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Strawberry Pretzel Jello Salad

Strawberry pretzel jello salad is a layered pretzel dessert with a buttery golden crust, a fluffy cream cheese middle, and a shimmering strawberry Jell-O top loaded with sliced berries. This easy potluck dessert bakes the pretzel base, chills until set, and slices into clean rectangles.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
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 oven to 350°F, then mix crushed pretzels with melted butter and sugar until evenly coated. Spread into a 9x13 baking dish and press into an even layer.
  2. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the crust looks set and fragrant, then cool completely. Let it cool fully before layering so the Jell-O won’t seep.
Make and spread the cream cheese layer
  1. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping and spread evenly over the cooled pretzel crust.
  2. Seal the cream cheese layer to the edges of the dish so strawberry Jell-O doesn’t seep through. Refrigerate for 30 minutes while you prepare the Jell-O.
Assemble and chill the strawberry Jell-O layer
  1. Dissolve strawberry Jell-O in 2 cups boiling water, stirring until completely dissolved. Stir in 2 cups cold water or ice and cool to room temperature but do not let it set.
  2. Stir sliced strawberries into the cooled Jell-O, then gently pour over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until Jell-O is completely set, then slice into rectangles and serve cold.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the pretzel crust completely and keep the Jell-O at room temperature before pouring so it doesn’t melt the cream cheese layer or start setting too soon. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the Jell-O and strawberries can lose texture. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and light whipped topping if you want a lower-fat swap while keeping the same layered method.