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!

Sweet & Salty Strawberry Pretzel Salad

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• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: approximately 20 servings 1x

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Description

This Strawberry Pretzel Jello Salad is an irresistible mix of sweet and salty with just enough creaminess in the middle to balance both. It’s almost like a dessert, but I prefer to call it a side dish. That way you can have an extra treat without all the guilt!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 cups crushed pretzels
• 3/4 cups melted butter
• 3 tbsp sugar
• ————–
• 8oz cream cheese – softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 8oz cool whip
• ————–
• 6oz strawberry jello {2 small packages}
• 2 cups boiling water
• 16oz can crushed pineapple with juice
• 16oz frozen strawberries – chopped

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Instructions

1. Crush pretzels in blender then combine with melted butter and sugar. Mix well.
2. Pack mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool completely.
3. While base is cooling, combine jello and boiling water, then place into refrigerator to cool for forty-five minutes to one hour. {You want it to be cool but not set}.
4. Blend cream cheese and sugar together, then fold cool whip into mixture.
5. Spread cream cheese mixture onto cooled pretzel crust, making sure to fully cover so that jello does not leak into the crust.
6. Add chopped strawberries and pineapple to cooled jello, then pour on top of cream cheese mixture.
7. Cover and chill for at least two hours or overnight.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Appetizer
• Cuisine: American

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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