Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe (VIDEO)
Strawberry Pretzel Salad is always a hit at parties. It’s dangerously good! The combination of sweet, salty and tart make it irresistible. This layered strawberry pretzel dessert is loved by adults and kids.
Jello recipes are the perfect potluck dessert because they keep well and are easy to make which is why this Strawberry Pretzel salad is so popular during the holidays. Our jello cake and classic raspberry pretzel jello are also reader favorites this time of year.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Why is it Called “Pretzel Salad”?
There is a massive debate on Facebook as to why this is called a “salad” and it really is a passionate debate (very entertaining to read). can a pretzel jello salad be a salad? I just want to put it out there that I did NOT name this dish. So, what do you think: Salad? or Dessert?
Can I Substitute Cool Whip?
Cool Whip provides the best results because it doesn’t soften the pretzels and keeps better overnight. You may substitute with more natural version like “True Whip“.
If using whipped cream (by beating 1 cup heavy whipping cream until stiff and fluffy) and although this substitution tastes good, it softens the pretzel crust so the crust isn’t as crisp. If using whipped cream, add 2/3 cup sugar to the cream cheese to reach the same sweetness and refrigerate the cream portion for 45 minutes for it to set better.
What Kind of Pretzels are Best for Pretzel Jello?
Use small, SALTED pretzels (either sticks or traditional pretzel twists). Salted hard pretzels add the salty element which is surprising but so good. Smaller pretzels are easier to crush and measure.
Tips for Strawberry Pretzel Salad:
- Dissolve the jello according to recipe instructions (NOT package instructions)
- Use softened cream cheese and thaw cool whip in the refrigerator
- Measure 2 1/2 cups of whole pretzels
- Spread cream portion all the way to the edges for a tight seal before adding jello
- Pour room temperature jello gently over the top to prevent cracks in the cream layer
Watch How to Make Strawberry Pretzel Salad:
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Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients
- 6 oz strawberry Jell-O
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 1/2 cups salted pretzels, (measured before crushing)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 8 oz cool whip, thawed in the fridge
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
Instructions
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Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Combine strawberry Jell-O with 2 cups boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
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Crush 2 1/2 cups pretzels in a sturdy ziploc bag, using a rolling pin.
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In a medium sauce pan, melt 8 Tbsp butter then add 1/4 cup sugar and stir. Mix in crushed pretzels. Transfer to a 13x9 glass casserole dish, pressing the pretzel mix evenly over the bottom of the dish and bake for 10 min at 350°F, then cool to room temp.
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When pretzels have cooled, use an electric hand mixer to beat 8 oz cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar on med/high speed until fluffy and white. Fold in 8 oz Cool Whip until no streaks of cream cheese remain. Spread mixture over cooled pretzels, spreading to the edges of the dish to create a tight seal. Refrigerate 30 min.
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Hull and slice 1 lb strawberries then stir into your room temperature jello. Pour and spread strawberry jello mixture evenly over your cooled cream cheese layer and refrigerate until jello is set (2-4 hours).
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Tools We Used for this Strawberry Pretzel Jello (affiliate links):
2 Quart Ovenproof Glass Batter Bowl
Glass baking dish
Breville Stainless Steel Electric Kettle
Glass mixing bowl
Stainless Steel Saucepan
Le Creuset Silicone Spatula
Wusthof Classic Ikon 6-inch Utility Knife
OXO Good Grips Nylon Flexible Turner
I hope this pretzel ‘salad’ becomes a new favorite for you! If you have a suggestion for something you want to see on our blog, I’d love to hear about it in a comment below.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Can you please help me with a smaller portion of this recipe I’m scared to try it myself I know it’s halving the ingredients but can you help me..
Hi Shell! I have not made this in a smaller version, however, I do have a tool on my website that you can use that will cut down the recipe for you. In the recipe card above, hover your cursor over the number of servings in red lettering and you can adjust the serving size. I am not sure what size pan you’ll have available to use for this recipe, but you will most likely need to adjust the pan size as well if you are only making 1/2 of the recipe.
I made this over Labor Day weekend. Several people in my family are diabetic, so I made this recipe processed sugar-free. I used stevia in the crust and filling instead of sugar, sugar-free Jell-O and sugar-free Cool Whip. The strawberries have natural sugar, of course, but it makes a terrific diabetic dessert 🙂 If you used gluten-free pretzels, it could work as Keto-ish as well.
Thank you for sharing your experiment with this recipe, Kori! I’m glad it was enjoyed. 🙂
Hi Natasha, I ran across your Strawberry Pretzel Salad recipe and it sounds so delicious and I’m wanting to make it but I don’t know how to measure 2.5 cups of whole pretzels! I don’t bake very often and I just can’t figure out how to get the correct measurement, can you give me an approximate amount after being crushed, please? Thank You in advance for any help you can provide!
Hi Sheryl. I’m sorry, I do not have the measurement for the pretzel crushed, you may look this up on google to see if there is an answer. I scoop them up with a measuring cup directly out of the bag/container. It ends up being about 200g total.
Thanks for replying back! I wondered about measuring them like you said but then my brain was saying, no, that won’t work, you have all that unoccupied space! Lol, I literally just busted out laughing at myself! Thank you so much! Planning on making it tomorrow and I can’t wait!
I’ve made this recipe multiple times! It’s always a hit everywhere and it’s always gone within minutes! I wanted to try something different and decided to do pineapple jello with crushed pineapple and added halved maraschino cherries once I had added the jello layer. It was very delicious as well! Can’t wait to try other fruits & jello with it!
Thanks for sharing that with us! I think it’s a good idea to try other fruits too, we’d love to. know how it goes.
Can I use brown sugar for the crust instead of granular sugar
I haven’t tested this to advise what the results would be like.
I have everything I need to make this today, except I miscalculated on the Jello Powder. I’m in Canada and they are sold in 85g (4 serving) packs, do you know what or many grams of the jello powder I would need? Thank you
Hi Vicky, If you scroll down to our printable recipe card, most of our recipes have a metric conversion option on the printable recipe card. We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes, but it is taking some time to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help.I believe this recipe calls for 170.1 g of strawberry Jell-O.
