Description
Delightful Strawberry Pretzel Jello Salad blends sweet and salty layers into a nostalgic dessert that dances between creamy cheesecake and fruity jello. Crunchy pretzel crust, silky cream cheese filling, and ruby-red strawberry gelatin create a perfect summer treat you won’t be able to resist.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb strawberries (sliced)
- 6 oz strawberry Jello
- 2 cups boiling water
Crust Ingredients:
- 2 cups pretzels (crushed)
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
Creamy Layer Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 8 ounces whipped topping (thawed)
Instructions
- Ignite the oven to 350°F (175°C) for precise crust preparation.
- Dissolve strawberry Jello in boiling water, stirring thoroughly until completely integrated. Allow liquid to cool to ambient temperature.
- Melt butter in a saucepan, incorporating sugar and crushed pretzels to create a crumbly foundation.
- Press pretzel mixture uniformly into a 9×13-inch baking pan, ensuring consistent coverage. Bake for exactly 10 minutes, then extract and permit complete cooling.
- Whip cream cheese and sugar using an electric mixer until silky smooth. Gently fold whipped topping into the mixture, maintaining a light, airy texture.
- Distribute cream cheese blend across the cooled pretzel base, creating a seamless protective layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to stabilize.
- Incorporate sliced strawberries into the room-temperature Jello, mixing delicately. Pour the fruity liquid evenly over the cream cheese stratum.
- Refrigerate the dessert for 2-3 hours, allowing Jello to solidify completely and flavors to meld.
- Slice into neat squares and serve thoroughly chilled for maximum flavor and textural contrast.
Notes
- Check pretzel crunch by ensuring they’re finely crushed for a perfect base texture that doesn’t become soggy.
- Temper cream cheese to room temperature for smoother blending and preventing lumpy cream layer.
- Use sugar-free Jello and low-fat cream cheese for a lighter, diabetic-friendly version of the dessert.
- Layer ingredients carefully, creating distinct sections to maintain the signature visual appeal and distinct flavor profiles.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 248 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 190 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg