Sweet & Salty Strawberry Pretzel Salad

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If there’s one side dish I fall back on for family gatherings and picnics, it’s this Strawberry Pretzel Salad recipe. In fact, it’s SO good, I don’t even have to offer to bring it anymore. Everyone begs me to make it!

The taste is a mix of sweet and salty, with just enough creaminess in the middle—almost like a dessert all it’s own. But my favorite part is most definitely the pretzel base. This layer is a crunchy party happening right inside your mouth and is to-die-for!

I won’t lie—this isn’t a recipe that takes “minutes to whip up”. You’ll want to schedule about a two hour window to put everything together {plus chill time}, but the extra effort is totally worth it. Trust me on this!

How to Make Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Step 1: Crush pretzels in your blender, then mix with melted butter and sugar.

Step 2: Pack mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

Step 3: Combine jello and boiling water, then place in refrigerator to cool for forty-five minutes to one hour {You want it to be cool but not set.} Make sure you keep an eye on it! I’ve wasted many a jello mixture by leaving it in too long.

Step 4: While jello mixture is cooling, blend cream cheese and sugar together, and fold cool whip into mixture. Spread cream cheese mixture onto cooled pretzel crust {make sure to fully cover so that jello will not leak into crust}.

Step 5: When jello is cool, chop strawberries and mix into jello along with a can of crushed pineapple.

Step 6: Pour jello on top of cream cheese mixture and spread evenly.

Step 7: Cover and chill for at least two hours or overnight. Then serve!

SIDE NOTE: The pretzel base can sometimes be hard to cut, so I suggest using a metal spatula rather than a plastic one. You want to get all those scrumptious layers in one scoop!

Total Cost: $10.76 or $0.45/serving

A 9×13 dish serves a lot of people, so if you have a smaller gathering, cut this recipe in half and use an 8×8 dish instead. Another reason you don’t want to make too much is the pretzel base starts to get a little soggy after day three. Not that you’ll have a ton left after the party, but you know….just in case!

I’m kind of a strawberry fanatic, which means I have quite a few recipes floating around. Here’s just a sampling of my favorites:

• The Best Strawberry Smoothie Recipe Ever
• My Favorite Homemade Strawberry Freezer Jam
• Light and Healthy Strawberry Breakfast Tart
• Orange-Vanilla Glazed Fruit Salad – SO good!!

Have you ever tried strawberry pretzel salad before?

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Read my full disclosure policy here.

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