Thank you so much Natasha, I made it with 2 x 85 gram packs of Jello. I didn’t see your reply until just now and I wanted to make it so bad so I went ahead with it and I’m so glad I did! It is so wonderfully fresh and refreshing!! Thank you!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Vicky! 🙂
I am making this for a family reunion/camping trip. I have made it before when it was to be eaten same day. How long do ou think this could be kept and still be good?
Hi Bonnie! About 2 days so the strawberries stay fresh.
Can I use a foil 9×13 pan? I’m taking the dish for a friend who lost their mother.
Hi Lisa! I have not tested making this in a foil pan. A glass pan works best because of sticking. If you experiment, let us know how it works out.
I’m very excited to make this dessert for the residents at the Assisted Living home I work at. I am the full-time third shift staff member and I am responsible for making the desserts. I’ve got the pretzel crust cooking as we speak. I really think they are going to love this! So easy and it looks so good. I love them and I love giving them lots of variety. Thank you so much! 👋❤️
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Daphne! I’m all smiles
Love, love, love this recipe. I have made it twice for get togethers and it has a hit both times. Thank you for sharing😊
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Doreen!
I have made this recipe multiple times myself and my neighbors,friends love it. So I was wondering if I could double the recipe to make two 9 x 13 pans at one time?
Happy to hear that, Kim! I imagine that will work.
Can a graham cracker crust be made for this salad instead of the pretzel crust, my husband didn’t like the pretzel one, but I thought it was very good.
Hi Betty, a couple of my readers have reported great results using graham crackers. You might look online for proportions with other recipes that use graham crackers.
Delicious!!!! Made for a family get together. Wish I would have made 2. They were gone in a flash.
Great to hear that it was a huge hit!
I have made this in the past and failed. So, I was reluctant to do it again. Well, this recipe turned out delicious! Omg I could eat the entire pan. Thank you for a foolproof easy recipe!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Lori! Thank you for your wonderful review!
Made this over the weekend and have to tell you that it is delicious. Gave some to my neighbor or I would have eaten the entire thing.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Several members of my family have gluten allergies and/or have diabetes. Made this for Easter with gluten free pretzels, sugar free jello, and substituted Splenda for the sugar. It got rave reviews! As requested, I’m making this again for July 4th family dinner. So if you want to make this gluten free and as sugar free as possible, it is fabulous!
Hi Kay! That’s wonderful. So glad it was enjoyed. Thank you for sharing with us.
Great recipe, but my jello set too fast and was clumpy. : ( Would not recommend making the Jello part till after the crust and cream mixture.
Making this for the 4th, one tip on the Jello, put it in the freezer until,it’s like jelly and spreadable. This won’t melt the cool whip/cream cheese layer.
Making this four the 4th, gotta say it was easy, one tip for the jello is to cool it in the freezer until it’s slushy like but spreadable. This way it won’t melt the cool whip/cream cheese mixture
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Denise!
The strawberry pretzel salad is yummy. Can this be frozen in portions let’s say?
Nancy Wood
Hi Nancy, I haven’t tried freezing this recipe, but I suspect it is not freezer-friendly.
Has anyone tried to make this in individual cupcake form for easier serving? Thinking I might try it out but hoping the pretzel crust doesn’t stick to the liners
I’ve tried making this (my favorite dessert) a few different ways. Making cupcakes is one of them. In case you do want to make cupcakes, a little tip for you is to spray the cupcake liner with “Pam”, it made it so the pretzels did not stick. I’ve also done a “deconstructed” strawberry pretzel salad in plastic beverage cups (like the size they give you on airplanes), which was the easiest way of making this delicious dessert. Instead of leaving the pretzel crust in the pan, I lightly smashed up the crust with a rolling pin. I then placed the pretzel crust in the bottom of each cup. I made the cream cheese/whipped cream layer and then set that aside in the refrigerator. I proceeded to make the jello/strawberry mixture and chill until it’s ready to be served. When we were ready to eat dessert, I had each layer waiting to go (with extra coolwhip for the top). I also made peach pretzel dessert cups that same day. Both got rave reviews 🙂
Thank you so much for your tips and suggestions. We appreciate it!
This is a wonderful salad/dessert. I used to use frozen strawberries. But of course fresh is better! I tried a disposable dish. Do what Natasha says. Follow her instructions. Do exactly what she says. Thank you always Natasha. Excellent recipe! Yummy!
So glad you loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing with us, Debra!
My kind of Manly salad.
Nothing green in it and it tastes fabulous!
Thanks Natasha.
It sure is a treat! I’m so happy you loved it!
Are you sure it is only 8 oz of cool whip you added to your strawberry pretzel salad, it looked like a large tub in your video.
Hi Jean. Yes, the tube of cool whip is 8 ounces total.
This is absolutely delicious. I saw that there were multiple versions of this recipe online, but this one looked like it had the best ratio of ingredients. I wasn’t disappointed. The only thing I would do different, and this is on me, would be to crush the pretzels even smaller so the crust stayed together better. I like that this has sweet and salty, creamy and crunchy. Besides, strawberries are the best. Thanks Natasha.
That sounds great! Thank you for your review, comments, and suggestion. That is so helpful!
If you followed this recipe your dessert will flop. Do Not put jello on too until it is almost set
In this recipe, can I substitute the cream cheese by an equal quantity of mascarpone cheese with Cool Whip for a creamier and a tastier mixture?
Thank-you Natasha! I love your recipes and your bubbly personnality!
Hi Celine. I have not tested that but I think it could work. It’s worth experimenting with. Let us know how it turns out if you try it.
Hi Celine!
Did you try this with the mascarpone cheese? I feel like it woods Knick it out of the park!!!
If I don’t have any fresh strawberries can I use frozen ones? If so how much do you recommend? I saw on one recipe to use 2 10oz packs and do not let them thaw. Would that work with this recipe?
