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Strawberry Pretzel Jello Salad

Strawberry pretzel jello salad is a classic layered pretzel dessert with a salty-sweet golden crust, fluffy cream cheese middle, and a shimmering strawberry Jell-O top. Bake the pretzel base, chill the cream cheese layer, then refrigerate until set for clean rectangle slices.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pretzel crust
  • 2 cup pretzel twists coarsely crushed
  • 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
  • 1 9x13 baking dish

Method
 

Bake the pretzel crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, then mix the coarsely crushed pretzel twists with the melted unsalted butter and granulated sugar until evenly coated.
  2. Press the pretzel mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and bake for 8–10 minutes until set; cool completely.
Make the cream cheese layer
  1. Beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth, then fold in the thawed whipped topping and spread evenly over the completely cooled pretzel crust.
  2. Make sure to seal the cream cheese layer all the way to the edges so the Jell-O does not seep through.
  3. Refrigerate the cream cheese layer for 30 minutes while you prepare the Jell-O.
Assemble the strawberry Jell-O top
  1. Dissolve the strawberry Jell-O in 2 cups boiling water, then stir in 2 cups cold water or ice.
  2. Let the Jell-O mixture cool to room temperature but do not let it set.
  3. Stir the sliced fresh or frozen strawberries into the cooled Jell-O, then gently pour over the cream cheese layer.
Chill and slice
  1. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until the Jell-O is completely set.
  2. Slice into rectangles and serve cold.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the pretzel crust fully before adding the cream cheese layer, and keep the Jell-O at room temperature (not beginning to thicken) so it spreads smoothly. Refrigerate leftovers covered for up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended because the Jell-O texture can turn watery after thawing. For a lighter option, use light whipped topping and reduced-fat cream cheese if you want a lower-fat version while keeping the layered structure.