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Strawberry Pretzel Salad: A Midwestern Potluck Recipe
Strawberry pretzel salad is an easy no-bake layered dessert made with a sweet and salty pretzel crust, a fluffy cream cheese whipped cream filling, and a fresh strawberry Jell-O topping. It’s most popular in the Midwestern US, although it’s also a staple in the South. Since it’s made right in a casserole dish, it’s easy to transport and serves a crowd without any fuss, which makes it a perfect potluck dessert. The flavor is reminiscent of strawberry shortcake, but way easier to make. The final red and white striped presentation makes it a popular dessert for the 4th of July.
What is Strawberry Pretzel Salad?
Strawberry pretzel salad is a no-bake dessert popular in the Midwestern and Southern US. It’s an easy dessert to make, and it easily feeds a crowd. The recipe is made up of a sweet and salty pretzel crust, a fluffy stabilized whipped cream filling, and sliced strawberries suspended in strawberry Jell-O. The final result is light and fluffy and a bit reminiscent of strawberry shortcake, but way easier to make.
If strawberry pretzel salad is a no-bake dessert bar recipe, why is it called a salad? Despite the name, the dessert obviously isn’t remotely what we’d think of when we think of a salad today. In the 1960s, Jell-O salad became popular – suspending fruits and vegetables in Jell-O in molds. Strawberry pretzel salad comes from this era, and the name stuck.
What is Strawberry Pretzel Pie?
Strawberry pretzel pie is a variation of strawberry pretzel salad made in a pie tin instead of a casserole dish. The components are the same: a pretzel crust, a creamy filling, and a topping. The pretzel crust, filling, and topping from the salad recipe can all be easily adapted to fit a pie tin, and the resulting dessert is often called strawberry pretzel pie.
If you search for strawberry pretzel pie recipes online, you’ll find a lot of different variations. Almost all of them have a pretzel pie crust, but the fillings and toppings vary quite a bit. Some versions have a no-bake strawberry cheesecake filling, others use a strawberry whipped cream filling, and some are even frozen. These strawberry-flavored filling versions are more often topped with whipped cream rather than the strawberry Jell-O topping you’d find on a classic strawberry pretzel salad.
History of Strawberry Pretzel Salad
If you look up the origins of strawberry pretzel salad, you’ll find a lot of different opinions. One Reddit post asks “Is Jell-O pretzel salad a Pittsburgh thing?”, another Facebook post asks “Is strawberry pretzel salad an Alabama thing?” The best current evidence points to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the most likely origin, though it quickly spread and is now most commonly credited as a Midwestern potluck dessert. The dessert gained popularity during the 1960s, when Jell-O “salads” were having a moment, both savory ones with vegetables suspended in Jell-O and sweet ones with fruit, which is also why the dessert is called a strawberry pretzel “salad”.
There’s a common misconception floating around the internet that the first strawberry pretzel salad recipe was published in a 1963 cookbook titled The Joys of Jell-O. This has been debunked a number of times by some niche dessert enthusiasts including in a great writeup on strawberry pretzel salad by Old Line Plate, and in a little zine from I’ll Make It Myself titled Midwestern Transplant Presents: The Jello Salad Mystery.
Frankly, the recipe doesn’t even actually appear in The Joys of Jell-O as noted in this article from the Pittsburgh City Paper. I can confirm I read through the whole cookbook myself and didn’t find anything remotely resembling a strawberry pretzel salad. The closest thing was a strawberry glaze recipe that’s somewhat similar to the topping for strawberry pretzel salad.
Perusing through the 1963 Joys of Jell-O cookbook did allow me to stumble across a truly bizarre avocado pie recipe that combines lime Jell-O, avocados, cream cheese, and crushed pineapples. I suppose I’ll reserve my judgement until I have the courage to give it a try one day.
The better claim is that the first strawberry pretzel salad recipe appeared in a 1960 community cookbook called The Brentwood Civic Club Cookbook. The Midwestern Transplant Presents: The Jello Salad Mystery zine makes this claim. While no digital scans of the cookbook exist, and I actually can’t even track down where a physical copy is held, I did find the recipe quoted by the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
This 1960 recipe predates any other mentions of strawberry pretzel salad I can find, including naming variations like strawberry pretzel surprise and strawberry Jell-O salad, in any other cookbooks or newspaper articles. Brentwood is a suburb of Pittsburgh, which fits the Pittsburgh origin theory, and it’s worth noting that hard pretzels were first commercialized in Pennsylvania too.
