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Strawberry Pretzel Jello Salad

Strawberry pretzel jello salad is a layered, sweet-salty dessert with a golden baked pretzel crust, a fluffy cream cheese middle, and a shimmering strawberry Jell-O top studded with slices. The clean rectangle slices show all three iconic layers sharply defined after chilling.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chill 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pretzel crust
  • 2 cup pretzel twists Coarsely crushed.
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter Melted.
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
For the cream cheese layer
  • 8 oz cream cheese Softened.
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 8 oz whipped topping (Cool Whip) Thawed.
For the Jell-O layer
  • 6 oz strawberry Jell-O
  • 2 cup boiling water
  • 2 cup cold water or ice
  • 2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries Sliced.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 9x13 baking dish

Method
 

Bake the pretzel crust
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix coarsely crushed pretzels with melted butter and granulated sugar, press into a 9x13 baking dish, and bake for 8–10 minutes until set, then cool completely.
Make the cream cheese layer
  1. Beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in thawed whipped topping and spread evenly over the completely cooled pretzel crust, sealing all the way to the edges so Jell-O doesn’t seep through.
  2. Refrigerate the cream cheese layer for 30 minutes while preparing the Jell-O.
Make and add the strawberry Jell-O layer
  1. Dissolve strawberry Jell-O in 2 cups boiling water, then stir in 2 cups cold water or ice. Let cool to room temperature but do not let it set.
  2. Stir sliced strawberries into the cooled Jell-O, then gently pour over the cream cheese layer.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until the Jell-O is completely set, then slice into rectangles and serve cold.

Notes

For the cleanest layers, cool the baked pretzel crust completely before spreading the cream cheese and make sure the Jell-O is room temperature before pouring. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended because the Jell-O texture can break when thawed. Dairy-free swap: use a dairy-free cream cheese and dairy-free whipped topping for a similar creamy layer.