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
- 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.
- Crush 2 1/2 cups pretzels in a sturdy ziploc bag, using a rolling pin.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
Nutrition Per Serving
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. 
I’m looking to make this but swap a few of the ingredients, like sugar-free Jell-O & Cool Whip. Could 6 tablespoons of oil be subbed in for the unsalted butter or maybe something else? I have a hard time trying to find unsalted margarine in my area.
Hi Iris! I have not tested oil to know what the results would be like.
You can use salted butter but it tends to add a bit too much saltiness for mosts preference. However, if you used unsalted pretzels, it may balance out well.
I hope you love the recipe!
Love this…Family favorite.. I lightly grease the glass dish with butter. Easy Clean up..Enjoy
I’m so glad this is your family favorite, Jan! It’s a popular recipe for good reason!
Questions:
About how many quarts of fresh strawberries does it take to equal 1#? Why a glass pan? Can I substitute metal? My old-time recipe calls for 2-10oz frozen strawberries which have not been available for a number of years. Thus, makes me want to try this version.
Hi Judith! We’ve had the best results using a glass pan (the crust doesn’t stick quite as much as a metal pan).
I’ve haven’t measured my strawberries in quarts, I generally use weight but here is what google says: 1 lb = 0.479305709268 qt.
I hope you love the recipe!
it sounds like a bit of a strange crust but it is delicious, give it a try!
Hi Carla! Thank you for the feedback.
Is there any way to make this without cream cheese? I’ve always wanted to try it but I can’t do the cream cheese.
Hi Eileen! I have not tested it without. Let us know if you experiment with it.
I substitute a graham cracker crust for the pretzels as my husband does not care for the pretzel crust. It is delicious!
That’s great, Jeanne! Thank you for the feedback.
So I made this recipe&thoug lht it was tasting good. Brought it to a potluck. The only bad thing was that the pretzels got stuck on the bottom like a rock. I tried scraping it off with a metal spoon but most was impossible to get off. So I’ll try some parchment paper next time. It looked really cool the way the strawberries were sitting in the jello.
Hi Petra! I’m sorry to hear that. Did you use a glass pan? There should be enough butter in the crust so that it does not stick. I found this works best in a glass pan. You could try using non-stick spray to coat the pan beforehand. This has not been a necessary step for me, but it could help in your situation. The parchment paper should work too if you decide to do that. I hope you have better results next time.
Can I use sliced, frozen strawberries instead of fresh? Thank you!
Hi Jill! Some of my readers have reported good results using frozen strawberries.
Blast from the past recipe! This is a crowd pleaser (tried and true). You easily have time between each step to prepare for the next step. You do have to be sure to make sure you seal the pretzel crust with the whipped cream mixture but it isn’t hard. And it isn’t a deal breaker if the jello leaks.
Thank you for the wonderful feedback, Dawnee!
I made this recipe however when I put the jello onto the 2 layers it seeped down to the bottom and mixed with everything. I’m not sure what I did wrong
Hi Paul! See my notes in the blog for tips. This can happen if your jello hasn’t cooled enough or if the whipped cream is isn’t spread all the way to the sides creating a good seal.
Not sure if the refrigerator where I’m going will have room for a 9 by 13 pan. Any idea on how long it can be out at room temperature after it is set overnight?
Hi Mary! Because of the whipped cream, it needs to stay refrigerated and shouldn’t be out more than an hour or two max.
Always a hit!! And great for our gluten free household – the gf pretzels make a great sub that no one has ever noticed. Thanks for making this classic available to the masses!
Hi Katie! You’re very welcome! So glad you loved the recipe!
Natasha, do you know how many pretzel sizes and shapes there are?? Highly suggest you give us a measure after crushing; how hard can that be?
otherwise we are just sucking wind. Have no idea what size, or how many oz. to buy. Thanks in advance,
Hi Patricia, thank you so much for that suggestion. I have an image of the pretzels used for reference. We used the mini hard pretzel twists, but I also used the straight pretzel sticks just fine. I hope this is helpful.
Can you make a smaller version of this? 13+9 pan is to large for two people.
Hi Debbie, yes, you share can! I recommend clicking “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post, it will take you to our printable recipe where you’ll have the option to change the number of servings. Hover over the number of servings highlighted in red and slide it to how many servings you would like to make. I hope that helps!
You can make a smaller size but you will regret it. Believe me! It is delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us!
