Delicious Strawberry Pretzel Salad Dessert Recipe

It’s a perfect combination of sweet and salty, my favorite. 

A friend of mine used to make this every time we got together and it got to
the point where I would request it. I finally asked her for the recipe and now
it’s my go-to for summer potlucks. (But it works ALL year round!)

Here are the ingredients needed to make this Strawberry Pretzel Dessert: 

• 2 cups crushed pretzels (make sure this is two cups after you’ve
  crushed them — I actually use a little more)
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package softened cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) Cool Whip
• 2 (3 ounce) packages of strawberry gelatin
• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen strawberries (I use one 14 ounce package and
  it’s fine)
• 9×13 baking dish

To make the pretzel crust take your pretzels and smash them — I put them in a
baggie and crush them up: 

I use our meat tenderizer, but a rolling pin works great as well! You can also use a food processor, but I prefer bigger chunks of the pretzels for this crust. 

Salted pretzels are perfect for this strawberry pretzel salad recipe. The bit of salt is a great combo with the sweetness of the jello and fruit. 

Then mix the pretzels, melted butter and three tablespoons sugar: 

Bake at 400 degrees for eight to ten minutes and then set aside to cool:

You’ll want this to cool down before adding the cream cheese layer. I wait until
this is out of the oven before continuing. 

Mix softened cream cheese and one cup of sugar in a large mixing bowl:

Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature (or place in microwave for 10 second
increments) to ensure you don’t have chunks. 

Fold in the container of Cool Whip to your whipped cream: 

Try with all your might not to eat it right then. 🙂 Little fact about me — I
could (and do) eat Cool Whip with a spoon. Delish. 

Spread this whipped topping mixture onto the cooled crust: 

Important tip — make sure to spread the cream cheese mixture to the edges and
don’t leave any holes. This will keep your pretzels nice and crunchy. 

Next is the strawberry jello — prepare in two cups of boiling water (according to the
box instructions, just leave out the cold water at the end). Then add the
package of frozen sliced strawberries: 

You’ll want this strawberry jello mixture to set up for a bit — the recipe calls for it to be an egg
white consistency. I usually chill it in the refrigerator for five to ten minutes
and stir. You’ll be able to tell when the gelatin is starting to set up.

Spread the strawberries over the cream cheese mixture. Let set up even more in
the fridge before serving, even an hour is fine. 

I’m telling you — this is SO good. I warn you though, it’s addicting. 

You’ll
have some and then need more: 

I love the combo of the creamy and crunchy textures and sweet and salty flavors. It’s a lovely
summer dish — I hope to make it again with fresh picked strawberries soon!

Have you tried this dessert? Any twists on it that are worth trying? I’ve heard this is delicious with peaches as well.