, I suggest using small pretzel twists or sticks. They will be easier to measure and crush.
- Crushing Pretzels:You can crush the pretzels two different ways. Place them in a ziplock bag and roll them with a rolling pin (or pound with a meat mallet) until well crushed. Or, pulse in a food processor until finely crushed.
- Chill Your Layers: Be sure to let the layers chill before adding the next layer. A warm pretzel crust will cause the cream cheese mixture to melt, and a soft cream cheese layer will allow the strawberry Jell-O to seep through.
- Spread Cream Cheese Layer to Edges: This will prevent any gaps for the strawberry Jell-O to seep through and keep the salad with three distinct layers, as well as keeping the pretzel crust from getting soggy.
- Cool Whip: I do not recommend substituting fresh whipped cream, as it’s not as stable and can cause the filling to weep and create a soggy crust. You can use another stabilized whipped topping of your choice.
- Recipe Variations: See the post above for ideas on different fruit/Jello combinations.
- Storing:Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Make-ahead: This recipe is the ideal make-ahead dessert. Since it requires a minimum of 3 hours to set I would recommend making it the day before you plan to serve it.
Nutritional values are based on one serving
Calories: 293kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 311mg, Potassium: 107mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 485IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Author: Michelle
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
This recipe was originally published in August 2008.
Photography by Dee Frances.
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Shanni — Reply
My mom & aunts have been making this dish since before I was born, and I have been making it for 45 years!! My family LOVES it! Our recipe is the same except I add 2 cups of mini marshmallows to the cream cheese mixture, and I use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar. We also call it a “salad” and serve it with the meal so we can have dessert later, lol.
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Cathy — Reply
Excellent, all 14 ladies at Bunco loved it and asked for recipe.
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Sue — Reply
Made this but I was lazy. Instead of jello , I used strawberry glaze for the topping with the berries. And sugar free glaze is great for diabetics in family.
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Janet Mercuri — Reply
You can substitute whipping cream for Cool Whip. I don’t like Cool Whip. Think it’s phony food. Add an envelope of Whip It to the cream then beat it. It is a stabilizer. It can be found in the baking section of the grocery store. Great recipe. My grandsons love it!
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Edude — Reply
Definitely a tradition for our family now!
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Ann — Reply
Memorable! Question though. If you use fresh strawberries and make a day or so ahead do the strawberries get watery?
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Debbie Waters — Reply
Can you use this recipe and put into 2 seperate dishes and freeze one dish?
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Kathleen — Reply
I’m making this now…….can’t wait to dig in!
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Carl Cigana — Reply
Hello, I’ve made this recipe a few times, however, the Jello does not stay on the pretzel salad when I cut a square piece of it from the pan and place it onto a dish. Any suggestions???
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Stargazer440 — Reply
Everyone loves this!
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Tomi Hemmer — Reply
Excellent desert, we’ll received by all. Very refreshing and easy to prepare
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Linda — Reply
My jello did not congeal…..I added gelatin. Well see what happens. Its in the frig right now.. Cross fingers!
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Kelly Stone — Reply
This combination looks delicious. We are going to give it a try for the 4th of July. Thanks for the inspiration.
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Jeannie Tesny — Reply
Love love love this!!!
I have also had 1 small box of raspberry jello and 1 small box of strawberry jello and used both raspberries and strawberries for another variation. It is sooo good!-
Sophie — Reply
Great idea in mixing the berries and jello flavors. Will need to give this a try.
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Susan — Reply
This is so simple to make and so crazy delicious! I have to have incredible amounts of will power to not eat The whole thing. It’s the sweet/salty that makes it so addicting for me.
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Albertina — Reply
The recipe looks very delicious and I will try it soon. I have tried your recipes and they came out really well. Thanks a lot for sharing amazing recipes.
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Macy — Reply
Made this (finally)..on Christmas Eve. Your directions were perfect..down to describing the jello firmness needing to be like egg whites. I was actually kind of pleasantly surprised at how delish it was. We took it home and my parents have been soooo enjoying it…which probably blessed me more than anything. Thank you for all that you do. You make a difference in so many people’s lives..mine included🥰
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Madge — Reply
After making this several times I switched the order and made the jello first so it could cool and set a bit while the other steps are being done. I used to have the leakage problem, but not this time because the jello was actually a bit more firm and didn’t leak through to the crust. Even when I have not had this turn out perfect it is always the first dessert to go. The “old” recipe I originally had shared with me had more sugar and more butter than this one. I also prefer fresh strawberries but sometimes I use frozen in the jello and put a light layer of whipped cream on top and decorate with fresh berries.