Hi Mandy, it will still work with frozen strawberries. Just ensure the frozen strawberries are either sliced or smaller.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad be made the night before you would serve it. Will the Pretzel be soggy if you make it the night before you serve it the next day.
Hi Charlotte, that will work. that will work! I usually like to make this the night before or max 2 days before so the strawberries stay fresh. Read through my recipe notes and watch my process to make sure you get a good seal to avoid a broken/soggy crust.
We loved this, but on of my grand children has a severe allergy to red 40 and yellow 6. What can we use as an alternative?
Hi Diana, any jello would work for this recipe. I believe there are brands out there that do not have artificial coloring.
Hi Natasha, I’m wondering what I can use instead of Cool Whip, I haven’t seen anything like this in Australia. Thank you.
Hi Elaine, please see this note in the recipe: “Can I Substitute Cool Whip?”
I Natasha I love your recipes they are amazing thanks for sharing I’m from Canada I follow you God bless you and your family.
Hello Leonor, thank you so much for your support. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
Jello layer leaked through the cream cheese layer. I may not have set long enough in fridge. Is it ruined or is it still salvageable?
I have not experienced that before but you can try to salvage it but if not, I suggest leaving it in the fridge for a longer time.
I make this using mango jello and Del Monte diced mango and pineapple in lite syrup fruit cups. Had to get mango jello at Amazon. I use the lite syrup as part of the water.
Yum! That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Your Video Tutorial inspired me to try this beloved family favorite again after a sad six-year hiatus. The last three times I made it, the jello topping layer kept sliding off into piles of green beans or mashed potatoes; thus, it hit the retirement file. But, after carefully following your directions…WA-LA! PERFECTION! Many, many thanks!
Love it, thanks for following the directions. I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I’ve had the same problem the last 2 times I made it, why do you think it happened? I never use to have a problem with it. Thanks
Hi Joan! Did you make any substitutions? I would look over the steps and the process that I take. I provide some helpful tips in the recipe notes. The jello should be at room temperature when poured over the cream layer and the cream layer should be cooled.
This is a modified version of the original DELAWARE recipe. The original recipe uses frozen strawberries to help cool the jello. Be sure to cool each layer thoroughly before moving on to the next one.
I change this up for summer by using orange jello and mandarin oranges instead of strawberries.
I love this dish. If you substitute pineapple juice for the water in the jello mixture it gives it an even better flavor!
That sounds delicious! I haven’t tried that but I’m sure it would work and also taste great! Let us know how it turns out. 🙂
Hi Natasha, can you use whipped cream cheese for this recipe or it has to be the regular cream cheese? Thank you!
Hi Irina, I can’t say that will work here without trying it myself. I imagine you may need to use more of it since it is whipped up? If you happen to test it out, I’d love to know how you like that!
Hi Natasha! I love your videos and the recipes that I’ve tried so far. I just have a question about the Strawberry Pretzel Salad. I live in the northeast and most of the year, the strawberries we can buy are very big and not very sweet at all. How would these work out in this recipe, or do you have any suggestions for a substitute? Otherwise, the only time we can get really good strawberries is a few weeks in June and July.
Hi Cecile, you could possibly add more sugar to the strawberry sauce or even to the whipped cream to help balance the sweetness. You can also try out our raspberry pretzel salad. I have not tested another fruit but some of my readers have mentioned oranges, but I think other fruits may work. You’d have to experiment with it.
I made one time with cool whip and another time with whipped cream. Both times, the dessert was delicious. I keeper on my books. Thank you
Thank you for sharing with us, Paula! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I’ve made this twice and it’s phenomenal, but the fact that pretzel crust is very crumbly and does not truly stick together frustrates me. Any suggestions?
Hi Heahter, it sounds like maybe the pretzels weren’t crushed enough to form a good crust. I suggest watching the video tutorial to see where things looked different from my process.
I love this salad but every time I make it the pretzel/butter crust is so hard it sticks to my dish. I bake it the recommended time and temp but it is hard as a rock. I’m tempted to try it without baking crust but not sure how that would work. Any suggestions?
Hi Kay, I haven’t had an issue with sticking with using a glass pan. Are you using a glass pan? I suggest watching the video tutorial to see where things looked different from my process. The butter used for the crust is usually enough to keep it from sticking to the pan. I have not tested this w/out the crust.
Same for me and I followed the recipe as directed. The pretzels were stuck to the bottom of the glass pan and it was impossible to pry the crust off. I was disappointed because this is the best combination of ingredients that I’ve tried for Strawberry Pretzel dessert! I used salted butter, not sure if that caused the issue or not.
Would salted butter make a big difference? Other than that, I have all of your suggested ingredients. Thanks for your response.
Hi Rebecca, I always use unsalted butter because I have more control over the saltiness of my food, but I think it would work with salted butter – you’d have a little more of that salty contrast, which is fine.
Where do I find that much jello? My box is only a small packet..I would need about 16 boxes lol
Hi Rita, you may try online or at the grocery stores.
Rita, 3 oz is one small regular size box, the family size one is 6oz. If you can’t find the bigger box just use 2 smaller ones to get the 6 oz needed for the recipe 🙂
As an edit to my earlier comment, don’t set the jello in the fridge before pouring on the crust lol I added frozen strawberries to the jello & set it in the fridge for 10 min & it was almost completely set before I poured it on the crust (oops!) Just follow the recipe exactly.
Thanks Natasha for the tip about putting equal scoops of the cream cheese mixture over the crust before spreading it. That really helps! After spreading it I did put that in the fridge for about 15 min (along with the separate bowl of jello) before pouring the jello on. Delicious Easter dessert 😁
Hi Lisa, you’re welcome and thanks for following the recipe. Glad you enjoyed it!
I love this recipe and whenever I make it my guests rave about it. I change the crust a bit by adding a 1/2 cup roasted and salted pecans and decrease pretzels by about 1/2 cup. I may have commented in this site previously and if so I apologize for the duplication. The pecans give it a great nutty flavor.
