Memorial Day Strawberry Pretzel Salad (Printable)

Sweet-salty pretzel crust, creamy cheesecake layer and fresh strawberries suspended in strawberry gelatin—serve chilled.

# What You Need:

→ Pretzel crust

01 - 2 cups salted pretzels, finely crushed
02 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar

→ Cream cheese layer

04 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 8 oz whipped topping (e.g., Cool Whip), thawed

→ Strawberry layer

07 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
08 - 1 (6 oz) package strawberry-flavored gelatin
09 - 2 cups boiling water

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - Combine crushed pretzels, melted butter and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a bowl; mix until evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish to form a compact crust.
03 - Bake the crust for 10 minutes until set and fragrant. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
04 - Beat the softened cream cheese with 1 cup granulated sugar until smooth and free of lumps. Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until homogeneous and airy. Spread the mixture evenly over the cooled crust, ensuring the edges are sealed to prevent leakage.
05 - Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes to firm the cream cheese layer before adding the gelatin.
06 - In a heatproof bowl, pour 2 cups boiling water over the strawberry gelatin and whisk until fully dissolved. Let the mixture cool at room temperature until slightly viscous but not set, approximately 20–30 minutes.
07 - Evenly arrange the sliced strawberries over the chilled cream cheese layer. Slowly and evenly pour the cooled gelatin over the fruit, taking care not to displace the berries.
08 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the gelatin is completely set and the layers are firm.
09 - Slice into 12 portions using a sharp knife dipped in hot water for clean cuts. Serve chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • There’s nothing like the surprising mix of salty pretzels and sweet strawberries—it blows away the old fruit-and-cream routine.
  • It’s hands-down the dessert people take seconds of, then ask for the recipe before heading home.
02 -
  • If you don’t spread the cream cheese all the way to the edge, the gelatin will sneak through and sog out the crust.
  • Letting the gelatin cool long enough to lightly thicken—but not fully set—makes all the difference in getting that signature, wobbly-mosaic top.
03 -
  • Tent a piece of foil over the baking dish in the fridge to protect from fridge odors and condensation drops.
  • Slicing with a warm, damp knife gives sharp squares and keeps the layers intact every time.
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