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Maryann Mellor — Reply
My mother used to make this when my brothers and I were growing up and now my kids love it too. I am like you and prefer the fresh strawberries over the frozen kind. I have also switched to using whipped cream instead of Cool Whip. I see you have a recipe for that too. It lasts up to three days – at least that is as long as we had any leftover when I made it last weekend!
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Elizabeth — Reply
Made this Red and White beauty for Canada Day!!
What a fabulous dessert! Everyone loved it!
A standard box of jello here is 85 grams so I used 2
Boxes and followed your directions .
I made mine the night before and it was perfect!
Thank you a Michelle! -
Christine Alexander — Reply
Great summer recipe! My family loved it!
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April Sanders — Reply
@browneyedbaker I let my jello set up too long in fridge but here in hour we will be tasting it and I cant wait!!!
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Laney — Reply
All of my Jell-O leaked down to the bottom. Do you think it will still taste ok or should I toss it?
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Michelle — Reply
I think it should be fine!
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Marilyn — Reply
Made this yesterday. I messed up. Didnt notice the jello b8g was only 3oz. The jello didnt firm.as jello. It was more of a liquid sauce. We still.are it. Next time I will do it coreedvtot. Mu whole family liked it regardless of my messing up.the jello part. That pretzel base crust is amazing. I will use that for other desserts/pies. The center part was delicious. it was realized my mistake.
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Ashley — Reply
I am so excited to now have a dish that’s requested at every family gathering! I have a cousin who begs me to bring him his own pan every time we get together! I’d never eaten this particular dessert before I made it for the first time, so I had to ask another cousin what about it was so loved. She told me her family typically finds them “too cream cheesey” but this one was perfectly balanced. I’ve sent the link for this recipe to many people at their request.
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Megan — Reply
I’m not sure what I did wrong but all of the ingredients wouldn’t fit in my pan. I used exact measurements and was only able to fit about 1/2 of the jello/strawberry mixture into the pan. I used the disposable aluminum pans, so maybe that makes a difference?
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Cathy Granger — Reply
Just have to tell you I have made this strawberry salad several times since you posted it! it is as awesome as the picture! thanks for sharing!!!!!
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Beth VanDyne — Reply
I made this and it is delicious. I divided in to two smaller pans and each made plenty for a ladies luncheon and several days at the beach with friends. I decreased the sugar to 3/4 cup and it was plenty sweet. The fresh strawberries stayed firm and delicious.
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Kate Lacy — Reply
Sounds lovely — and wonderful for summer……but a whole cup of sugar?
With sugar in the strawberries and sugar in the Cool Whip, doesn’t a
whole cup of sugar more leave the dessert too sweet to enjoy?
Have you tried a half-cup? Maybe not, I’ll find out I guess. -
Maggie — Reply
I’m wondering where I went wrong. I let the Jell-O sit for a bit and stirred in the strawberries but when I poured it over the 2nd layer, the jello leaked to the bottom of the pretzel layer.
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Maggie, Make sure that middle layer is spread the whole way to the edges and that the Jello is more thick syrupy than watery when you pour. Hope that helps!
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Rosa A Shorter — Reply
I just made the Strawberry pretzel salad, but forgot to bake the pretzel crust!! Is it going to be ruined?
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Michelle — Reply
I think it should still be fine!
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Linda Jean — Reply
I have been wanting to try this recipe for soooo long, but it’s too much for my family, especially if it wasn’t a hit, so I made it for a potluck over the weekend. Wow! It was gobbled up. Clearly a crowd favorite. I loved the crust and the cream cheese/whipped topping layer. I am not a jello fan and found the top layer to be too jello-y…. ok, so I probably shouldn’t have made a recipe with jello since I’m not a fan but then I wouldn’t have discovered the delectable first two layers. My plan now is to play with the top layer. I’m going to try using pie filling over the top or maybe a pudding layer. We used to glaze strawberries for pie with heated strawberry jelly – that might work. Not sure, but I can’t live without ever eating that crust and middle layer again!