No worries and thank you for sharing that with us! We always appreciate some suggestions and feedback about our recipes.
Omg, I can’t express how delicious this is! I’ve added some vanilla to the cream cheese batter and a clear gelatine… So good! My only concern is how to make the pretzel layer more firm? It was crumbling so much…
Hi Iva! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! It sounds like maybe the pretzels weren’t crushed enough to form a good crust. I suggest watching the video tutorial to see where things looked different from my process.
I made this 2 days ago for our Easter feast, which was today. We have several people in the family who have food allergies and diabetes. I used gluten free pretzels, and they stayed very crisp, though I made the salad 2 days ago. I also used Splenda in place of the sugar, and sugar free strawberry jello. It was fabulous!! Everyone loved the salad!
Hi Kay, thank you for sharing those substitutions with us. I’m so glad this recipe was enjoyed.
I’ve made this & going to make it for Easter in 3 days. I have sprayed the dish & the pretzels always stuck to the dish so bad, so I am not going to spray or butter the dish this time. Is that what you recommend, not spraying the dish?
Hi Lura, I haven’t had an issue with sticking with using a glass pan. I suggest watching the video tutorial to see where things looked different from my process. The butter used for the crust is usually enough, I don’t spray or butter my pan.
my husband and I enjoy watching your videos, your just a doll! 😛
Thanks to you both, Cindy for always watching! I hope you’ll both love all the recipes that you will try.
Love your videos and recipes. Gonna make the jello pretzel salad for Easter. Yummy.
Sounds like a great plan, Diane. I hope it becomes your new favorite!
Hi Natasha…can I substitute the granulated sugar with powdered sugar n mix with cream cheese?
Hi Eugene, I have not tried that to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Hi Eugene, You can substitute granulated sugar with SPLENDA for baking. I’m diabetic and use a lot, and everything comes good, you don’t even know the different.
Just made this. I added marshmallow fluff to the sweetened cream cheese and then folded in the cool whip! That was the one thing missing! Oh my I can’t wait to enjoy this later!
Sounds AMAZING! Thank you, Kris. Enjoy.
Making this again for Father’s Day dessert! My husband absolutely loves this dessert and it’s perfect for a Summer holiday! 🙂
Sounds like a plan! It is indeed perfect for the summer holidays and other occasions.
Hi I made this dessert. But the cream filling was very soft, so why did that happen?
Hi Rose, I would love to help troubleshoot. Did you use any substitutions to cool whip? Cool Whip provides the best results because it doesn’t soften the pretzels and keeps better overnight. If you made your own by using whipped cream, add 2/3 cup sugar to the cream cheese to reach the same sweetness and refrigerate the cream portion for 45 minutes for it to set better. The cream cheese should not overly soft. You don’t need to leave it out more than 1hr before using it. Also, ensure your jello has cooled to room temp before adding it on top of the cream. I hope this helps.
Can I make this the night before and refrigerate…as the meal prep for this dessert takes quite a while….?
Hi Diane, this recipe does keep well in the fridge overnight.
Can any parts be done day before? Like i can cut berries and get pretzels crushed before hand. Any other tips on prepping? Need for sunday.
Hi Becky, I usually like to make this the night before or max 2 days before so the strawberries stay fresh. You could crush pretzels beforehand but thats about it. The berries you’d want to wait to cut until you are ready to use.
Could this be made with sugar and a sugar free gelatin, and lite cool whip…. (For diabetics)
Hi Cindy, I haven’t tried it that way but a couple of my readers have reported good results with sugar-free jello, sugar-free cool whip, and sugar substitute. I can’t really recommend it or tell you how much to substitute without testing it myself. I hope you enjoy it if you try sugar-free 🙂
I made this according to your directions but the jello was rubbery. I was disappointed.
Hi Nat, I recommend watching the video to see if anything was done differently in the preparation – any substitutions made possibly?
Love this strawberry recipe. Has anyone ever tried it with blueberries?
Hi Mary, one of our other readers said this, “I added some blueberries too, just about a 1/4 cup. This in addition to the amount of strawberries the recipe called for. It was a very pretty and yummy dessert!”
I hope that helps.
Hello,
In my country we dont have ‘cool whip’, what can i make instead?
Maybe heavy cream with sugar?
Or philedelpia cheese ith sugar?..
Thank you
Hi Hadari, please see this note in the recipe: “Can I Substitute Cool Whip?”
Hi, I have a question about using whipping cream instead of cool whip. So it says when using whipping cream, to add 2/3 cup of sugar to the cream cheese. Is that on top of the 1/2 cup of sugar or would it be 2/3 cup instead of 1/2 cup?
Hi Lydia, this is in addition to. Cool whip is already sweetened, so if you are making your own whipping cream, you need this addition to reach the same sweetness.
I really loved Olive Gardens Mediterranean Chicken but they discontinued it A few years ago, and I’ve been looking for a recipe for it every since!!!! Please if anyone has a recipe for it I would really appreciate receiving it. Thank-you so much
Hi Sherry, I don’t have a recipe for that yet but thanks for the idea and suggestion. I’ll try to add that to our list.
You could also ask if a fruit salad is fruit or a salad, but I for one don’t give it much thought as long as it is good, I don’t eat a lot of sweets but this sounds good. I think the definition of salad is different products put together so the flavors are mixed together no matter if there loosely together or stacked
I just made the recipe last night. It is delicious although I might try to cut out the sugar in the pretzels next time.
I probably know the answer to this already but can leftovers be frozen?
Hi Noreen, I’m glad you enjoyed that. You may try a substitute in place of sugar, the sugar in the pretzel crust holds the pretzels together, almost like a “glue”. I haven’t tried freezing this recipe, but I suspect it is not freezer-friendly.
Hi Natasha! I saw what i did wrong…..I used 2and 1/2 cups of crushed pretzels instead of 2and 1/2 cups pretzels BEFORE crushing it was just too much. Thank you for the timely response. I’ll give it another whirl!
