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Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Strawberry pretzel salad is a no-bake style layered dessert with a buttery crushed pretzel crust, fluffy cream cheese filling, and glossy strawberry Jell-O topped with fresh berries. Make it ahead and refrigerate overnight for clean slices and a fully set, spoonable topping.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chill + cooling 5 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 6 hours
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pretzel Crust
  • 2 cup crushed pretzels
  • 1.5 stick unsalted butter melted
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
Cream Cheese Layer
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 8 oz Cool Whip thawed
Strawberry Jell-O Topping
  • 2 cup boiling water
  • 6 oz strawberry Jell-O 2 boxes of 3 oz
  • 2 cup strawberries fresh or frozen, sliced

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 9x13 baking dish

Method
 

Make the pretzel crust
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Crush pretzels into small pieces for texture, not fine crumbs.
  2. Mix crushed pretzels with melted butter and granulated sugar until fully coated. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
  3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes until lightly golden and set. Remove from oven and let it cool completely before adding the next layer.
Make the cream cheese layer
  1. Beat softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth and fluffy. Gently fold in the thawed Cool Whip until fully combined and airy.
  2. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the completely cooled pretzel crust, sealing to the edges. This helps prevent the Jell-O from seeping into the crust.
  3. Refrigerate the cream cheese layer for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
Make and set the strawberry Jell-O topping
  1. Dissolve both packages of strawberry Jell-O in 2 cups of boiling water. Stir well for 2 minutes until completely dissolved.
  2. Let the Jell-O mixture cool to room temperature for about 20–30 minutes. It should be liquid but not hot.
  3. Stir the sliced strawberries into the cooled Jell-O mixture. Gently pour it over the cream cheese layer.
  4. Refrigerate the entire dish for at least 4 hours or overnight until the Jell-O layer is fully set. Slice into squares and serve cold, keeping leftovers refrigerated.

Notes

Pro tip: make sure the pretzel crust is completely cool and the cream cheese layer is pressed right to the edges—this creates a neat boundary so the Jell-O doesn’t soak in. Refrigerate covered up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the Jell-O layer can weep after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese (texture may be slightly softer).