Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Strawberry Pretzel Salad is no salad at all, but a delicious nostalgic dessert made with easy store-bought ingredients like Jell-O, Cool Whip, pretzels, and strawberries. It’s always a hit at potlucks and picnics because it’s the perfect mix of salty, sweet, and creamy. My recipe is so straight-forward, anyone can pull it off. Just follow my step-by-step instructions below and you’re on your way to having the guaranteed crowd favorite.

Ingredients Needed

Here are the key ingredients that come together to create this delicious strawberry pretzel dessert:

Strawberry gelatin – Use a standard box of strawberry Jell-O for that bright, fruity flavor.
Boiling water – Helps fully dissolve the gelatin mixture.
Fresh strawberries – Or frozen strawberries, sliced. Adds great texture and flavor to the strawberry topping.
Salted pretzels – Measured before crushing; they give that signature salty pretzel crust.
Unsalted butter – Melted butter binds the crust together.
Granulated sugar – Used in both the pretzel layer and the cream cheese layer.
Cream cheese – Softened to room temperature for easy mixing and a smooth cream filling.
Cool Whip – Folded into the cream cheese mixture to make it light and fluffy.
Optional tools – A rolling pin or food processor for crushing the pretzels, and an electric hand mixer or stand mixer for the cream cheese.

Recipes Variations

Try these simple swaps if you’re looking to switch things up:

Make it more decadent with a bit of sour cream folded into the cream filling.
Try a mix of fresh fruit for the topping: sliced kiwi, blueberries, or even mango.
Substitute brown sugar for white sugar in the crust for a slightly deeper flavor.

Jello + Fruit Variations

There are many variations you can try with this classic dessert, so feel free to experiment with different fruits, Jell-O flavors, and toppings to create your own unique version of strawberry pretzel salad. Here are a few common flavors:

Raspberry pretzel salad: Replace the strawberries with fresh raspberries or a mixture of berries.
Blueberry pretzel salad: Use fresh blueberries instead of strawberries and try adding lemon zest to the cream cheese layer for a burst of flavor.
Peach pretzel salad: Replace the strawberries with diced fresh peaches and add a sprinkle of cinnamon to the cream cheese layer.
Pineapple pretzel salad: Use crushed pineapple instead of strawberries and add shredded coconut to the cream cheese layer.
Chocolate pretzel salad: Add a layer of chocolate ganache between the pretzel crust and cream cheese layer for a decadent twist on this classic dessert.
Cheesecake pretzel salad: Swap the cream cheese layer for a no-bake cheesecake filling, and add a layer of fresh fruit or fruit compote on top.
Nutella pretzel salad: Mix Nutella into the cream cheese layer for a chocolatey twist, and top with sliced bananas or chopped hazelnuts.

How to Make This Strawberry and Pretzel Recipe

For full recipe details, including ingredients needed and measurements, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is what you can expect when making this recipe:

1. Prep the Jell-O Layer

Add package of Jell-O to a small bowl. Pour in 2 cups of boiling water, whisking until completely dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat Oven + Make the Pretzel Layer

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Place pretzels in a zip bag. Using a mallet or rolling pin crush into small crumbles.

Add butter and sugar to a small sauce pot and cook on medium heat to melt butter, stirring occasionally to completely dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, then add pretzel crumbs, stirring to combine.

3. Bake + Cool

Pour pretzel mixture into a 9×13 baking dish, pressing down to create an even layer on bottom of dish.

Bake for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

4. Make the Cream Cheese/Whipped Cream Layer

In a mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes…scraping sides of bowl as needed.

With a spoon or spatula, fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture until no white streaks remain.

5. Spread Over Cooled Pretzel Layer

Evenly spread cream cheese/Cool Whip mixture over cooled pretzels being sure to create a seal all around baking dish so the Jell-O doesn’t seep through and you have nice clean layers.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Can I use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip? Technically yes, but I don’t recommend it. Fresh homemade whipped cream doesn’t hold up as well and can lead to a soggy crust over time. Cool Whip is more stable and the better choice for this recipe.

6. Assemble

Evenly disperse sliced strawberries overtop cream cheese layer.

Evenly pour Jell-O overtop strawberries. This should completely fill the dish, but if your dish is not deep enough, you may need to omit some of the Jell-O mixture to avoid overflowing. This will not affect the final outcome.

Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or until Jell-O is set.

Pro Tip: I like to place the baking dish on a baking sheet first to make for easier transfer since the Jell-O is not set and fills the dish to the tippy top.

7. Slice + Serve

Slice into square portions and serve cold.

Storage + Make Ahead Directions

If you have leftovers, cover dish with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out in the fridge. Find a level spot for it in the fridge. We don’t want everything to slide to one end.

Can I make this in advance?

Yes! You can make this 1-2 days before you want to serve it.

Can I freeze Strawberry Pretzel Salad?

No, I wouldn’t recommend freezing it. The pretzel crust will become soggy and the texture of the cream cheese layer will change and be grainy.

More Potluck Side Salad Dishes to Try!

Ambrosia Salad
Watermelon Mint Salad
Cucumber Salad
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Strawberry Salad
Strawberry Jell-O Pie

I hope you love this salad, aka dessert! It’s a good one and always one that disappears quickly at potlucks and get-togethers. Of course, it’s technically a salad, which makes it feel slightly more acceptable to eat for lunch. 😉 The printable recipe card is below. Have a fabulous day, friends! 🙂

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Strawberry Pretzel Salad is no salad at all, but a delicious dessert made with easy store-bought ingredients like Jell-O, Cool Whip, pretzels and strawberries. Always a hit at potlucks and picnics.

Ingredients

for Jell-O layer-

▢ 6 oz strawberry Jell-O mix
▢ 2 cups boiling water
▢ 16 oz strawberries fresh or frozen (hulled & sliced)

for pretzel layer-

▢ 2 1/2 cups salted pretzels (measured before crushing)
▢ 3/4 cup butter unsalted
▢ 3 tbsp granulated sugar

for cream cheese/whipped cream layer-

▢ 8 oz cream cheese softened
▢ 1/2 cup granulated sugar
▢ 8 oz Cool Whip* thawed in refrigerator

Instructions

for Jell-O layer-

Add package of Jell-O to a small bowl. Pour in 2 cups of boiling water, whisking until completely dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

for pretzel layer-

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place pretzels in a zip bag. Using a mallet or rolling pin crush into small crumbles.
Add butter and sugar to a small sauce pot and cook on medium heat to melt butter, stirring occasionally to completely dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, then add pretzel crumbs, stirring to combine.
Pour pretzel mixture into a 9×13 baking dish, pressing down to create an even layer on bottom of dish.
Bake for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

for cream cheese/whipped cream layer-

In a mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes…scraping sides of bowl as needed.
With a spoon or spatula, fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture until no white streaks remain.
Evenly spread cream cheese/Cool Whip mixture over cooled pretzels being sure to create a seal all around baking dish so the Jell-O doesn't seep through and you have nice clean layers.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

put it all together-

Evenly disperse sliced strawberries overtop cream cheese layer.
Evenly pour Jell-O overtop strawberries. This should completely fill the dish, but if your dish is not deep enough, you may need to omit some of the Jell-O mixture to avoid overflowing. This will not affect the final outcome.
Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or until Jell-O is set.**
Slice into square portions and serve cold. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Video

Notes

*Fresh homemade whipped cream can be used instead, but is not recommended as it tends to make the pretzels soggy. Cool Whip is more stable and the better choice for this recipe. **I like to place the baking dish on a baking sheet first to make for easier transfer since the Jell-O is not set and fills the dish to the tippy top.

Nutrition