I hope you try it again soon!
HELP!!!!!!! Everything came out beautiful but my crust is falling apart. Followed recipe to the t what did I do wrong?
Hi Mark, watch the video to see if anything was done differently in the preparation – any substitutions made possibly? Also, be sure to pre-bake the crust which helps it to set before adding the toppings.
This is the first time making this dish. Just a question: Do I need to defrost the frozen strawberries? Thanks!
Hi Sandra, it will still work with frozen strawberries. Just ensure the frozen strawberries are either sliced or smaller.
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! Any hints or recommendations on cutting thru the pretzel crust? Maybe I baked it for too long?
Hi Lenna, I like to use a very sharp serrated knife to cut through.
My sugar did not dissolve well in the cream cheese..what can I do?
Hi Cleta, I haven’t had that experience but I’m always happy to help troubleshoot. Was it lumpy – that could indicate using cream cheese that was too cold. If it was cold cream cheese, you may want to let it stay at room temperature for 15 minutes longer and then beat again until fluffy and smooth. If the cream cheese was softened, I suggest beating it for a couple more minutes.
I would like to make this for Thanksgiving, but have a question.
Can you use frozen, sliced strawberries for this dish?
Hi Polly, we fresh them fresh, but I bet that could work here! I used frozen raspberries for the raspberry pretzel jello, and that worked well! be sure your frozen strawberries are either sliced or smaller.
I make this all the time and use two 16 oz. packages of frozen strawberries with syrup, with everything else being the same. It is one of my top 5 foods to eat.
Natasha
I can never understand why when a number of ounces are indicated in a recipe it doesn’t state whether it’s by weight or by volume. Case in point…. 8 oz cool whip???? Not a mind reader.
Hi Ron, Cool Whip is sold by weight as an 8 oz Tub which is 226 grams.
Cool Whip is sold in 1 litre containers here in Canada. So an indication that the 8 oz is by weight would be a help.
Hi Ron, another thing that may help is that most of our recipes have metric measurements. In the recipe card, if you click metric, you can see the weight in grams as well.
A favorite in my family for years. Instead of water , I use pineapple juice heated up. Adds to the other flavors.
That’s a nice addition to the recipe, Katherine. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Can you substitute pretzel sticks instead of the twisted ones using the same measurements?
HI Mary, yes that would work great. I have used both depending on what I have on hand.
Hi! I am making this for thanksgiving. How far in advanced can I make this?
Hi Rebecca, I usually like to make this the night before or max 2 days before so the strawberries stay fresh.
Really good, easy! I added some blueberries too, just about a 1/4 cup. This in addition to the amount of strawberries the recipe called for. It was a very pretty and yummy dessert!😀
Hi Dee, I’m so happy you loved the recipe!
Hi Natasha. I made this strawberry pretzel salad EXACTLY how you said to make it. The only thing I can’t figure out is WHY the crust was not “crunchier”….just soggish!!! NOT wet just blah. Honestly I totally followed what you said to do and YES the cool whip mixture went to the very ends. What could it have been? thanks, Ruth
Hi Ruth, make sure to pre-bake the crust. Also, if the crust seemed soggy or if jello was mingling with the pretzels, that means either there was a crack in the seal of the cream at the edge or the jello was too warm when added. I hope that helps!
I’ve made this recipe for 30 years but with varying results. Thanks to your easy-to-follow directions, this strawberry pretzel salad attempt was a huge success! The sweet layers looked so clean and pretty, and the pretzel crust was crunchy, salty, perfection! Thank you!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Jacqueline!
I had a friend in high school whose mom used to make this all the time and I loved it! I had a random craving for it recently and wanted to try making it. I found a bunch of similar recipes and ultimately decided on this one. I would try it again but maybe a little differently next time. I crushed the pretzels by hand and left them in decent sized chunks, but probably should’ve done even smaller ones. The crust also stuck to the pan and was hard to get out, even though there was a lot of butter in it. I think the issue was from the crust being baked so long. I used closer to 3.5 cups of pretzels because when I tried just 2.5 cups, it didn’t spread across the whole pan very well. When I pulled it out of the oven, the butter had really bubbled up. Once it cooled, it was pretty hardened. Like the sugar solidified it too much? Not really sure. It all tastes fine but the crust was a bit of a bummer. I’ll do smaller pieces next time and bake it for less time.
Hi Stephanie, it sounds like maybe the pretzels weren’t crushed enough to form a good crust. I haven’t had an issue with sticking even with using a glass pan. I suggest watching the video tutorial to see where things looked different from my process.
I have made this at least 4 times before. Always a hit! I am planning on making them into cupcakes because we need a grab and go setup (‘cause pandemic). Any tips would be welcome. Thanks!
Hello Donna, great to hear that this recipe was a hit! I haven’t tried that but see others do it online. If you test it out, make sure to send me a picture and let me know how it goes.
Family loved this dessert. I had to use a lot more pretzels than 2.5 cups to which I added equivalent amounts of sugar and butter. I am not fond of cool whip, so I stabilized whipped cream. The whipped cream substitute may have softened the pretzels but it wasn’t soggy. Will make again. May try oranges.
I bet this would be so good with oranges! We have a Raspberry Pretzel Jello that is so delicious!
My family really enjoyed this recipe. I made two versions of it (regular and sugar-free). While they were both delicious. The only issue was that I found the recipe to be a little too sweet. I tasted the components individually and they were amazing but for some reason all of them together took it just a little over the edge. I definitely would make it again though just with a little tweak to get the sweetness level down to my liking. Overall all though, wonderful recipe!
Hi Charlotte, Thank you so much for sharing that with me. It should be overly sweet but feel free to make adjustments to your liking.
Hi Natasha………You are my go to chef for everything. My mother used to make this recipe, I loved it…..I made your version, unfortunately it was a fail. I poured the jello over the two layers ….it turned into mush…..what did I do wrong?
