Strawberry Pretzel Salad is a vintage layered salad which comprises a pretzel crust, cream cheese layer, and strawberry gelatin layer.
This layered strawberry gelatin, cream cheese, pretzel crust dessert represents so many things I love about the South. For one, we do love flavored, highly sweetened gelatin. Always have, always will. We don’t feel you should wait to eat gelatin until you’re placed on a liquid only diet because you’re prepping for a certain medical procedure (those of a certain age will catch this reference). We think gelatin desserts flat out taste good and like to enjoy them at all the good times, for no particular reason. Next, we have a way of naming things salads that have no resemblance to any kind of salad most of the human race has ever known. We’re cute like that.
This recipe hits on all cylinders. It’s just the right balance of sweet and salty, plus creamy and crunchy. Pineapple plays well with the strawberries. As an added bonus, it’s make ahead.
If you like the idea of pretzel crusts, you’re sure to love this recipe for Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie .
Can fresh strawberries be used in place of frozen?
I’ve never substituted fresh for frozen, but the switch can be made with some modifications. Without the use of frozen strawberries, the gelatin will take longer to cool. Also, I would recommend placing sliced fresh strawberries directly on top of the cream cheese layer. Once the gelatin has cooled sufficiently and the edges start to congeal, pour it over the fresh strawberries. As far as the amount of fresh strawberries to use, I would recommend 1 to 1/2 pounds of fresh, sliced strawberries.
Directions for Strawberry Pretzel Salad
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- Add room temperature cream cheese and sugar to a mixing bowl.
- Whip until light and fluffy.
- Fold in thawed whipped topping.
- Cover and keep in refrigerator until ready to assemble the recipe. It’s important to keep the cream cheese layer well chilled.
- For two cups of crushed pretzels, you’ll need approximately 5 cups of whole pretzels. Any size or shape of pretzels will do. Don’t choose hard pretzels because they’re difficult to crush. I prefer to crush the pretzels with a rolling pin. You can use a food processor, but it crushes the pretzels too fine for my liking. I’m going for pretzel crumbs with texture, not pretzel flour.
- Measure out two cups of crushed pretzels.
- Mix together crushed pretzels, melted butter, and sugar.
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread the pretzel mixture in an even layer.
- Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove. Set aside and let cool completely.
- Add strawberry gelatin powder and boiling water to a bowl. Stir until dissolved.
- Add frozen strawberries and drained crushed pineapple to the gelatin mixture. Stir until the strawberries thaw. If the mixture hasn’t cooled completely, place it in the refrigerator until completely cooled and the edges start to congeal.
- Once the crust has cooled and the gelatin mixture is ready, assemble the layers. Start by removing the cream cheese layer from the refrigerator and spreading it in an even layer atop the cooled pretzel crust. Pay close attention that you completely cover the surface of the crust which is necessary to prevent the gelatin layer from seeping down to the crust resulting in a soggy crust.
- Double check that all areas of the crust are covered with cream cheese filling.
- Give the gelatin mixture a good stir. Slowly pour it over the cream cheese layer. Evenly distribute strawberries as best you can.
- Let chill for at least 4 hours before slicing to serve. Overnight is best. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients
- for cream cheese layer:
- 8 oz. softened cream cheese
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 8 oz. frozen whipped topping thawed
- for pretzel crust:
- 2 cups crushed pretzels
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 cup melted butter
- for gelatin and fruit layer:
- 1 6 oz. package strawberry flavored sweetened gelatin
- 2 cups boiling water
- 16 ounce frozen sliced strawberries
- 8 oz. crushed pineapple drained
Instructions
- For cream cheese layer:
- Add cream cheese and sugar to a mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Fold in whipped topping.
- Place in refrigerator while the crust is prepared.
- for pretzel crust:
- Add all ingredients to a bowl.
- Mix and press into a 9x13 pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- for gelatin and fruit layer:
- Add gelatin and boiling water to a bowl
- Stir until dissolved.