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Leonie Van — Reply
Made this today with fresh local strawberries. It was delicious! I’ll probably have another piece before I go to bed. The pretzel crust is to die for. That sweet to salty ratio is perfect! Thanks so much!
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Pam hartman — Reply
I made this for a Memorial Day cookout and it was delicious. I have made it in the past but used frozen strawberries. Thanks for posting the recipe using fresh strawberries!
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Jamie — Reply
O my a local restraunt serves this dish and I love it. I am so glad I found a recipe.
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Alice Norris — Reply
I have found that if you bake the bottom crust just one minute longer, it will make this very popular dessert too difficult to remove from the pan. I’m also from the Pgh area, just like our Brown Eyed Baker. Keep up the good work!
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sonya shea — Reply
This recipe looks fabulous, but I was wondering if I could use fresh whipping cream (whipped of course) instead of CoolWhip?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Sonya, Yes you definitely could! It won’t stay as long as the Cool Whip would, so I would plan on eating it (and any leftovers) within a day or so.
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This is old fashioned & wonderful.
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Debbie Donella — Reply
Thank you for using fresh strawberries I have always wanted to try the fresh, frozen are good but so mushy, this will be a big hit tomorrow for Easter.
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sabrina — Reply
I love this, also make using raspberries, or blackberries. Or do a Graham cracker or shortbread crust and lemon jello with blueberries. So versatile truly.
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sabrina — Reply
I also double the amount of cream cheese. For a slightly stiffer creamy layer. I have been thinking the last couple days on how to incorporate a ganache layer, a kind of chocolate covered strawberry kinda thing.
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Jess — Reply
I wasn’t crazy about this. The middle layer was runny and the jello layer was too thick and I didn’t care for the overall texture. The only good thing about it was the pretzel crust. There’s nothing wrong with the recipe, I just didn’t really care for how this turned out.
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Joel S. — Reply
I made this during the holidays when I was trying to lose some weight. Everyone loved it and they felt like they could enjoy a little more of it when I chose some lower calorie alternatives (e.g. sugar free jello, fat free cream cheese, and low calorie whipped topping).
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Nikki — Reply
I wish you would have included the 4 1/2 hours of chilling time in the total time amount.
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Shari D. — Reply
I could live off this for weeks! I never get enough of it, and it’s literally been years since I’ve had any! On the few occasions when it’s been brought to a gathering of some kind, there’s practically none left by the time I get to it! I learned to scope out the dessert tables FIRST and get mine while everyone else is fooling around with the salads! But it seems ages since anybody has brought it to a family gathering, because for whatever reason ours seem to be held only in the fall. Well, I’m changing that this weekend! It’s just my husband and me at home now, so I’m making a 9X13 pan of it just for US! Nobody else but us to sneak into it in the middle of the night, providing there ARE any leftovers!! That eas actually going to be the one question I wanted ti ask, regarding the instructions at the very end of the recipe – WHAT leftovers?? ? ?
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Katie — Reply
Hi Michelle!
I’ve been wanting to make this since I saw it on your site. Do you know how far in advance it can be made? If I made it Thursday night for Saturday would it still be ok?
Thanks!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Katie, I think that would be okay! Enjoy! :)
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Dianne — Reply
This stuff was a staple at gatherings when I lived with n Pittsburgh many years ago. I had forgotten about it until I saw it pop up on FB. We are having “bring your favorite salad” day at work tomorrow. I’m taking this. Hey, I can’t help it that someone named this Strawberry Pretzel SALAD, can I? Hahahaha!!!
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Marla — Reply
I have loved this my entire life but have never made it. Do I need to measure the pretzels after they are crushed? Also, can fresh whipped cream be used in place of the cool whip? I don’t have an issue with cool whip but my sister refuses to eat it. I will be making it regardless. Thanks for your help.
