Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe

My sister, Carol, has made this Strawberry Pretzel Salad for over 50 years. I admit, it’s my all-time favorite strawberry salad, especially around the holidays.

It may be the cherry red color, the strawberry sweetness with the salty pretzels in the salad, or the creaminess of the Cool Whip. Either way, it’s one salad we must make every single year!

This salad is sweet with a creamy texture and with a kick of salt with the pretzel crust, covered with strawberries. Every layer is yummy on its own, but layering them together makes the best of both worlds, flavor, and texture.

Make this for the holidays, a neighborhood party, a church gathering, or take it to a family reunion! This is a popular one for the Fourth of July as well!

Adults and kids always love this recipe. It’s a big hit when we take it to a party. Of course, who doesn’t love anything homemade, right?

At our house, we love our berries. For me, it’s a debate whether to have some chocolate for a treat or a fresh bowl of berries. For Mark, there’s never a question, it’s berries every time. Whenever we sneak out for a shake at the local Dairy Queen or Arctic Circle, I end up with the Mud Pie and Mark has his raspberry banana. What a great way to cool off on a hot summer day!

Kitchen Items You May Need:

• 9 by 13-inch (3 Qt) Glass Pan
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Glass Measuring Cup
• Hand Mixer

Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe

Step One: Gather the Ingredients

Gather the ingredients so you’re ready to make the recipe. Drain the pineapple and crush the pretzels.

Step Two: Melt Butter – Start Oven

Melt the butter in the oven set at 425°F – (218°C). I placed the pretzels in a baggie and used a rolling pin to crush them by rolling the rolling pin back and forth over the pretzels. Combine the crushed pretzels with sugar, and stir until mixed completely.

Step Three: Spread the Pretzel Mixture

Spread the pretzel mixture over the melted butter.

Step Four: Bake – Cool

Bake at 425°F – (218°C) for 5 minutes. Remove the pan and let it cool.

Step Five: Mix Cool Whip Topping

Combine Cool Whip, drained pineapple, sugar, and softened cream cheese. Mix thoroughly.

Step Six: Beat the Mixture

Beat until smooth.

Step Seven: Spread Mixture on Crust

Spread the mixture over the cooled pretzel crust. Put the pan in the refrigerator to set the cream mixture.

Step Eight: Prepare Jell-O

Dissolve Jell-O in hot water. Add cold water and stir to mix. Add fresh or frozen fruit.

Finished Product

Scoop carefully over 2nd layer. Chill to set.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe

How do I store this salad?

I stored mine in the refrigerator in the 9″ by 13″ pan with the lid. You could cover the pan with plastic wrap to keep the strawberries from drying out.

Can I freeze this salad?

I would not recommend it. The Jell-O could separate and become runny, I’m afraid.

Can I use different fruits or gelatin?

You can use just about any fruit, just use peach gelatin with peaches, raspberry gelatin with raspberries, and so forth. They would all be delicious!

Can I use real whipping cream?

Nothing is better than real whipped cream, right?

Does it matter what kind of pretzels I use?

I have always used the curly-style pretzels with my salad. I did see some straight-stick pretzels at the store, and I’m sure they’d work just fine since we crush them anyway. Just make sure the pretzels have the salt included or the salad will taste much different.

Will almost any type of fruit work in this salad?

As mentioned above, try other varieties of fruit, I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the results. You just need to adjust the flavor of gelatin to match the fruit as best you can.

What can I serve with a Strawberry Pretzel Salad?

• Baked Chicken
• Fried Chicken
• Pulled Pork
• Pork Tenderloin
• Oven Baked Veggies
• Tossed Salad
• Chef Salad
• Tri-Tip
• Roast Beef
• Barbequed Hamburgers

Final Word

Please let me know if you’ve made a pretzel salad. My goal is to teach others to cook from scratch, it’s a skill we must show our kids and grandkids. May God Bless this world, Linda

Copyright images: Pretzel Salad AdobeStock_172792139 by Africa Studio