Strawberry Pretzel Salad

By Laurel Perry

Updated Dec 9, 2024

Strawberry pretzel salad is a holiday staple at my house. Layers of salty pretzels, sweet and fluffy cream cheese, and jiggly strawberry Jello work together to create a crave-able side that pulls double duty as dessert. The gorgeous red color is perfectly festive for Christmas, and it’s so simple to make with pantry staple ingredients. This pretzel salad is a classic for a reason!

three-quarters view of a partially eaten slice of strawberry pretzel salad on a white plate with whipped cream and a pretzel on top. - 6

I love strawberry pretzel salad! It’s perfectly sweet and creamy, and the fresh strawberries are just so good! This recipe is super simple to make with pantry staples like pretzels, sugar, and Jello mix. The secret ingredient is the Cool Whip, which makes the filling light and fluffy but also prevents it from melting into the crust. This keeps the crust nice and crisp and preserves that wonderful trio of textures!

What’s in This Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe?

Pretzels: Create a crunchy and salty base for the crust. I highly recommend using salted pretzels for the best flavor.
Butter: Unsalted butter helps bind the crust to make it cohesive.
Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the crust and the filling.
Cool Whip : Creates a light and fluffy base for the filling.
Cream Cheese: Adds richness, creaminess, and tanginess to the filling.
Strawberry Jell-O : Creates the jiggly base for the topping.
Strawberries: Fresh strawberries add a pop of fresh fruit flavor to the topping. This recipe also works with frozen strawberries; just make sure to thaw and drain!

ingredients for strawberry pretzel salad. - 7

Tips for Success

To crush the pretzels, place them in a Ziplock bag and hit them with a rolling pin until crushed, or pulse them in a food processor.
I have found that this recipe also works well with other flavors of Jello and fruit, such as pineapple or raspberry. Feel free to get creative!
I do not recommend using whipped cream in place of the Cool Whip, as it soaks into the crust and makes it soggy. You can, however, use stabilized whipped cream .
I recommend chilling the salad between each layer to prevent melting.
Be sure to spread the filling all the way to the edges before adding the Jello layer. This will prevent the Jello from seeping through to the lower layers.

How to Store

Store leftover strawberry pretzel salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy chilled. I do not recommend freezing this salad.

partial overhead view of strawberry pretzel salad in a baking pan. - 8

Serving Suggestions

This strawberry pretzel salad makes a delicious dessert all by itself topped with some whipped cream and pretzels or strawberries. It also makes a delicious side dish for orange cranberry pork loin , garlic butter prime rib , or mayonnaise roasted turkey .

Ingredients1x2x3x

For the Crust

▢ 8 ounces pretzels 227 grams, crushed
▢ ¾ cup unsalted butter 170 grams, melted (1½ sticks)
▢ 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 38 grams

For the Filling

▢ 2 cups Cool Whip 120 grams, thawed
▢ 8 ounces cream cheese 227 grams, softened (1 brick)
▢ 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams

For the Topping

▢ 6 ounces Strawberry Jell-O mix 170 grams (1 large package)
▢ 1 cup boiling water 227 grams
▢ 1 cup cold water 227 grams
▢ 16 ounces fresh strawberries 454 grams, hulled and quartered

Video

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the crust: In a large bowl, stir the pretzels, melted butter and 3 tablespoons sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes then set aside to cool. 8 ounces pretzels, ¾ cup unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the filling: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the cool whip, cream cheese, and 1 cup sugar together until smooth. Spread over the cooled pretzel layer. 2 cups Cool Whip, 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar
In another large bowl, stir the jello and boiling water together until completely dissolved, several minutes. Stir in the cold water and strawberries. Allow to sit in the fridge until partially set and no longer warm, about 30 minutes. Spread over the filling layer. 6 ounces Strawberry Jell-O mix, 1 cup boiling water, 1 cup cold water, 16 ounces fresh strawberries
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set before slicing and serving.

Equipment

Kitchen Scale
9×13 Baking Pan
Hand Mixer

Becky’s Tips

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make Strawberry Pretzel Salad Step by Step

Make the Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir 8 ounces of crushed pretzels, ¾ cup of melted unsalted butter, and 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes then set aside to cool.

pretzel crust pressed into a baking pan. - 9

Beat the Filling: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat 2 cups of thawed Cool Whip, 8 ounces (1 brick) of cream cheese, and 1 cup of granulated sugar together until smooth. Spread over the cooled pretzel layer.

creamy white spread in a baking pan. - 10

Prepare the Topping: In another large bowl, stir 6 ounces (1 large package) of strawberry Jello and 1 cup of boiling water together until completely dissolved, several minutes. Stir in 1 cup of cold water and 16 ounces of hulled and quartered strawberries. Allow to sit in the fridge until partially set and no longer warm, about 30 minutes. Spread over the filling layer.

overhead view of strawberry pretzel salad in a baking pan. - 11

Chill and Serve: Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set before slicing and serving.

overhead view of strawberry pretzel salad in a baking pan. - 12

More Sweet Salad Recipes to Try!

Pineapple Pretzel Salad

Watergate Salad

Marshmallow Salad

Snickers Apple Salad

Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe

Equipment

Kitchen Scale
9x13 Baking Pan
Hand Mixer