How To Feed A Loon

  • About Us
  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Asian
    • Breads and Doughs
    • Cajun / Creole / Louisiana
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Comfort Food
    • Delectable Desserts
    • Entrees / Mains
    • Instant Pot
    • Italian
    • Pizza
    • Rubs, Spices and Sauces
    • Soups & Salads
    • Sides
    • Seafood
    • Southern
    • Mexican / Tex-Mex / Cal-Mex
    • Thanksgiving
    • Vegetarian
  • Videos
    • Recipe Videos
    • Web Stories
  • Work With Us
  • Contact
  • **Premium Access**
  • Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Grilling
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Premium
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Grilling
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Premium
×
Home » Recipe Index » Comfort Food

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Published: Oct 10, 2021 · Modified: Jun 13, 2024 by Kris Longwell · This post may contain affiliate links

580 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Bluesky
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This is without a doubt, one of our most favorite side-dish salads of all time.

This salad has been a favorite for many generations. But, it’s easy to make a simple mistake or two that can throw the dish off.  We’re here to keep that from happening.  And this is one of those salad side dishes that can be made the day before serving. Perfect for Potluck Sunday, holiday feasts, or just a busy weeknight.  So good! 

Watch Us Make It!



NOTE: If you liked this video, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel. And don’t forget to click the ‘bell’ icon so you’ll never miss a new video!

How To Make Strawberry Pretzel Salad

We love this salad for many reasons.

First and foremost is the taste. The combination of sweet and salty works perfectly.

And, though it takes a little time, the effort is minimal.

A square white casserole dish filled with strawberry pretzel salad with one piece missing in the corner.

Building the Classic Layers

The pretzel crust is such an important component of this salad, but it’s easy to not get it right.

It’s critical to get the correct ratio of crushed pretzels to butter and sugar.

You’ll need about 1¼ cup of crushed pretzels. This usually is about 3 cups of uncrushed pretzels.

EXPERT TIP: We like to use our food processor to pulverize the pretzels, but a freezer baggie and rolling pin work great, too. We find that the finer you get the crushed pretzels, the less crumbly your salad will be. We also use the bottom of a bottle, or a measuring cup to press the pretzel mixture into the base of your baking dish.

A crushed pretzel and butter mixture being poured out of a pan into a square white baking dish.

The next layer is the delicious cream cheese filling.

We use an electric hand mixer to cream the room temperature cream cheese with sugar.

Fold in the Cool Whip with a wooden spoon and gently mix until fully incorporated.

A large glass bowl filled with cream cheese filling being held over a white dish filled with a pretzel crust.

Tips For Making Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Pretzel Crust – As mentioned, make sure your pretzels are finely crushed. If there are large chunks of pretzels, the crust will be overly crumbly. Make sure the mixture is not too dry. You may need to add a little more melted butter if the mixture feels too dry.
Your Baking Dish – A 9″x13″ dish is traditional for this salad and will work just fine. However, we love using a 10″x10″ baking dish. This allows the layers to be a little thicker because it’s a slightly smaller dish
Make a Solid Seal – This is probably the most important tip: Be sure your cream cheese filling is sealed to the side of the dish around all four sides. If not, the liquid from the un-set Jell-O mixture will seep down to the crust and make it very soggy.

Strawberry Jell-O and sliced strawberries being poured from a ceramic bowl into a white baking dish for strawberry pretzel salad.

We don’t cook with Jell-O that often, but when we do, it’s just a lot of fun.

And the results are beautiful and absolutely delicious.

You could also use raspberry Jell-O with fresh raspberries in place of the strawberries.

NOTE: Be sure to get the large 6 oz. package, or two 3 oz packages of Jell-O

A white plate filled with a slice of strawberry pretzel salad.

When to Serve Strawberry Pretzel Salad

This salad is so versatile and always a big hit when it’s served.

Because it can be made in advance, it’s perfect for a potluck feast. Other Potluck Classics include our King Ranch Casserole and our Best-Ever Broccoli Cheddar Casserole!

And, of course, it’s a perennial favorite during the holidays. Another classic side dish with fruit is our incredible Baked Cinnamon Apples!

Just one bite and you’re reminded of why this is one of everyone’s favorite salads. Pure deliciousness.

A slice of strawberry pretzel salad with a bite taken out of it sitting on a white plate with a fork next to it.

Ready to make one of the most requested salads in the world? Perfectly? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!

A slice of strawberry pretzel salad with a bite taken out of it sitting on a white plate with a fork next to it.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Strawberry Pretzel Salad is one of those classic side dishes that just about everyone loves. It's the perfect combination of salty and sweet. And it can easily be prepared the day before serving!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Chill time: 3 hours hours
Total Time: 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 581kcal
Author: Kris Longwell

Video

Equipment

  • 10"x10" or 9"x13" baking dish

Ingredients

  • 6 oz strawberry Jell-O
  • 2 cup boiling water
  • 2 cups pineapple juice cold
  • 1 cup sugar divided
  • 3 cups pretzels salted, 1¼ cup crushed
  • 8 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
  • 8 oz cool whip thawed
  • 1 lb strawberries fresh, hulled and sliced

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Add the Jell-O mixture to the 2 cups of boiling water. Stir until Jell-O is completely dissolved. Pour in the chilled pineapple juice. Set aside to until completely cooled.
  • Pulverize pretzels in a food processor or in a freezer baggie with a rolling pin.
  • Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Stir in ½ cup of sugar to combine. Stir in the pretzels and cook for a minute or so. If the mixture is dry, add a little more butter.
  • Transfer the pretzel mixture to your baking dish and use the bottom of a bottle or measuring cup to press the mixture in the dish.
  • Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to completely cool.
  • Use a hand-mixer to cream (combine) the softened cream cheese with ½ cup of sugar. Use a wooden spoon to gently fold in the Cool Whip until fully incorporated.
  • Once the pretzel crust is completely cooled, spread the cream cheese mixture over the top, making sure that a seal is formed along the sides of the dish. (This is important...if a tight seal is not made, the Jell-O liquid will seep down the sides and make the crust soggy).
  • Add the sliced strawberries to the cooled Jell-O mixture. Gently pour (or ladle) the Jell-O mixture over the top of the cream cheese layer.
  • Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 to 4 hours until the Jell-O has completely set.