My mom made this often back in the ’90s. It was always so good and I’m happy to have found a recipe that is actually the same. I always make it just as listed but this time instead of using pretzels, I used a bag of pretzel chips that I had and needed to be used. They worked really well too!
I made this for dessert today for company. It was delicious! Everyone had seconds and even took some home. I WILL make it again but will add more to the pretzel layer. Thanks for sharing your family favorite.
Hi Barbara! Thank you for the feedback. I’m so glad it was enjoyed.
A day later and it’s still delicious. I can’t eat enough of this. You were right, it is “dangerously good”! 🙂
Awesome! I’m so glad that you love it even after the next day!
Is there any way to make this recipe without cool whip?! I really don’t use it and prefer more natural ingredients!
Hi Caroline! Yes, see the notes in the blog post above for making your own homemade whipped cream.
Oh my gosh! I took this to a graduation party yesterday. It was DEVOURED. Everyone told me that I’m not allowed at the next party unless I bring two of these. Only change I made to recipe was that I used salted butter.
Hi Eileen! This is always a hit at our parties! I’m so glad it was enjoyed. Thank you for the feedback.
This came out so good! My kids loved it as well 🙂 Thank you for sharing this!
Lovely to hear that, Sharon! Thanks a lot for your great comments and feedback.
First–I love watching your videos.
Second–I made this salad. No time to let things cool to room temp. For jello I set bowl on top of a bowl with ice. Pretzel crust I set on top of sheet pan covered with ice.
Worked great. Thanks for your great recipes, along with entertaining and helpful videos.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Mary! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hello Natasha
I made this dessert and it was a great success! Lots of compliments!
The only thing, for the quantity of pretzels, butter and sugar, I could not cover a 9×13 dish…
I had to use an 8×11 1/2 dish.
In Canada, Jello packages are 3 ounces. So you need 2 boxes.
The size of this dish was correct.
Am I the only one who had this problem?
Thank you!
Hi Andrée! I’m so glad it turned out for you. A 9 x 13 dish is correct and I’ve had enough to cover the bottom of my dish. You can watch the video linked in the blog post above to see my process and how my crushed pretzels looked, they were coarsely crushed.
Hello Natasha
Thanks for the reply!
I had watched the video 3 times before making the dessert.
I also watched it while making it. My pretzels were the same size as the ones you used and I crushed them as you did, similar size…
Someone said to measure 2 1/2 cups after crushing them….I’ll try next time.
Even a few days after serving the dessert, other people were texting me to tell me how much they liked it! I’ll be making it again soon to try it! I offered it to a volunteer team!
Thanks, I really like your recipes!
Hi Andrée! You’re very welcome. I hope it turns out better the next time.
I measure the pretzel after crushing and I think the ratio is better.
Love this recipe, my only comment is that it takes WAY longer than started to make. Everything takes lots of time to cook to room temperature and when I glanced at this recipe I thought 2.5 hours was enough time. With cooking to room temp, and cooling in the fridge, and letting the jello set up it’s closer to 4 hours! Not enough time from church to mother’s Day evening to make it!
Hi Andrea, thank you for pointing that out. The recipe card timer was definitely off. I have updated it and you are correct, it will take closer to 4 hours with the setting time.
Hello I have made this twice, exactly to recipe and my pretzel layer keeps sticking to pan and you can hardly pry it off. When you finally do, the flavor is incredible. What am I doing wrong? Thanks
Hi Franki! Did you make this in a glass pan? I have not had this issue 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 hope that helps.
Yes, I am using a glass pan, and I have actually watched the tutorial several times. I have done the recipe exactly , as you stated. I even read all comments to see if anyone had this problem. Ugh. The flavor is incredible. Thanks for responding…
You’re welcome, Franki! If you are following everything as instructed and have attempted this recipe again and still having the same results with the crust sticking, you could try using non-stick spray to coat the pan beforehand. This has not been a necessary step for me, but it could help in your situation.
you need to take the pretzels out of the oven a minute or two earlier.
Maybe if you put parchment paper on the bottom it won’t stick
Maybe your oven runs hot and you need to use less time? Get an oven thermometer and see if how “off” your oven is. Most home ovens are at least a bit off.
What should the texture of the pretzels be like when it comes out of the oven? Mine seemed a little soft but they get hard pretty fast. Thanks
The crust should be crisp.
I’ve made this salad/dessert multiple times and it always gets outstanding reviews! I use butter pretzels and replace some of the pretzels with chopped pecans, low fat cream cheese, sugar free jello and lite cool whip. Results are great and no one knows or recognizes this “healthier” version”! Thx
Happy to hear that, Grace! Thank you for your excellent comments and feedback.
