Old-School Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe
Prep Time:
3 hours, 30 minutes
Cook Time:
15 minutes
Servings:
12 Servings
Ingredients
  • 4 cups pretzels
  • 6 ounces strawberry Jell-O powder
  • 12 tablespoons butter
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
  • 1 pound hulled and sliced strawberries
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Add the pretzels to a food processor and pulse into small, coarse pieces (not into a powder). Alternatively, place the pretzels in a large zip-top bag and crush using a rolling pin.
  3. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
  4. Add ¼ cup sugar and dissolve, then add the crushed pretzels and stir to coat.
  5. Pour the pretzel mixture into a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish and press down to create an even crust.
  6. Bake for 10 minutes, until the pretzels are toasted and the layer is set. Set aside to cool completely.
  7. In the meantime, use an electric hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and ½ cup sugar together until fluffy and smooth.
  8. Add the Cool Whip and beat until fully incorporated.
  9. Spread the Cool Whip mixture over the cooled pretzels and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
  10. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, then remove from the heat.
  11. Add the Jell-O and stir to dissolve. Let cool at room temperature.
  12. Once the Jell-O has slightly cooled (but has not yet solidified), stir in the strawberries.
  13. Pour the strawberry Jell-O over the Cool Whip layer. Return to the refrigerator to set for 2 to 4 hours.
  14. Slice and serve the strawberry pretzel salad.