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Marla, Yes, measure the pretzel crumbs after crushing. You can also use fresh whipped cream, just know that you should probably serve it within 1 day, otherwise the fresh whipped cream will start to weep and get runny. Using the Cool Whip makes it perfect for leftovers in the fridge for days :)
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Marilynn — Reply
You can use stabilized whipped cream if your sister doesn’t like cool whip. I found the recipe for stabilized whip cream on pinterest.
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Maggie — Reply
Could you substitute fresh whipped cream for the cool whip? Would it negatively impact the texture in any way?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Maggie, Fresh whipped cream would be fine, as long as you plan on consuming it within a day or so. After that, the whipped cream starts to get watery. Enjoy!
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Stacy — Reply
I made this on Saturday for a family party and it was a HUGE hit! Everyone liked the fresh strawberries much better than the frozen. I will be adding this to the list of recipes I take to parties. Love your blog. We have 2 things in common, brown eyes and live in Pittsburgh PA. Go Pirates!
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donna — Reply
I make this with one variation: I add an 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple plus the strawberries to the dissolved gelatin, and I don’t use the 1 1/2 cups of cold water. And I use only 3/4 cups of sugar.
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cupcakes — Reply
In one word! Fabulous!!
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Amy M. — Reply
This is my sister’s “assigned” dish to make! I have made it too but hers is always the best. Love it!
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Jen @ Fresh From The... — Reply
My family has been making a version of this ever since I was little, too! Ours now got a little more fancy with cranberries, bananas, and pineapple (if you’re into it, which I’m not) in the topping in addition to the strawberries. So good!
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Rhiannon — Reply
Hi!
This looks amazing!
Have you ever made it without the jello? I would love to make it for work, but there are several vegetarians in my group. Would it be possible to just layer the strawberries on? Thanks so much!-
Michelle — Reply
Hi Rhiannon, I’ve never made this without Jello. You could certainly just add fresh strawberries on top, if you’d like.
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Jan C. — Reply
Love this salad and we have it often at family gatherings! We also make it with raspberries and raspberry jello and it is wonderful also!
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Char R — Reply
OMG! I remember the first time someone offered this to me….wasn’t sure I would like it, but I DID!! Haven’t had it in ages, though! Thanks for reminding me!
Your pictures have me craving it! -
Linda — Reply
Have never tasted this but have always heard of it. Might try it for a family reunion.
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vicki — Reply
I have to be on a fat free diet, can this be made with fat free cream cheese. I would love to try. What do you think?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Vicki, Fat free cream cheese is generally more watery than the full fat version, which can wreak havoc on recipes that you need to bake, or things like frosting, where it needs to maintain a certain stiffness. However, in this case, I think using it would be okay.
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Prggy — Reply
Too many “gooey” recipes lately. Cholesterol is rising all over America.
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Kelly — Reply
Hey fatty, how about you just eat one piece and not the whole pan.
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Valerie L. — Reply
We’ve been making this recipe in our family for years, too, and like another poster, our recipe calls for confectioner’s sugar mixed in with the cream cheese layer, instead of regular sugar. Our recipe also calls for adding a can of drained crushed pineapple to the strawberry jello mixture. This has always been such a crowd pleaser everywhere that I have taken it to.
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Michelle — Reply
Valerie, I love the idea of crushed pineapple!
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Michelle W. — Reply
I love, love, love this dessert! It is one of my very favorites.
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Marisa Franca @ All Our Way — Reply
This is a classic!! I can’t remember ever having a family gathering without this dessert/salad. The German section of my Hubby’s family will call anything a salad even thought it is a dessert — that way they don’t feel guilty eating it. After all, it is a salad and good for you :-) I also remember this at several showers that I went to. We especially love the pretzel crust — we used that recipe when we made lemon pie and also a quick jello cheesecake. I think it holds up better than the graham cracker crust. Thank you for bringing back the memories and the tip about the fresh strawberries.
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Bella B — Reply
The pretzel crust sounds intriguing! It looks very good.
xoxoBella | http://xoxobella.com
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Mana — Reply
Amazing recipe, thanks for share. I am trying it
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Wendy — Reply
I’m trying to work out how this could be a salad? Looks more like a dessert to me…and Cool Whip??? Almost all totally unnatural ingredients. Yuk.
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Michelle — Reply
It’s just the name, it’s obviously not an actual salad. It’s very old, so no idea where the name came from.