Hi Michele! It is a popular one, and I haven’t had it turn to mush before. Did you make sure to follow each step and refrigerate? Make sure your jello is fully cooled also. Also, make sure to spread your cream cheese center all the way to the edges of the pan so your Jell-O does not leak down to your pretzels. If the Jell-O reaches the pretzels, then it gets soggy.
Wonderful! Everyone at the party loved it!
I added some blueberries to make it the perfect 4th of July red, white and blue!
Great to hear that the recipe was a hit!
The strawberry pretzel salad recipe was perfect. I followed all the directions except I put the jello strawberry mixture in the freezer to chill down quicker. Other than that we followed all the directions and it came out perfect. We did push a lot of cream to the sides to seal it so the jello didn’t leak on the pretzel crust. Our guests loved it. Thank you for the video it made following and understand the recipe much easier!
Thanks for your fantastic feedback, Cindy! I’m glad the recipe was a success.
great stuff! highly addictive! i used an extra cream cheese, a tad more sugar in it, and a spoon of vanilla….it was wonderful! i highly recommend it!
Thank you for this great review, Nora! I agree, this recipe is addictive!
Have you tried to substitute the sugar ? So it would be less carbs?
Hi Lisa, I haven’t tried this with a sugar substitute, but a couple of my readers have reported good results with sugar-free jello, sugar-free cool whip, and sugar substitute. Without testing it myself, I can’t really recommend it or tell you how much to substitute. I hope you enjoy it if you try sugar-free.
I made this for Easter dessert and would not make it again. The pretzel were very soggy.
Hi Donna, what a bummer — sorry to hear yours came out soggy. Make sure to spread your cream cheese center all the way to the edges of the pan so your Jell-O does not leak down to your pretzels. If the Jell-O reaches the pretzels, then it gets soggy.
Could you give me another crust that would work with this besides pretzels – a lower carb one?
Hi Linda, A couple of my readers have reported great results using graham crackers. You might look online for proportions with other recipes that use graham crackers. I hope you love it!
Do you spray the 9X13 before putting in the crust? The pretzel crust stuck horribly, I couldn’t get the crust out at all. I used pretzel stick– maybe that was where i went wrong.
Please let me know
Hi Kman, we did not, the crust has butter in it 🙂
Hi, first time making it, maybe i took a bit to long preparing everything (It didn’t seem like it); the jello started to thicken before I mixed with the strawberries, It was less than an ounce more of jello (I used several small packets), so it didn’t spread evenly over the whipped mix, lots of lumps. How can I fix this problem if it comes up again?
Hi Ana, I recommend keeping the Jell-O away from a window draft or colder area since that will set quicker.
I made this today for the first time ever. It was amazing. I will definitely be making it again. It’s fun and refreshing and perfect for a family gathering. 10/10.
Very nice! Thanks for your perfect rating and review, Nichole. Glad you enjoyed it!
Do you have your own cookbook out for people to buy.
Hi Shirley, not at the moment but I am already working on the cookbook so watch out for it.
I love this recipe I made it multiple times but I’d like to make it in an aluminum 9 x 12 container. Will that still work instead of using glass?
Hi Daisy, I haven’t tried this in a disposable pan Ruth. That may work. I tried to search the comments and saw that someone else tried it and it worked. Hope that helps.
It did not turn out for me. Too runny. It’s in the fridge now and hopefully it can be salvaged. I won’t make it again.
Hi Sue, I haven’t had it turn out runny and I have made this too many times to count, but I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you use the correct size jello package for the amount of water as directed in the recipe? That is usually what will cause the jello top to be ‘runny’ and not set properly. The instructions are correct and should be followed rather than following the jello package instructions. Also, you might consider if any substitutions were made to the recipe.
I love this recipe. I make it often in warmer months and I am often asked to make and bring it to parties.
I am someone that likes to add a twist to some recipes. On this recipe I add chopped pecans (roasted) to the pretzel crust. I make 1 1/2 times the recipe because everyone loves it!!!! I’d guess 1 cup nuts. And use a larger pan. The pecans add that nutty richness everyone loves……. Unless you have allergies!?!?
I stress to people making this CRITICAL NOTE – MAKE SURE THE LAYER OF COOL WHIP IS SPREAD TO THE EDGES OF THE PAN TO SEAL THE PREZEL CRUST AND THIS PREVENTS THE JELLO FROM SEEPING TO THE PRETZEL CRUST AND MAKING IT SOGGY. I know someone that did not make that seal and the pretzel crust was a bit soggy………. a bit disappointing.
Thanks!!!
Hi Grace! Thank you so much for sharing all of this with us! I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe!
8 tablespoons equal 1/2 cup.
Is there a reason the butter is measured in tablespoons instead of cups?
Hi Deb, Butter is marked on packaging in tablespoons. So we used that measurement to make it easier for the readers. There are 8 tablespoons in a stick of butter, so we will say 1 stick/ 8 tablespoons of butter. I hope that helps.
Are you going to publish a cookbook.
Thanks
Joyce’s Ruttman
Hi Joyce, I don’t have a cookbook out yet, but it’s on my list of life goals and we recently signed with an agent to make it happen!
The pretzel crust was like cement. Couldn’t cut it. Followed recipe exactly. This tasted great, but wasn’t able to serve it to guests.
Hi Jan, this could be due to crushing it too finely – make sure it still has some texture and isn’t too powdery. Also, keeping the same proportions of pretzels to butter is important for it to set properly and avoid packing it in too tightly into the dish. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha. I am hosting a small Mother’s Day brunch. Can this recipe be halved and set up in an 8 inch square pan?
HI Nancy, that should work fine. I hope you all love it and happy Mother’s Day!
It was too good to only make half, so now I have leftovers today – yay! I love the pretzel crust and was so happy it stayed crisp.
It’s a party favorite over here! I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Nancy!
thank you
Hi natasha! I love all your recipes and I have made many of them. I was wondering if you think I could put the cheese layer and the strawberries layer on a Graham cracker crust instead.