Notes

See our "How To" video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance.  If you liked the video, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel! 
We can't stress this enough: Be sure to make a solid seal along the side of the dish with the cream cheese mixture.  This will prevent the liquid from the Jell-O mixture from seeping down and making the crust soggy. 
The salad can be made up to 24 hours in advance.  Cover with foil or plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
The dish can be frozen for up to 2 months, but it is best served fresh. 

Nutrition

Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 594mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 58g | Vitamin A: 790IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

More Comfort Food

  • A skillet filled with one-pot chili mac with a layer of melted cheddar cheese over the the surface with colorful checkered napkins near the pan and two glasses of iced tea nearby.
    One-Pot Chili Mac
  • A sheet pan filled with a row of beef enchiladas with red sauce and topped with chopped tomatoes and lettuce.
    Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce
  • A shallow white bowl filled with best-ever ham salad surrounded by a plate of green leaf lettuces, slices of bread, plates, and glasses of iced tea.
    Best-Ever Ham Salad
  • A serving of pork chop agrodolce with mushrooms on a white dinner plate with a glass of white wine next to it.
    Pork Chop Agrodolce with Mushrooms

Comments

  1. snow rider 3d says

    October 17, 2023 at 4:26 am

    delicious! I want to make it this weekend!

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      October 23, 2023 at 1:08 pm

      We hope you got to make the salad and loved it! Keep us posted!! Kris & Wesley

      Reply
  2. Sharon Ramon says

    November 25, 2021 at 5:50 am

    My Daughter and I were recalling having this dessert when Grandma was still alive. My Mom made this all the time. I decide to make this for Thanksgiving. Even though I have this recipe written down in my Mom’s recipe book, I decide to watch your video. Let me tell you, I am so glad I did. The two of you made this a pure delight to watch. It was fun to watch and you had some helpful hints. Thank you for sharing your recipes and the humor making them. I will definately follow you. Saw some of your other recipes and….oh yes they all look amazing. Happy Thanksgiving and God bless you both.

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      November 28, 2021 at 12:43 pm

      Thank you so so much, Shannon!! You have no idea how much this fills our hearts with joy. We appreciate your kind words and we hope you had a beautiful Thanksgiving! God bless!! xoxo Kris & Wesley

      Reply
  3. Mark says

    October 18, 2021 at 11:03 am

    5 stars
    Another hit at the house. Made this this past weekend and ate for dessert several days. Everyone loved it. The crust is the star of the show for me; like caramelized pretzels, how can you go wrong! I did make the mistake of trying this in a 7″ x 11″ deep dish and it was too tall, so stick with 9×13 or 10×10 as recommended.

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      October 20, 2021 at 5:02 pm

      Hi Mark! Sorry for the delayed response!! We agree…that pretzel crust really works amazingly well with the other components of the salad. Yeah, sometimes it gets stacked a little too high with a smaller pan. Hope you make time and time again and enjoy!! Thanks for letting us know and for the wonderful review!

      Reply
5 from 1 vote

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Welcome!

Kris & Wesley (The Loon) live for fun, food, and fabulousness. "How to Feed a Loon" is a celebration of just that. Come join us on this joyous culinary ride.

More about us

Memorial Day Cookout

  • Three grilled chicken leg quarters on an oval platter surround by grilled lemon halves and fresh herbs.
    Best Grilled Chicken

  • A straight-on view of grilled vegetables with Italian dressing all resting on a large bamboo oval platter.
    Grilled Vegetables with Italian Dressing

  • Black and bleu burger on a white plate
    Rockin’ Black and Bleu Burger

  • Lamb lollipops in a white bowl
    Lamb Lollipops

  • A grilled whole beer-can chicken sitting on a cutting board next to a carving knife and a bowl of BBQ sauce
    Grilled Beer-Can Chicken with BBQ Sauce

  • A straight-on view of a grilled balsamic glazed pork chop that is sitting next to a pile of roasted vegetables with another plate of the same in the background.
    Grilled Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops

Popular Recipes

  • best-ever chicken salad recipe
    Best-Ever Chicken Salad

  • A white soup filled with roasted tomato basil soup next to sliced grilled cheese sandwiches.
    Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

  • Mahi Mahi tacos on a wooden table in a taco holder
    Amazing Mahi Mahi Tacos

  • A lemon wedge being squeezed onto a platter of chicken francese
    Chicken Francese

  • Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits recipe
    Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

  • Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder on a platter with a side of gravy
    Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

Footer

↑ back to top

Explore

  • Recipe Index
  • About Us
  • Subscribe

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 How to Feed a Loon • This website contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on a product link, we may receive a commission in return. How To Feed a Loon is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

580 shares

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.