- Add frozen strawberries and crushed pineapple.
- Stir in until strawberries are thawed. If gelatin hasn't completely cooled and begun to thicken, place bowl in refrigerator and check often. Remove from refrigerator when cooled and slightly thicken.
- assemble:
- Remove cream cheese mixture from refrigerator and spread evenly over completely cooled pretzel crust. Pay close attention that it completely covers all areas of the crust. This prevents the crust from getting soggy,
- Slowly pour the gelatin and fruit mixture over the cream cheese layer. Evenly distribute strawberries as best you can.
- Before cutting to serve, chill at least four hours, overnight is best.
Notes
This recipe was introduced to me in the late 1970’s by a friend. Read about it here
Julia says
Hi Jackie,
Just here lately, I’ve heard from a couple of different sources
about using crushed pretzels for making “dessert crusts”. I like
pretzels already, so I’ll have no problem rolling over them
with my trusty maple rolling pin, adding them to butter and sugar and making my crust. Like you, I’m inclined to want to make
my own whipped cream. Other than that, I’ll be following your
friend Anita’s recipe. It sounds wonderful and so nice and cool.
Maybe someone on Facebook will see your story and help you find
her. I hope so.
Thank you for sharingg a lovely story and a great recipe with us.
Julia
Jackie Garvin says
Julia,
It’s really tasty because you get that salty/sweet combination.
Maureen says
This is a lovely story and the dessert is beautiful.
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Maureen! I appreciate you taking the time to read the post.
Nina Miller Priddy says
I’ve eaten this dessert lots of times, but I’ve never made it, reading your story makes me want to make it, too! One of my daughters even makes it but I never have, I’m definitely going to now !! love the story, I hope you find your friend…!
Jackie Garvin says
Nina,
I hope you do make this dessert. It’s easy and people of all ages love it. I need to put forth a concerted effort to find Anita. If I am able to track her down, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will figure out a way to make a Strawberry Salad so we can share it once again. If that happens, I will write about the happy homecoming!
Jean says
My dear, everything we make in the south is good! Pretzels are good with lots of things!
Wish I had some of that now! YUM!
Jackie Garvin says
I’m with you, Jean (a.k.a. Bamanut) ! Thanks for reading the post!
GINGER says
Hi Jackie,
My momma use to make this dessert for my sister and I when we were kids,We loved it sooo much!! Sadly for some reason or another I have never made it for my girls. I see now I m going to have to right that wrong and make my girls Strawberry Pretzel Salad.
As always I enjoyed reading your post today,I do hope that maybe one day you and your friend Anita can find each other again.
Thanks for sharing your passion!
Ginger 🙂
Jackie Garvin says
Ginger,
Your poor darling children have never had Strawvberry Pretzel Salad! They are in for such a treat, We ate the whole thing in one day. What’ s not to like about it??? I am going to make myself put forth a concerted effort to track down Anita. If and when we ever do see each other again, you can bet your bottom dollar I will find some way to have a batch of Strawberry Pretzel Salad on hand so we can share it again. I hope I can write about the happy homecoming!
Darlene says
Jackie love the story and the dessert does look so good. I have recipes from friends years ago and still use them to this day. It brings back such nice memories of the friends.
Jackie Garvin says
Darlene,
Isn’t it amazing how strong the food memory connection is? It amazes me sometimes. I sometimes feel that my grandmother is right along side me in the kitchen.
Sue, a Florida Farm Girl says
I like to leave the pretzels in bigger chunks so I really get that salty taste. Good stuff, though.
Jackie Garvin says
Sue,
That is a great idea! It would provide more texture, also. Thanks for sharing that!
Billie Shiver Smith says
Hey Jackie! I hope Anita runs across your blog one day and sees this story and have it fill her heart. It’s a great story and it teaches us all to remember how to make memories out of an invitation to lunch. Now that I have some time (wanting to try all your recipes this summer), I’m going to try this on my boys.
