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:
Strawberry Pretzel Salad is the first video recipe that went viral on Facebook and now has been viewed over 50,000,000 MILLION TIMES! Thank you for watching and sharing our videos with your friends and family. I’m so thankful for you!
We really enjoy making video recipes for you all. Thank you for subscribing to our . It’s so encouraging to see it growing so quickly!
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
Filed Under
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.
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!
We too have had this in the family for years… like 50! We always used the small frozen cans of strawberries. Seemed to work just fine.
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.