Creamy Strawberry Pretzel Salad Delight
A delightful layered dessert combining a salty pretzel crust, creamy cream cheese layer, and sweet strawberry topping. Perfect for potlucks and easy to make with simple ingredients.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups crushed pretzels
- 1 cup granulated sugar (for crust)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups whipped topping (e.g., Cool Whip)
- 4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for strawberry topping)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Crush pretzels finely but not to powder. Mix crushed pretzels with 1 cup granulated sugar and melted butter. Press mixture evenly into bottom of 9×13 inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool completely (15-20 minutes).
- Beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth (2-3 minutes). Gently fold in whipped topping until combined. Spread over cooled pretzel crust and chill in fridge.
- In saucepan, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, and water. Stir over medium heat until thick and translucent (5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and cool slightly. Toss sliced strawberries with sugar if desired, then fold into cooled glaze. Spread evenly over cream layer.
- Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight to set.
- Slice into squares and serve chilled.
Notes
Bake the pretzel crust to keep it crunchy. Soften cream cheese at room temperature for smooth mixing. Stir strawberry glaze constantly to avoid lumps. Chill dessert for several hours for best texture. Use frozen strawberries thawed and drained if fresh are unavailable. For gluten-free, substitute pretzels with gluten-free alternatives. Reduce sugar to taste for less sweetness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square (approx. 1/
- Calories: 320
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Protein: 4
Keywords: strawberry pretzel salad, creamy dessert, layered dessert, easy dessert, potluck dessert, pretzel crust, strawberry topping