Strawberry Pretzel Salad is a classic, nostalgic dish that can make any meal into a special occasion. It is a dish that can lighten your mood after just one bite. It is also a dish that is much better than the sum of its parts. There is a definite synergy when you take otherwise lackluster ingredients and make layers that combine to create a wonderful blend of flavors and textures. It is magical.
However, it is not the prettiest dish to look at after it is cut.
It is a dish works well in any season. By using frozen or canned fruit, this dish is delicious in any season. However, you can use fresh macerated strawberries and other fruits when they are in season. Thus, it is also a wonderful dish in the spring and summer.
Other fruit and gelatin combinations you can try include: canned Mandarin oranges and orange gelatin; fresh or frozen red raspberries and raspberry gelatin; and blueberries and mixed berry gelatin.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 c. small pretzels, coarsely crushed
- 3/4 c. melted butter
- 3 Tbsp. sugar
Creamy Layer
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (softened)
- 3/4 c. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped with a stabilizer OR 8 or 10 oz. Cool Whip topping
Gelatin Layer
- 6 oz. strawberry gelatin
- 2 c. boiling water
- 1 lb. frozen strawberries in syrup, partially thawed
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter or spray a 9 X 13 baking dish.
- Melt butter and sugar in a saucepan.
- Combine the butter mixture with the crushed pretzels.
- Press the pretzel mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Set aside to cool.
Gelatin Layer
- Add the boiling water to the strawberry gelatin, stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
- Allow it to cool down at room temperature while you are making the creamy layer.
- After the creamy layer is made, add the cold fruit and liquid to the gelatin and place it in the refrigerator to set more.
Creamy Layer
- Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until soft and fluffy.
- Fold in whipped cream or Cool Whip.
- Spread on the COMPLETELY COOLED crust in an even layer. Be sure it completely covers the crust.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator to cool and set up more.
Final
- When the gelatin mixture has thickened, but not set, pour it over the layer of cream cheese mixture.
- Cover and place back in the refrigerator to set completely before serving.
