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Strawberry Pretzel Jello Salad

Strawberry pretzel jello salad is a layered pretzel dessert with a salty-sweet golden crust, a fluffy cream cheese middle, and a shimmering strawberry Jell-O top studded with sliced berries. The baked pretzel base stays crisp while the Jell-O chills into clean rectangle slices for a sweet-salty summer Jell-O dessert.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 265
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

Method
 

Bake the pretzel crust
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F, then mix coarsely crushed pretzel twists with melted butter and granulated sugar until evenly coated.
  2. Press the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish, then bake for 8–10 minutes until set and lightly golden.
  3. Cool completely before adding the next layer.
Make and spread the cream cheese layer
  1. Beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth, then fold in thawed whipped topping (Cool Whip) until no streaks remain.
  2. Spread over the completely cooled pretzel crust and seal all the way to the edges so Jell-O doesn’t seep through.
  3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Prepare 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.
  2. Let the Jell-O cool to room temperature, but do not let it set.
  3. Stir sliced strawberries into the cooled Jell-O, then gently pour over the cream cheese layer.
Chill, slice, and serve
  1. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until the Jell-O is completely set.
  2. Slice into rectangles and serve cold.

Notes

For sharp, clean slices, keep the cream cheese layer fully chilled before pouring the Jell-O and avoid pouring while it’s still warm (it can melt the top). Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; do not freeze. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and a light whipped topping if desired.