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.

Slice of strawberry pretzel salad served on a plate with layers of pretzels, cream and strawberry strawberry jello dessert

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?

Pretzel salad sliced in a casserole dish showing layers of the pretzel salad

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.

Ingredients for strawberry pretzel salad with cool whip substitute

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

4.94 from 818 votes
This strawberry pretzel salad is always a hit at parties. It's a strawberry jello dessert that is dangerously good! It's sweet, salty, tart and irresistible!
This strawberry pretzel salad is easy to assemble and is always a hit at parties. The combination of sweet, salty and tart make it irresistible.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Resting Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours

Ingredients 

Servings: 12 slices
  • 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

338kcal Calories47g Carbs4g Protein15g Fat9g Saturated Fat44mg Cholesterol354mg Sodium126mg Potassium1g Fiber30g Sugar530IU Vitamin A22.2mg Vitamin C52mg Calcium1.1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Amount per Serving
Calories
338
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
15
g
23
%
Saturated Fat
 
9
g
56
%
Cholesterol
 
44
mg
15
%
Sodium
 
354
mg
15
%
Potassium
 
126
mg
4
%
Carbohydrates
 
47
g
16
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
30
g
33
%
Protein
 
4
g
8
%
Vitamin A
 
530
IU
11
%
Vitamin C
 
22.2
mg
27
%
Calcium
 
52
mg
5
%
Iron
 
1.1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Strawberry Pretzel Dessert, Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 338
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

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.

This strawberry pretzel salad is always a hit at parties. It's a strawberry jello dessert that is dangerously good! It's sweet, salty, tart and irresistible!
4.94 from 818 votes (510 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Rabya
    April 17, 2019

    Hi Natasha,

    I tired this recipe and it was amazingly yummy. I was too excitged, till my jello somehow dipped in the base 🙁
    I tired to make thick jelly and a firm base, still it did not spread equally as yours did. Can you guide me how I can improve next time.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 17, 2019

      Hi Rabya, that usually only occurs if the edges aren’t sealed but it could also happen if the jello is too warm and is poured on to quickly – warm jello can go through the cream portion. One other thing – if you use a larger pan and spread the cream too thin, it could seep through easier. I hope that helps for next time! I’ve made this countless times and haven’t had that occur but a couple of people mentioned the same thing and the sealing was what did the trick.

      Reply

  • Annmarie
    April 4, 2019

    I make this all the time it’s awesome! So my friends want me to make it when we have gatherings. So thank you

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 4, 2019

      Hi Annmarie, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!

      Reply

  • Jan Nash
    March 31, 2019

    Cool Whip is not available in the UK. Could I use whipped double cream as a substit substitute.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 31, 2019

      Hi Jan, I haven’t tested that with either 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.”

      Reply

      • Jan Nash
        April 1, 2019

        Thanks Natasha. I,ll certainly try this.

        Reply

  • Marilyn
    March 30, 2019

    Question:

    I want to make this using canned mandarin oranges. How many would I use instead of the strawberries?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 30, 2019

      Hi Marilyn, I haven’t tested that but I think mandarin would work fine 🙂

      Reply

  • Donna
    March 24, 2019

    Delicious! Turned out perfectly! Made it for a church potluck and everyone loved it! No leftovers. Thank you Natasha! You have taught me to make many things and each and every dish has been great!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 24, 2019

      That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂

      Reply

      • Diane
        April 20, 2019

        Can I substitute frozen sweetened strawberries?

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          April 20, 2019

          Hi Diane, I have used frozen raspberries before, so I think frozen strawberries would work fine. If they are large, you may need to halve or a quarter them so they are submerged beneath the surface of the Jell-O.

          Reply

  • Mike Fomin
    March 5, 2019

    It was really good.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 5, 2019

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!

      Reply

  • Christene
    February 28, 2019

    Can I use frozen strawberries and should I cut them in half? I’m in the north and we don’t have good strawberries yet. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 28, 2019

      Hi Christene, I have used frozen raspberries before, so I think frozen strawberries would work fine. If they are large, you may need to halve or a quarter them so they are submerged beneath the surface of the Jell-O.

      Reply

  • Camilla Starkey
    January 27, 2019

    OMG, THANK YOU SO MUCH for your Strawberry Pretzel Salad recipe!!! This is my husband’s favorite because it’s a dessert that his mother made for many years. I made two of these on Friday and followed your recipe to the letter and also read your responses to other reviewers’ questions which was super helpful, especially about putting a seam around the entire dish when spreading the cream cheese cool whip mixture. It worked perfectly! My husband and I tasted it Friday night and it was delicious. We even took some to our neighbors yesterday as they had never heard of it before, and THEY really liked it too. THANKS A MILLION for your awesome recipe! I plan to make it over and over again…lol!!!
    Camilla & Bill

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 28, 2019

      Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :). I’m all smiles!