Could this be made with a different fruit, say peaches. Would you try it?
Hi Yvonne! Yes, you can experiment with it. One of my readers made it with pineapple jello with crushed pineapple and added halved maraschino cherries.
Can HWC be substituted for the Cool Whip…..? Never use any type of artificial whipping cream….
Hi Rebecca, we address that and the steps in the recipe post. Please see the section titled: “Can I Substitute Cool Whip?” I hope that helps!
Hello,
When I added the jello mixture on top, I noticed it was draining to the bottom of the dish. Any ways to prevent this? Thanks!
Hi Matt! You want to ensure your cream layer is spread to the edges, completely sealing off the pretzels. Don’t forget to set the cream layer in the fridge before pouring the jello over it. That is a crucial step.
Definitely skipped over the cool for 30 mins part! 😬 That explains it haha, thanks!
You’re welcome!
How well or how long does this keep? Can I cover after serving store in refrigerfator for next day or two?
Hi Diane, I usually don’t make it more than one day ahead, but making it two days should be OK, as long as the strawberries are and stay fresh.
Made a stabilised whip cream with gelatine to try and substitute for the cool whip – seemed to do the job well!
No Cool Whip in Australia but really wanted to give this recipe a go.
Was definitely a hit, thanks!
Hi Anthony, good to know that it worked well and that you enjoyed this recipe!
I didn’t have enough of the pretzel mixture to cover the dish, so I made more. Turned out great! This crust was so good I want to try it for other things-cheesecake perhaps?
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Eugenia!
I have been given this recipe multiple times from several family members but it has never turned out because their directions were not as clear (video is super helpful too). Fresh strawberries made this dish. Also, I stuck with the original recipes that called for two cups of crushed pretzels mixed with 3/4C butter. It was easier to measure the pretzels once crushed. Delish!
I’m so glad you tried and enjoyed our recipe, Julie! Thank you for your great review!
Could you substitute graham’crackers crushed instead of pretzels?
Hi Sue, 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.
Add the whole 1L tub of cool whip to cream cheese mixture the 8oz tub is not enough to cover pretzels. I only added the 8oz and it wasn’t enough to cover pretzel and all the jello leaked to the bottom. Wish I would of bought the bigger container of cool whip.
Hi Sandra, the proportions in the recipe are adequate to cover the pretzels. I wonder if maybe you used a dish that was larger than what is called for in the recipe? You definitely want to spread the cream all the way to the edges of the dish to seal in the pretzels and ensure the jello doesn’t sink to the bottom.
Can whipped cream be used instead of Cool Whip? I do not like that at all?
Hi Georgia! See my recipe notes above for making this with homemade whipped cream.
I don’t like CoolWhip and won’t use it for anything but this recipe. I wouldn’t make a substitute. You don’t taste it and it creates the necessary consistency for the cream.
Kate there is a recipe for homemade cool whip using gelatin. Look it up— I can’t access it rn 😉
agree!! i have actually made a FROM SCRATCH version of this entire recipe before – the whipped cream and the jello (using Gelatin…can make ANY flavor…have been thinking of doing a MANGO version). it tastes so much more natural – i little bit more work but well worth giving it a go at least once 🙂
This recipe was easy and it was a hit amongst my family and coworkers! Where has this been all of my life!
That’s wonderful, Megan! Thanks for trying my recipe. I’m so glad it was a hit. It definitely goes fast at our parties.
Looks wonderful! Can I make this ahead of time, day before?
Also, do the pretzels get soggy the longer it sits?
Hi Pat! This recipe keeps well in the refrigerator for a day without the pretzel getting soggy. I hope you love the recipe!
It’s definitely a salad…sometimes I have salad for dinner. No guilt.
Haha! No guilt at all. Lol 🙂
Can I use Splenda instead of granulated sugar. Diabetic here hope to cut the sugar down. I’m sure sugar free gelatin works.
Hi Tom! I think it could work but I have not tested it to advise.
This is the way I make it, with Splenda and sugar free gelatin. But if you are looking for sugar free Cool Whip, read your labels on the back. If I recall, the sugar free Cool Whip has more carbs than the regular Cool Whip. We have several diabetics in the family. I also use gluten free pretzels, which stay very crispy. This is a high hit with our family!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Kay!