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Sarah — Reply
My Aunt Dorothy gave me her recipe for this when I was about 12. She uses pineapple juice instead of the cold water in the strawberry jello part. I accidentally used water instead of the juice once, and it was just not the same. The Juice makes it sweeter and tangier and it goes perfectly with the buttery saltiness of the pretzels. Give it a try. :)
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Renee — Reply
DISAPPOINTED. I made this for the 4th. It seemed to be a “lightened” version of a recipe I have, in that it used less butter in the crust, less cream cheese (1 1/2 packs instead of 2) and less sugar in the cream cheese as well. The crust looked fine but when I served it the crust had not come together, it was mainly crumbs. This required me to scoop out the crumbs and just serve the pretzel part over the top. In researching other recipes most of them call for at least 3/4 cup of butter in the crust. I think that’s what happened here. There was just not enough butter to bind the crumbs to make a crust.
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Natalie — Reply
Many of my family members are allergic to strawberries, so we make this with peaches and peach jello. It is divine. I like it way better than the strawberry version. There’s just something fresh and unique about it made with peaches.
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Rali Conrow — Reply
I love this recipe, but after I joined Weight Watchers I tried to make this with fat free cheese and cool whip and it did not turn out right (actually a huge mess), stick to original recipe and it’s always fantastic!
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Ericka — Reply
Ahhh… Sunny Fourth of July gatherings in Minnesota. Every single year :)
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Catherine — Reply
And…I have made this with the low-calorie versions of Cool Whip, cream cheese, and Jello. It still tasted great.
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Catherine — Reply
Please don’t skimp on the strawberries. I’ve had this a couple of times lately where the cook used fresh sliced strawberries – very noble, but there just weren’t enough berries! My recipe uses frozen strawberries. I think you could use that with fresh…or even use lots of fresh, take a small portion of them, mash them and return them to the mix…just use LOTS of strawberries. It’s SO much better!
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Stacy — Reply
Is the butter, melted to at 2/3 or its 2/3 hard then melt it?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Stacy, 2/3 cup “hard”, then melt it.
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LeaAnn — Reply
This is a great dessert! My mom always made this at Christmas and instead of using fresh strawberries she used sliced bananas and crushed pineapple, drained. Thanks for reminding me of this recipe, I will be adding this to my Christmas menu!!
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Michelle — Reply
Oh I love the idea of using bananas and crushed pineapple instead of the strawberries – that’s perfect! A great way to enjoy it year-round :)
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Jacqui G — Reply
I was so surprised to see this recipe and learn that it is from Kraft Foods. I have an Aunt who would bring it to our family reunions and I got the recipe from her. This is a favorite of my friends and family, but I don’t think anyone likes it more than I do!!
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Sharlene — Reply
Could I get your recipe for the crushed pineapple version? Thanks !
I love the original recipe and would like to venture out with some a little different..and the pineapple one sounds delish.-
Brenda — Reply
Sure! Sorry for the delay in responding.
2 #2 Size Can of Crushed Pineapple
1/2 Cup of Sugar
4 Tablespoons of Corn StarchDrain juice from pineapple into bowl and set pineapple aside. Mix corn starch and sugar into juice. Cook juice mixture until it becomes thick and more clear in color and everything is completely blended. When cool, mix with pineapple and spread over middle layer.
Refrigerate long enough for everything to set up. Overnight is best.
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Brenda — Reply
This recipe is also wonderful with crushed pineapple! It’s the item I’m always requested to bring to pitch-ins, etc. Instead of Jell-o you cook the heavy syrup with corn starch and sugar, let it cool and mix with the pineapple to spread on top. It gives it a little tang, as well as salty and sweet.
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Jen — Reply
I have had this dessert before and it’s one of my favorites, but today was my first time making it…unfortunately, my jello set completely in under an hour, so I had to break it up to stir the strawberries in. It doesn’t look nearly as pretty as yours, but hopefully it still tastes good! :)
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Meg — Reply
hey there!
This is one of my favorite American deserts of all time but I live in Europe and I get to eat this only when I go to the US for the 4th of July and that makes me really sad!I found the recipe in you in your blog and it made me so happy but that to do since we don’t have COOL WHIP here? Is the normal whipped cream going to hold the jell-o and the berries?