      Reply

  • Stephanie
    January 4, 2019

    Hi! Based on the given nutritional information, how big is a serving? What fraction of the pie is one serving? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 5, 2019

      HI Stephanie. The recipe makes for 12 fairly large slices. The Nutritional information is based on one of those 12 slices. I hope this helps.

      Reply

  • B&R Food Services
    December 26, 2018

    Thanks for sharing this blog post…….It’s amazing post

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 26, 2018

      I’m happy you enjoyed that!

      Reply

  • Jenny
    December 21, 2018

    Can use Splenda insted granulated sugar? If so, in what measure?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 21, 2018

      Hi Jenny! I haven’t tried that but here is what one of our readers posted “I used Splenda bag sweetener in place of sugar-free jello and it was great.” 🙂 I hope this helps.

      Reply

  • Barb W
    December 18, 2018

    I have made this yummy dish for years now and love it! I prefer to call it a salad because then I won’t feel guilty for eating a lot of it. 😉 But it probably comes from – back in the day when they used to put multiple different vegetables in jello and set it, they called it jello salad. This recipe has been around since the 60’s when these vegetable laden jello salads were a plenty.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 18, 2018

      Ha ha!! I love your rationale – Strawberry Pretzel Salad it is!! I wish jello salads would come back into style – such an entertaining way to serve food! 🙂

      Reply

  • Kristyn
    December 17, 2018

    This dessert is always a hit anywhere I take it! It is so tasty, love the crunch, & it’s one of my favorites!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 17, 2018

      That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂

      Reply

  • Kara
    December 17, 2018

    This stuff is so tasty! It’s a perfect dessert for potlucks, everyone loves it!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 17, 2018

      I’m so inspired reading your review. Thank you!

      Reply

  • Anna
    December 17, 2018

    Every time I make this pretzel salad, it disappears in a flash! Everyone loves it!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 17, 2018

      That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!

      Reply

  • Becky Hardin
    December 17, 2018

    One of my favorite holiday desserts. I look forward to making it every year.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 17, 2018

      That’s awesome Becky! I’m so glad you love it. It’s a tradition in our family also and it always shows up at the annual church potlucks with no leftovers :). This strawberry pretzel salad is definitely a crowd-pleasing dessert!

      Reply

  • Jessica
    December 17, 2018

    Okay I love this stuff! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 17, 2018

      Hi Jessica! I’m so glad you love the pretzel dessert! Have a wonderful Christmas!!

      Reply

  • Merrianne
    November 30, 2018

    Hi – my pretzel crust is not bonding after they are cooled. Do you have any ideas on how to prevent this?
    Thanks for your help.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 30, 2018

      Hi Merrianne, did you make any changes to the recipes? Did you measure the sugar and butter properly?

      Reply

  • Kim Dulin
    November 29, 2018

    Can this recipe be made with out the Strawberries? I can’t eat them bcuz of their seeds.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 29, 2018

      You can make this with raspberries! 🙂

      Reply

      • Kim Dulin
        December 3, 2018

        I think they have seeds as well… Can I just make it with the jello and no fruit?
        Thank you

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          December 3, 2018

          That should still work! We love the fruit in there and texture. I hope you like it with just jello!

          Reply

        • Kathy Lambert
          December 10, 2018

          Blueberries ??????

          Reply

          • Regina Pierre
            February 15, 2020

            Hi they do not sell unsalted butter where I live. Does it matter to use salted butter?

          • Natashas Kitchen
            February 16, 2020

            Hi Regina, 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.

    • BonBon
      December 12, 2018

      Make it without the strawberries. It is worth it! Maybe try bananas without the banana seeds. Pineapple? Maybe some chocolate chips. But the base is delicious!

      Reply

    • Barbara
      December 15, 2018

      Orange jello and Mandarin oranges is good.

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        December 15, 2018

        That sounds lovely!

        Reply

    • jim sowinski
      April 6, 2019

      drain a can of pineapple

      Reply

  • Lyuda
    November 10, 2018

    My family loves it, and my husband said its his new favorite dessert. It is simple easy to make and delicious 🙂

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 10, 2018

      Hi Lyuda, That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new family favorite!

      Reply

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