Thanks, Teresa
Hi Teresa, I’m glad you’re enjoying my recipes. I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
changes the taste to sweetly to me but ritz crackers are good and stay softer than pretzels. Still has the salty taste though.
Made it today for a birthday dinner for a friend a little massie but good
Thanks for your good feedback, Sara!
I would love to try this recipe but in the UK I can’t get Jello or cool whip. We buy jelly as little blocks that you dissolve in a pint of water. Can you suggest how I can substitute it for Jello? Thank you
Hi Elaine, I’m not sure if it’s the same consistency to advise. Per Google, what you know as jelly in the UK is called flavored gelatin in the US, so that may work!
I can’t wait to try this my grandmother had this all of the time when I was growing up. She puts in one cup of powder sugar for the filling. she also adds 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar in the pretzel crust. I would like to know if that would work instead of using sugar. I would really like to continue my grandmothers pretzel desert as she wrote it.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Ronna! I hope you enjoy this recipe.
Looks Yummy. But I am diabetic. Could you try this with sugar-free Jello and maybe graham crumbs instead of pretzels? Would that bring down the numbers for carbs & sugar? Thanks
Hello Lynda, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise. Feel free to experiment and maybe check out the comments from others maybe they have tried another process that brings down the carbs and sugar.
Can this be “skinnied up” by using reduced fat cream cheese and cool whip along with sugar free jello?
Hello Amy, I haven’t experimented on that yet to advise but I think it could work but I just haven’t tried yet. If you give that a try, please share with us how it goes.
Looks delicious. My mom used to make this every Christmas. I haven’t ever tried it because it sounded too hard with all the steps. Watching your video, you made it look simple. I will give this a try this Easter. If I pull it off, my family will be delighted.
Sounds like a great plan. I’m sure your family will be very happy, Brenda!
I made this but didn’t realize I was to cool the cream cheese mixture before putting partial set jello on top . Hope it turns out .
I hope you love this recipe.
Forgot to rate – Definitely a 5!
Thank you for your perfect rating! Love it.
This looks delicious and would love to make it. Do you know what is the equivalent of Cool Whip in the UK as we do not get that there thanks !
Hello Fiona, I am honestly not 100% sure but I tried checking Google and they have some tips for you. I hope you like the recipe!
Thank you for this delightful and refreshing recipe, Natasha. Like all of your recipes that I have tried, the carefully written step by step instructions and insightful tips result in culinary delights that my husband and I always enjoy. Looking forward to entertaining again after this pandemic is over and introducing your special dishes to others. The videos you provide are great also. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for your kind words and good feedback, Karen. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try for your family!
Love this dessert and the recipe is so easy to follow, thank you!! I’ve made it twice this week!! 🙂
Very nice! I’m glad you’re enjoying this recipe.
Am a newcomer and wot I see, I like ! Thanku Natasha. Love the combination of sweet and salty and am aware that people can’t decide whether to describe these type combos as a salad or a dessert. e.g. the delicious Grape Salad I found on Pinterest, I now describe as a dessert and it goes down a treat !
I’m so happy you enjoyed it
So, I followed your recipe precisely, but what happened it didn’t have enough jello mixture to cover the entire pan- too thin, not sure why that is, but kind of disappointed.
Hi Bonita, I’m curious if the pan size was the culprit? We also had a healthy layer of Jell-O covering.
Can I make this on a Sunday if it’s for Wednesday?
Hi, I usually like to make this the night before or max 2 days before so the strawberries stay fresh.
Hi Natasha,
please show the receipe of premix cakes. All your receipes are yummy.
Hello Renu, here are my cake recipes that you can try.
The Strawberry Pretzel Salad was so easy to prepare and my family loved it!!
Hi Cathy, thank you for your nice review!
It’s better with dream whip instead of cool whip!
Hi Mimi, thank you for sharing that with me!
I made this for New Years and my family loved it, but I did have to add a little more pretzels because there was not enough.
I’m happy you enjoyed that, Ella. Thank you for sharing that with us.
Thank you Natasha for the wonderful mix of new and nostalgic recipes that are tried and true and being re-discovered because of you. You are such a hoot on top of being a great cook and one beautiful lady inside and out! You make me smile…
That’s so nice of you, Belinda. Thank you so much!
Hi Natasha my name is Becky Luna for CHRISTMAS I made
PRIME RIB I use the recipe you give ,it CAME out delicious
Great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Becky!
Hi Natasha, can I make this recipe and leave it in the fridge overnight to serve the next day?
Hi Mira, that will work! I usually like to make this the night before or max 2 days before so the strawberries stay fresh.
Hi Natasha Can you tell me what is cool whip and is jello jelly? As l am in Australia. Thanks Sheryl.
Hi Sheryl, I’m not sure what it is called in Australia. I recommend a quick search engine search for that. It is a whipped cream product. Per Google, what you know as jelly in Australia is called flavored gelatin in the US.
This is so good! I love making this and it’s always a hit at get togethers.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
My family loves this. I make mine in a bundle pan, starting with the jello/ strawberries and pretzels last. When you turn it out you have a beautiful jello ring.
That is a brilliant idea! How do you keep it from sticking to the bundt pan? I would love to hear your tips on that.
I have been making this for about 10 years and am always trying to find a faster way. I love how you make the jello first. Plus use the ice cream scoop to make it easier to seal. Excellent tips! Thank you so much. It is a family favorite!
Hello Diane, so nice to hear that you’ve already been making this recipe using a similar process and ingredients. I hope this helps make the process faster for you!
There was not enough pretzel crust for this size pan. I had to transfer to a smaller dish.
Hi Tina, it should be enough for a 9×13 pan. If using a larger pan, you would want to increase everything including the pretzels proportionally.
If I cut this in half, can I make it in an 8×8 pan?
Hi Pam, yes that would work fine. I hope you love the pretzel jello salad.
Is there a substitution for the Jell-O in the form of strawberry compote?
Hi Jyoti, I have not tried a Jello-O substitution to advise. Our readers have reported great results using sugar-free jello, however!
Will this still be good if I make it the day before? Or will pretzels get too soggy?
