More dessert than salad, Strawberry Pretzel Salad is sweet, salty, made with Jell-O, and topped with cool whip. If you're still reading, it loves to be made ahead and is an absolute winner at potlucks and parties!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, add crushed pretzels, butter, and sugar. Toss well to combine.
Press into an un-greased 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Stir in whipped topping until combined.
Spread over pretzel crust and refrigerate until chilled (at least 30 minutes).
In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in strawberries and chill until partially set. Carefully spoon over filling. Chill until firm, 4 to 6 hours.
Garnish with additional whipped topping and pretzels if desired.
Notes
Pretzels: 12 thin (stick) pretzels will yield about 1/2 cup crushed pretzels, so you'll want around 50 stick pretzels to get 2 cups (about 8 ounces). To crush pretzels, place in a zipper-top plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or mallet. Or, place in a food processor and pulse until crushed.
Whipped topping: One 8-ounce container of whipped topping contains about 3 cups. This recipe calls for 2 cups whipped topping. You can use the last cup for garnish, if desired. Whipped topping is a little more stable than fresh whipped cream (it sets better and lasts longer in the refrigerator).
Protect the pretzels: Make sure you spread the cream cheese layer all the way to the edges of the baking dish. This will prevent the Jell-O from reaching the pretzels and making them soggy. Also, left out at room temperature, the pretzels will start to soften. But they will stay crunchy in the refrigerator, so serve this at the last minute.
Chill: Chill between every step, and try not to rush. Also, allow the Jell-o to cool down to room temperature before pouring on the strawberries so the warmth doesn’t soak in.
Make ahead: Strawberry Pretzel Salad is best when made about half a day in advance. It will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator.
Raspberry: Substitute frozen raspberries and raspberry Jell-O (or mix and match) for a new berry flavor.
Pineapple juice: Some families swear by making the gelatin layer with hot pineapple juice. Use only 1 cup hot pineapple juice with the frozen berries, or it might not set correctly!
Pecans: Some cooks love adding a handful or two of chopped pecans to the crushed pretzels.