Hi Kay. My box of sugar free jello calls for 4 cups of water (2 boiled 2 cold) for this recipe do you still use only the 2 cups of boiled water only and omit to 2 cups of cold?
This is setting in my fridge right now – it is gonna be an amazing birthday dessert for my niece.
In Canada, Cool Whip is sold in 1L containers, and I found a blog that has a conversion of US to Canada cool whip measurements. Use approx 3 cups, or 3/4 of a 1L tub.
As I crushed the pretzels, I judged that the amount of pretzels wouldn’t cover my pan (approx 10″ x 12″), so I researched and found a recipe that uses 2.5 cups of crushed pretzels, 3/4 cup melted butter, and 1/4 cup sugar (I used granulated). I used your skillet method, and the nibbles that I snuck were so, so good. Had good coverage of my pan.
It’s great to know that frozen strawberries can work for this. Thanks for another awesome one, Natasha!
It’s my pleasure! I hope your niece and everyone will love it!
Can I use plant based jello? How would I prepare it? I’m only finding 0.7oz packages as well. Should I prepare it as package says? Mine says mix with cold water then boiling water so I’m not sure what to do
Hi Laura! I have not tested that to advise. I assume it would work and you would make it according to the package instructions. Let us know how it turns out if you experiment.
Are you sure you have flavored jello. I’m thinking at o.7 oz., you have plain gelatin. Buy strawberry jello gelatin dessert, which comes in 6 oz. pkgs. The box instructions direct you to add 1 cup boiling water, dissolve, then add 1 cup cold water. That would work too, and would cool faster than 2 cups boiling water. Good Luck
I’m going to make it tomorrow for my classmates. Hope they like it!! I never tried it before.
I hope it becomes a hit!
Amazing Recipe! Been a family favorite for the longest time!
That’s great to hear! So glad it’s a favorite.
If i could give zero I would, hello liquid literally seeped through the dessert despite following all the directions regarding cooling, etc. Most recipes have you out the jello in the fridge so it can cool and harden a little bit, but i have this recipe the benefit of the doubt. Starting to wish i never did..
Hi Ava, did you make sure to refrigerate the cream mixture before adding the jello topping? Also check out the section titled: “Tips for Strawberry Pretzel Salad:
” that addresses common issues like adding jello that is too warm or possibly making the jello per the package instructions rather than the recipe instructions. I hope that helps for next time.
Question: What can be used in place of the non-dairy “Coolwhip”? Or maybe the question should be, Can I use Whipping Cream (Whipped) in place of the Cool Whip?
Never mind – I found my answer – I’d just rather eat REAL food and not fake junk. JMNO
I’m glad you found your answer. Yes, you can definitely make your own homemade whipped cream using the instructions I provided in the notes above. 🙂 I hope you love the recipe.
My favorite salad EVER! 😉 The flavors are bursting in your mouth. The pretzel bottom is surprisingly delicious. Natasha, you are the best!
That’s great, Joanna! Wonderful to hear, thank you for sharing! 🙂
Thanks to you this is now family’s favorite! I make it gluten free with gluten free pretzels – simply amazing !!!
Hi Julia! That’s so great to hear. I’m glad you love it.
Natasha, this Strawberry “Salad” is right on perfection. If you follow the directions for cooling, thawing, etc. it comes together completely and is delicious. I have made other recipes for this, only to have the jello seep through the whipped filling, ruining the dessert. I have added this to my bounty of recipes from your site and you never disappoint. Thanks.
Hi Karen! You’re so very welcome. I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you for sharing.
I’ve wanted to make this a long time so I went to your website as all the recipes are tried and true. I am using frozen sliced strawberries. Should I decrease the amount of water used in the jello so it firms up well?
Hi Diane, you will not need to reduce the water. Just ensure to put it into the fridge as soon as you pour the jello over the strawberries.
Absolutely Devine! Thanks for sharing.Going to try raspberry jello n fresh raspberries in the future? Husband suggested lemon jello with blueberries, what’s your opinion on that combination?
Hi Barbara, I haven’t tried that combination before, but I bet that could work! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
is there a strawberry gelatin you might be able to recommend that does not have red dye? I am in that small percentage who cannot consume #40. It has been years since I’ve had this dish. I developed this allergy in my 40’s. I sure miss eating strawberry pretzel salad around the holidays.
Hi Jan! I am not familiar with any to recommend one for you. I have seen them and I believe Jell-O has one that is dye free. I hope that helps.
Jan you can make jello-o from scratch with gelatin and any flavor juice you want!