Hi Holly, I usually like to make this the night before or max 2 days before so the strawberries stay fresh.
I’m making this for Thanksgiving can I make this the day before and still be fresh?
Hi Margie, yes, we often make this a day ahead. Using cool whip will work best for make-ahead compared to substituting with heavy whipping cream (just fyi).
My pretzels got soggy! Can’t figure out what I did wrong!
Hi Doris, make sure to spread your cream cheese center all the way to the edges of the pan, so your Jell-O does not leak down to your pretzels. If the Jell-O reaches the pretzels, then it gets soggy.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad was delicious. I followed your instructions. The crust taste like pecans or walnuts. It was simply delicious.
Hello Gwen, I am glad that you enjoyed this salad. I hope you will love all the other recipes from Natashas Kitchen that you will try!
This recipe has always been my family’s favorite and is requested for all occasions. It can be made in advance.
I always make it the night before an occasion. Next occasion is my Great Grandson’s 1st birthday party. OK, he didn’t request it his Mom, my Granddaughter, requested it.
I’m glad your family loved this recipe, Carol. Thank you for your excellent comments and feedback!
This strawberry pretzel salad is the best so tasty and licious! Thank you!
You’re most welcome, Melissa. I’m glad you loved it!
Can you use frozen strawberries?
Hi Pam, yes, that will work too.
I am very intersted in making this! Looks amazing. Can this recipe be doubled for like a big party and go into a throwaway pan?
Hi Elizabeth, I imagine that should work!
Be careful with a disposable pan as mine collapsed on the middle of the pan when putting in the refrigerator. What a mess I had! Lol
Hi Natasha
I would love to make this but i live in England and I can’t get cool whip! what could i use instead? Thank you so much i love making your recipes, our favourite is the sweet and sour chicken xx Kelly
Hi Kelly, I haven’t tested with a substitution here but I think you will find this comment helpful from one of our readers “I love this recipe except for the Cool Whip. We are trying to “eat clean” & that is so not in our menus. I tried a couple of stabilizing whipped cream recipes but did not like the consistency of those. So I did what my grandmother did to frost an angel food cake. whipped 2 cups of organic heavy cream until just before it turns to butter. Nice thick peaks. Removed from mixer than whipped up the softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup organic sugar I folded in a spoonful of the cream at a time until it was well blended. It set up beautifully.”
Thank you so much i will try this xx
You’re welcome!
Love watching your videos for us in Sydney we work with ml not oz and some of the ingredients you use we dont have here like the cream you used in this recipe can we used thickened cream.
Hi Madien, We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes but it is taking some time as we have to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help
I wanted a keto version and substituted the pretzels for pecans and the sugar for monk fruit sweetener. I also used 2 pkgs of sugar free jello with the 2 cups of boiling water. It was delicious and looked just like the original. My family loved it
That’s just awesome Jean! Thank you for that wonderful review!
can you make it boozy?
Hi Chris, I haven’t experimented with that to advise. I imagine you would add it to the jello. If you test it out please let me know how you like that.
Very nice blog post. I definitely love this site. Thanks!
Thank you for that wonderful compliment!
I made this, thought it was delicious, and loved the sweet, salty, crunchy combo! Light enough dessert that it doesn’t weigh you down. Especially on a hot summer day. I read other reviews and used Pam on the bottom of my dish. Cut pieces came out like a charm. I also weighed my pretzels because 2 cups of the pretzels I chose would not have covered the bottom if measuring before crushing. So, thank you for the ability to convert measurements! Next time I may try using light cream cheese/cool whip and sugar free jello. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your experience with us and for giving some tips too! We appreciate it.
I apologize if someone else asked this, but I didn’t see it. Can you make it a day ahead of time?
Hi Virginia, no problem, this recipe does keep well in the fridge overnight.
is the 45 carbs for the whole pie or how much I’m a diabetic and need to know thanks
Hi Lin, the nutrition facts are always per serving and you can see the serving size towards the top of the recipe card.
I didn’t watch the video and went straight to the recipe. You should say “coarsely” crush the pretzels in the recipe too. I’m sure it will taste fine, but the coarse crush probably makes it prettier!
Thanks for the feedback, Kathryn!
Confusing directions between video and written. One says 1 cup pretzels and bake for 15 minutes. The written says 1-1/2 cups pretzels and bake 10 minutes. Gonna be in the refrigerator till noon tomorrow. Looks good.
Thanks for your feedback, Judy. Please follow the recipe on my website as we sometimes update the recipe card.
Natasha,
Fantastic video and an even more wonderful delicious refreshing dessert. Thank you for the great video. It certainly helped me to make this dessert a hit at a recent family gathering. It was the hit of the gathering and everyone wanted the recipe. Needless to say, I left the gathering with an empty dish.
That’s so great! This is one of our favorite recipes! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
Making for Father’s Day dessert. can I use lite cool whip? Thank you.
Hi KP, here’s what one of our readers wrote “I made this yesterday with cool whip and it was amazing. Thank you for the recipe Natasha!!! I bake better after follow your page.” I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha!
For some reason my pretzel are not crunchy when I eat the dessert?! Any ideas? How many minutes you steer butter with sugar? And pretzels with that after ? Or maybe I should bake it longer?
Hi Lana, if using anything besides cool whip, it will make the pretzels soften. I have tested it with heavy cream and that softens the pretzels – I’m not sure if that is the issue with you but it’s the first thing that comes to mind.
Could I use chocolate covered pretzels to make this dish?
I haven’t tried using flavored pretzels yet to advise. If you will do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Do you have the amount of pretzels By weight rather than measuring cup? Varying pretzel size makes accurate measurement difficult
Hi Linda, we have the metric conversion option (highlighted in red wording) on the printable recipe card towards the bottom of the post.
Do you have the amount of pretzels By weight rather than measuring cup? Varying pretzel size makes accurate measurement difficult
Hi, Linda, if you click the “metric” button in the recipe card, you will get weights in grams.