Again, you’ve found your element. (Paula Deen, watch out!)
Best of luck and keep up the good work.
Billie
Jackie Garvin says
Billie,,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments. They mean more to me than you will ever know. I hope your boys love this recipe as much as my family. We ate the whole dish in one day! I’m going to make another one just for Tyler because he is a crazy fool about this recipe. He’s thin as a rail and can certainly afford the calories although it’s has a rather moderate calorie count as desserts go. I have tracked down Anita’s address! I’m writing her a letter today in hopes the address is current. Hopefully, I will be blogging about a happy homecoming soon! If there is a homecoming, you can bet a Strawberry Pretzel salad will be involved. Thank you so much, Billie, for your support. I hope you and the boys are doing well.
Buford Enis says
I love the precious knowledge you offer in your articles. I will bookmark your weblog and feature my youngsters check up right here generally. I’m somewhat certain they’re going to learn quite a lot of new stuff right here than anybody else!
empress says
Pretzels wow who would have thought! Food is such a driving force behind some of my warmest memories, I can relate to the deep enjoyment of preparing a meal for someone close to your heart. I love this story about you and your friend 30 years later, the fact that your blogging about it proves how much of an impact this act of kindness creative.
Jackie Garvin says
Dear Empress,
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post. Your thoughtful comments are warm and very welcomed. I hope you visit us again!
Tami says
I haven’t eaten this for years but it used to be one of my favorites. We would always make it for our family get-togethers and for family reunions. I don’t remember the pineapple in our recipe but it sure sounds good. 🙂
Jackie Garvin says
Tami,
I like the addition of the pineapple. You might want to give a try next time you make it. Thanks for reading and commenting! <3
Amy Moran says
I used to go to a restaurant that had Margarita Pie made in a pretzel crust. YUM
Jackie Garvin says
Amy,
A Margarita Pie sounds very interesting. The saltiness of the pretzels would make a perfect crust for that pie. Thanks so much for reading and commenting. 🙂
Pattypro says
What a wonderful story. A friend shared her Pretzel Salad recipe with me many years ago. Yours is the only other one I’ve seen that calls for pineapple. The difference is that mine goes into the cream cheese mixture, which also calls for the whole container of Cool Whip. I’ll have to give your variation a try. Sometime I change it up by using raspberry Jell-O and raspberries. Either way, it’s always a hit. (Since mine just goes by Pretzel Salad, folks who have it for the first time always ask me why it’s called that. When I tell them that the crust is made with pretzels, they invariably say, “No, it’s nuts.” They are always surprised to find that it’s actually pretzels.)
Jackie Garvin says
Pattypro,
People are surprised by the pretzel crust. Crushed pretzels make such a good crust, especially for a sweet dish. Most folks love the salty/sweet combination.
Thanks so much for your comment!
Pat Wright says
This exact dessert was introduced to me by a precious sister in law, who passed away from cancer in 1976. I loved it, and her very much. In 2011, another sister in law, who RE introduced me to this same dessert/salad passed away very young. I dearly loved her also. So, I make it often now, not only because it is a truly wonderful dessert, but in memory of those gals who were so special to all who knew them.
Jackie Garvin says
Pat,
This recipe certainly has a lot of “good memory” power!
Tracy Nichar says
I have enjoyed this dish for many ,many years! Its delish. I usually make it for the 4th of July. Great that you were able to reconnect with your old friend<3
Jackie Garvin says
Thanks, Tracy!
Serena | Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch says
This sounds delicious! I’m not a huge jello fan but this seems like it might win a place on my plate! Such a sweet story! I am so glad you found your friend after all these years, it made me tear up a bit. I’ve a few close friends I’ve lost track of and somehow we always find each other and pick up where we left off.
Jackie Garvin says
Serena,
The jello is pretty insignificant in this recipe. It’s there to provide a medium for the strawberries. I hope you give it a try.
I was so happy to hear from my friend. Such a blessing.
Thanks for reading!