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Meg, Yes, Just whip the cream to stiff peaks and use like you would Cool Whip in the recipe.
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Stacee — Reply
Well I made according to the directions but when I poured the jello in the rest floated to the top… Wondering if I didn’t let it cool long enough?
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Michelle — Reply
Oh wow, that’s crazy! My guess is that it definitely wasn’t cool enough. The Jello mixture just sits right on top of the cream cheese/Cool Whip layer.
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Tressa — Reply
I just made this over labor day weekend. A friend gave me a very similar recipe (pretzel salad) and it is awesome. I make mine using sugar free and sugar substitute and it is still delicious. I did a blueberry version using blue jello. This one was not sugar free but again a great hit and the sugar free version was raspberries. My next one is going to be sf peach jello with frozen peaches. Just see what jello flavors you like and go for it
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Susan — Reply
We call it pretzel salad and instead of the jello and fruit layer we use canned pie filling (home canned or store bought). It’s a sweet salty crunchy creamy fruity combination that I love. I even requested it at my gift opening brunch following my wedding!
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Kari — Reply
Yum! I remember this from childhood and was so excited to find this recipe! The one thing I messed up was that I bought a 4 oz. package of Jello instead of one 8 oz. box (or two 4 oz. boxes). My Jello wouldn’t set well and was watery, but it was still good! Next time I’ll make it right – I think this is now a summer staple in my household!
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pami — Reply
This is like a Pittsburgh staple, I swear! I have a few old church cookbooks with this recipe too, and I just love this stuff! Perfect Kennywood picnic dessert
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Hannah at FleurDeLicious — Reply
i made these the other day and sent them with my boyfriend to work…he said they were devoured in a matter of minutes! http://fleurdelicious.wordpress.com/2011/02/11/strawberry-orange-cheesecake-pretzel-bars/
thanks for the recipe! another hit from brown eyed baker :) -
SweetSugarBelle — Reply
I just found you, and the fact that you posted my church fellowship dinner fave maes you a hero!!! YUMMY!!! Glad to find your blog! =)
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Mary — Reply
I made this dessert years ago using either strawberries or raspberries, but ever since I started making it with cranberry Jell-o mixed with a can of whole berry cranberry sauce, that’s the only way I make it now – especially for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It’s been a big hit at potluck dinners.
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Dallas — Reply
I made this dessert and took some to work my, co-workers went crazy over this seimple but yummy dessert. Thanks
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Heather — Reply
I have made this recipe in the past. It is delicious and so easy to make allergy-free and also vegetarian. For the “jello” I use Natural Desserts Jel Dessert (which is vegan, kosher, parve).
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jan — Reply
My sister and I have been making a similar dessert for thanksgiving since the 80’s when we ventured out on our own. Ours has a vanilla wafer crust and raspberries, and a crushed walnut layer that makes it extra yummy! love it!
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Michelle — Reply
Oooh love the combo of vanilla wafers, raspberries and walnuts! Will definitely need to try that next summer!
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Erin R — Reply
Just had a fall dinner party last night and did a Chili Bar with all the fixins and to end things off I made this dessert and it was a hit … it was refreshing and wonderful !!!
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Michelle — Reply
Erin, your dinner party sounds fabulous! Glad this was the perfect topper!
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Tykisha Pulliam — Reply
I just finished making this recipe for the 3rd time in a week. The first two attempts were unsuccessful. I just couldn’t get the crust right. One was too hard and I guess that I didn’t crush the pretzels up fine enough because the other crust wouldn’t come together. I decided to make this recipe again but this time I placed the ingredients into a store-bought shortbread crust. I began with a layer of the pretzel crust, followed by a cream cheese layer, then more pretzels, and finished with the strawberry jello. I think that I may have it this time around (fingers crossed, lol)!
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Meri Kieffer — Reply
Put your pretzels in a large zip lock bag and use a rolling pin to crush them fairly fine. It’s as easy as pie. Butter your pan. I do not bake my crust. I simply put it in the frog for 15-20 minutes to firm up with butter and sugar. Then I add the cool whip/cream cheese mixture and allow it to set up for another 10 to mins. By this time your jello/strawberries will be set up and ready to pour on top of the 2nd layer. It cuts nicely and it also does not get soggy!