I LOVE this salad/dessert but how come The pretzels always taste stale? I have started making this without the pretzels because I cant get it to behave and taste like everyone else. Any ideas? Sandy
Hi Sandy! My only thought would be that you are not using fresh pretzels or maybe using a brand that doesn’t taste great. There isn’t anything else in this recipe or process that would cause them to taste stale.
Can you make this strawberry pretzel salad one day ahead of time
Hi Susan, I usually don’t make it more than one day ahead, but making it two days should be OK, as long as the strawberries are and stay fresh.
When getting jello to room temp, how long would you suggest?
Hi Fran! I don’t have the exact time of this. You’ll need to test it out.
I put the FROZEN strawberries in the hot jello, and sit that bowl in a large bowl of ice so it starts to thicken in a short time. That worked well for me.
Use frozen sliced strawberries into the jello mix and let the jello set for about 10-15 minutes. Use a ladel toscoop out the liquid first and then add the strawberries on top. Hope this helps!
Making this now. How long does the pretzel mix need to cool after baking? 15 min? 45 min?
Hi E, it depends on your room’s temperate; if your room’s temperate is warmer, it may take longer, but it may take anywhere from 15-20 minutes.
Can I use frozen strawberries in this recipe. Loved your post thank you
Hi Sharon. It will still work with frozen strawberries. Just ensure the frozen strawberries are either sliced or smaller.
Natasha is spot on by leaving the jello at room temp…far better than my old recipe which called for cooling the jello in the ref…too lumpy and difficult to pour. This was Perfect! Love all your recipes, love to cook, so keep them coming! Happy Holidays!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Maria! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
I have an old recipe from Jello and it uses frozen strawberries w/juice thawed. It also states before you add the strawberries the jello should go in fridge till it’s semi set and then you add the thawed strawberries. What is the outcome using the Jello recipe vs this one? Thanks!
Hi, Mila! Without having tested that specific recipe, I cannot advise. You could read through the comments below to see what some of my reader’s experience has been with this recipe. I hope you’ll give it a try. It’s quite a treat.
Hi Natasha, I made the jello cake yesterday and i forgot to set it out for my guets. How long does it last in the fridge before the crust gets soggy. Its a solid recipe. We love this dessert in our family.
Hi Marina! This is good for about 2 days so the strawberries stay fresh.
Hi Natasha, looking forward to trying this recipe for thanksgiving. Question..
If I plan on serving this at Thanksgiving around 1:30 PM, would it be okay to make this a day ahead to sit overnight? I am worried that it might be soggy. Wondering if you have any time frame that you suggest? Thank you!!
Hi Jemma, 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).
This is a winner. I made it by your recipe the first time and going forward I did three things. Like previous comments the crust fell apart. I added 2 tbs more butter and two tbs more surgar. Secondly, I Icould buy only a 2lb box of strawberries. I cut up half as instructed and placed the other pound in the blender for strawberry sauce nd used it to replace some of the water. I substituted the reamo n dr of the water with whote grape juice. Thirdly, I added toasted chopped precans to the pretel crust(someone elses’ suggestion).This recipe of yours is a family favorite
So glad they loved it! Thank you Gayle!
I am on weight watchers, so I traded out the regular stuff for light/fat free products
Hi Ari! That’s great, how was it?
Can strawberry pie filling be substitutes for fresh strawberries in the strawberry pretzel salad
Hi Christina, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you do an experiment, please share how it goes!
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. 🙂
How much stevia did you use in the crust? I am interested in making it sugar free.
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.
A foil pan works fine! My nephews request this every year for Christmas dessert at our family gathering, they love it soooooo much… and so does everyone else. 🙂 I have a pan chilling in my fridge at this very moment for later this evening.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Carrie! That’s so great! Merry Christmas!
I used a foil pan for Christmas because I had to make a larger size of it. It worked just fine, it didn’t stick at all. Wonderful recipe!
I forgot to put stars and it randomly chose 3. I needed to come back on here to say it’s a 5 star winner lol
Thank you, we appreciate that!
Glad to hear that it worked well! Thanks for your great comments and feedback, Joyce.
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!!!
I recently made a strawberry pretzel dessert with mascarpone and homemade whipped cream instead of cool whip and regular cream cheese, using the same quantity of mascarpone for the cream cheese. It works cause mascarpone is a type of cream cheese and it’s full fat. I also find mascarpone a bit easier to work with in a no bake cheesecake filling the cream layer.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Joe! We’re glad to hear that worked well!
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.