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Strawberry Pretzel Jello Salad

Strawberry pretzel jello salad is a layered pretzel dessert with a golden, baked pretzel crust, a fluffy cream cheese middle, and a shimmering strawberry Jell-O top studded with slices. The clean 9x13 slice shows sweet-and-salty contrast in three distinct layers.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 4 minutes
Total Time 34 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pretzel crust
  • 2 cup pretzel twists
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
For the cream cheese layer
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 8 oz whipped topping (Cool Whip) thawed
For the Jell-O layer
  • 6 oz strawberry Jell-O
  • 2 cup boiling water
  • 2 cup cold water or ice
  • 2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries sliced

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the pretzel crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and mix crushed pretzels with melted butter and granulated sugar until evenly coated. Press the mixture firmly into a 9x13 baking dish for a flat, even base.
  2. Bake for 8–10 minutes at 350°F until set and lightly golden. Cool completely before adding the next layer.
Make and spread the cream cheese layer
  1. Beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth, then fold in the thawed whipped topping until no streaks remain. Spread evenly over the completely cooled pretzel crust, sealing all the way to the edges.
  2. Refrigerate the cream cheese layer for 30 minutes to firm it slightly while you prepare the Jell-O.
Assemble the strawberry Jell-O layer
  1. Dissolve the strawberry Jell-O in 2 cups boiling water, then stir in 2 cups cold water or ice. Let the mixture cool to room temperature but do not let it set.
  2. Stir the sliced strawberries into the cooled Jell-O, then gently pour over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until the Jell-O is completely set.
  3. Slice into rectangles and serve cold so the layers stay sharply defined.

Notes

Pro tip: letting the crust cool completely and sealing the cream cheese layer to the edges helps prevent Jell-O seepage for clean rectangles. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freeze not recommended due to the Jell-O texture. For a lighter version, use reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-calorie whipped topping if you prefer.