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Michele — Reply
I love this recipe..the combination of flavors is unique. There is no other combo like it!! I too have been making it for years. Whenever I take it to work, I always take a few copies of the recipe, because I know several people will ask for it.
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Katie H — Reply
This is definitely an oldie but a goodie! I love this recipe, such a great combo. I may have to make it for 4th of July :) – thanks for the reminder! Love the oldie but goodie idea and love your site, EVERYTHING you make appeals to me. Although I am a first time poster I visit you daily and make your mini italian meatloaves weekly!
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Maggy@ThreeManyCooks — Reply
These are so beautiful! And Summery! Love the salt/sweet combo. And your new blog design looks AMAZING!
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Jen @ How To: Simplify — Reply
Oh. my. goodness. These look delicious! I’ll have to try this recipe!
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ivoryhut — Reply
I love the sweet-salty combination too, and with the current popularity of salted chocolate and caramels, I think this oldie definitely needs some promotion. Sounds delicious!
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JT — Reply
Yum. I’ve had this occasionally through the years. So good. I’m going to do it with blueberries!
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Tanya — Reply
WOW! I am speechless. These look so good. I love pretzels and I love strawberries. Can’t wait to try these. I’ll have to try it with raspberries too because that does sound pretty good.
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Mary — Reply
Try this with raspberries, awesome.
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Erika — Reply
I feel the same way about semi-homemade/prepackaged foods. But some are a guilty pleasure and I have always loved this dish, but haven’t had it in years. Thanks for the reminder!
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Kara — Reply
This is a favorite dessert from my childhood, but I haven’t had it in ages! Time to make it again I’d say.
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Mathilde's Cuisine — Reply
I think that just like you, I LOVE THIS DESSERT… I usually don’t bake a lot but I will try this one out soon!
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Jane — Reply
I don’t know why every recipe calls for regular sugar with the cream cheese and cool whip mixture. It is much better with confectioners sugar. 1 8oz cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners sugar and a large cool whip. Try this and you’ll see why.
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Michelle — Reply
Jon – May very well be a Pittsburgh thing, as that’s where I’m from!
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Jon — Reply
My Mom makes this stuff whenever I go back to Pittsburgh to visit. I could honestly eat the Strawberry Pretzel Dessert until I literally turned into it. Absolutely amazing.
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Michelle — Reply
Michelle – This is a great picnic dessert, I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think. And thank you for the award! :)
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michelle — Reply
I’m going to make this for the 4th of July! Swing by my blog when you get a chance, I left you an award!
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Ish — Reply
This is one of my go-to dishes… I have been making this dish for over 10 years… I make it for any family function, party and it is highly requested by friends and family… I don’t dare show up without it!
My only suggestion is that if bake the pretzel crust for more than requested (10 min), it sticks to the bottom of the pan and is very hard to serve.
other than that…. yummy!! enjoy!!!-
Peggy — Reply
I learned that lesson the hard way. Try this… spray the dish first with non-stick cooking spray and bake the pretzel crust an extra one or two minutes. This makes a very sturdy crust that won’t crumble, releases very easily from the pan, and will not get soggy, even after several days! It never lasts that long in our house, though.
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Brandie — Reply
I just stumbled on this page and I have to say, I love this recipe. I have made it with pineapple juice instead of water and using frozen strawberries. It gives it a stronger strawberry taste and you can’t taste the pineapple at all!
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Michael T. — Reply
I stumbled upon your blog and saw this recipe. I haven’t had this dessert since I was a kid and it brought back a lot of great memories. I never comment on blogs but I think I am going to come back to your recipes again and again. Thanks. : )
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Deborah Dowd — Reply
I am old enough to remember the Kraft theater on TV and the commercials always included Kraft recipes. This sounds really delicious and something I could even enjoy on my diet!
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jen — Reply
This is a great recipe I’ve made it lots of times. It works really well if you buy frozen strawberries and add them to your hot gelatin mixture, they cool it down pretty quick, so you can get to the eating part faster.
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Erin — Reply
I am the same way as you, and usually avoid recipes that are from sources like Kraft. Things with a can of soup are the worst example of this type of ‘cooking’. That being said, I’ve had this strawberry dessert before, and agree that it’s freaking delish! Perfect for summer cookouts especially. Yup, now I’m craving some :)
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Caitlin — Reply
I am going to try this – I will definitely let you know. I hate that we don’t get Cool Whip here! Oh well – will have to make fattening fresh whipped cream :)
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Chelle — Reply
Hi Caitlin–
I think you could absolutely use the same amount of freshly whipped cream. If you do so, I’d love to know how you liked it and how it worked for you!
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Navar Steed — Reply
That’s great to know– I’ve never liked cool whip. It just tastes like whipped chemicals to me…
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Caitlin — Reply
I love this dessert! I live in England and we can’t get Cool Whip here. Do you think it would work without it?
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Jamie — Reply
We use sour cream in place of the cool whip… Like the fact that it is less sweet.
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My Sweet & Saucy — Reply
This does sound amazing! I love the pretzel crust!
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JacqueOH — Reply
It looks out of this world. mmmmm, very nice!
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Jaime — Reply
i can see how the sweet and salty would be great here! i am ok w/prepackaged food every now and then but I still have trouble eating cool whip, though…now that i know it’s all vegetable oil!
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Chou — Reply
You’ve made a recipe developer somewhere in Glenview very very happy.
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Bunny — Reply
I’ve never had this dessert, I’ve seen recipes for it and always wanted to make it. I love the sweet and salty thing!! I dip chips in ice cream!! I love the picture, this is the first picture I’ve ever seen of it. This would be great to make for the holiday !
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Robin — Reply
I haven’t used a kraft foods recipe in years, but I think you’ve found a great one. Pretzels and strawberries? How interesting!!
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jenny — Reply
everyone in my family fights over strawberry pretzel salad on holidays. and i mean, pushing and shoving to get a second piece! we’ve gotten to the point where we need two trays of this (and my family isn’t that big!), so there isn’t any arguing! mmmmm, i might make this when i go home now…
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Amber — Reply
I love these things too, my grandma has a recipe for them. I love the sweet and salty combination along with the creaminess and crunchiness too. Delicious!
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Tiffany — Reply
this looks beautiful! i saw your post on joythebaker and that you want to be a published author. that’s my dream job too–best of luck!
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heather — Reply
that’s so cute! i would never have thought of it!! pretzels are so delicious!!
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grace — Reply
yeah, this is incredible. sometimes, every once in awhile, companies get recipes using their products right. :)
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Stephanie — Reply
This reminds me of growing up! My mom and her friends would make this all the time, especially for summer parties and the fourth of july! It’s so good.
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Maria — Reply
I haven’t had this in years! I love the sweet/salty combo!!
I made your knock-off oreos!! They were SO good! I posted them on my blog today!! Thanks again! I love your blog!
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Lindsey — Reply
I know what you mean about Kraft, but this does looks super light and refreshing for summer. I love the sweet/salty combination…I bet my husband would really enjoy this too!
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Annie Jones — Reply
I have made this with raspberries and raspberry Jell-O. It was amazing!
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Kate — Reply
I usually feel the same way about Kraft as you do – but I also love one of their strawberry desserts. Maybe because it’s hard to mess up strawberries?
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Annie — Reply
I’m totally with you on the Kraft recipes, but this one sounds too good not to try! Plus if you rave about it, I know it must be good :)
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Ashley — Reply
I read the title of this post and thought what?? I have to find out more. I used to think it was really strange to combine pretzels with sweet things but now I love it (like a chocolate and caramel covered pretzel mmm). So I can see how this would be delicious. And it looks really good!
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Crafty Baker — Reply
This looks great. I’ve got some extra strawberries to use up. I might make this.
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Sarah — Reply
This is like salty sweet crack! My mom has been making this for years (she got the recipe from a Mennonite cookbook though) and I have been known to eat at least half a pan of it when she makes it and I’m around. I recently tried my hand at it for one of my book club gatherings, and everyone loved it. It’s so easy too!
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Erin — Reply
oh.my.gosh! I love this recipe! It reminds me of all the family gatherings back in the day! I miss it so much. I need to make this for sure!