Although the recipe may have originated in Pennsylvania, it became popular, and it’s not uncommon to see strawberry pretzel salad as a Summer potluck dessert throughout the rest of the Midwest and the South today.
Step-by-Step Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe
Strawberry pretzel salad is composed of three components: a pretzel crust, a whipped cream filling, and a strawberry Jell-O topping. The dessert is assembled from the crust up.
Pretzel Crust for Strawberry Pretzel Salad
The pretzel crust for strawberry pretzel salad is a type of crumb crust. Crumb crusts are one of the easiest crusts for beginner bakers to make, and they only need a few ingredients: crushed crackers or cookies, sugar, and melted butter. For this strawberry pretzel salad recipe, the mixture gets pressed into the bottom of a 9-inch x 13-inch (23cm x 33cm) baking dish. This pretzel crust recipe is similar to my pretzel pie crust recipe that is used for desserts like frozen margarita pie, just scaled up to make a larger amount.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Pretzels, crushed
- ¼c Granulated Sugar (50g)
- 6T Unsalted Butter, melted (3oz, 85g)
1.
Start by grinding your pretzels into fine crumbs.The easiest method is to use a food processor. You’ll need about 1½ cups of crumbs in total. If you don’t have a food processor, place the pretzels in a large zip-top bag, leave a small opening for air to escape, and crush them evenly with a rolling pin.
Note: Be sure you’re using hard pretzels! Soft pretzels are delicious but won’t work for pie crust.
2.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pretzel crumbs with ¼ cup of melted butter and 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Stir with a fork until the crumbs are evenly coated.
3.
Press the mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom of a 9 x 13 (23cm x 33cm) baking dish. You can use the bottom of a measuring cup to make it easier.
4.
Optional Step: Strawberry pretzel salad is a no-bake recipe, but if you prefer a crispier crust, you can bake the pretzel crust for 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 350F (175C).
Stabilized Whipped Cream Filling for Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Many recipes for strawberry pretzel salad call the filling a cream cheese filling, but that’s a little misleading. The cream cheese is mixed with enough whipped cream that the final flavor is much closer to whipped cream than cream cheese. What the cream cheese is really doing here is acting as a stabilizer. There are a few ways to stabilize whipped cream so it doesn’t collapse over time, and folding in cream cheese is one of the most common.
Ingredients
- 8oz Cream Cheese, room temperature (227g)
- ½c + 2T Granulated Sugar (125g)
- 1½c Heavy Whipping Cream (355mL)
1.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and sugar together at high speed until fully combined. It’s important to mix thoroughly in this step so that the sugar fully dissolves into the cream cheese and the filling doesn’t become grainy.
Note: Some recipes use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar, which eliminates the risk of a grainy filling. However, in my recipe testing, fillings made with powdered sugar were noticeably less fluffy.
2.
In a clean mixing bowl, in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy whipping cream at high speed until stiff peaks form.
3.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the whipped cream cheese and sugar until the filling is a uniform consistency.
4.
Carefully spread the whipped cream filling over your prepared pretzel crust. An offset spatula is the best tool for this, but the back of a spoon will work in a pinch.
Note: Spreading the filling without disturbing the pretzel crust can be tricky. The easiest way to avoid this is to dollop spoonfuls of filling evenly across the surface first, then use your offset spatula to gently spread them together until smooth.
5.
Refrigerate the strawberry pretzel salad while you prepare the topping.
Strawberry Jell-O Topping for Strawberry Pretzel Salad
The most recognizable part of strawberry pretzel salad is the topping: fresh sliced strawberries suspended in glossy strawberry Jell-O.
Ingredients
- 1lb Strawberries, hulled and sliced (454g)
- 6oz Strawberry Jell-O Mix (170g)
- 2¼c Water (533mL)
1.
Bring the 2¼ cups of water to a boil.
2.
In a large bowl, mix the boiling water with 6oz of strawberry Jell-O mix.
3.
Let the Jell-O cool for about 40 minutes.
Note: Many recipes at this point instruct you to mix the sliced strawberries with the strawberry Jell-O and pour the mixture over top of the whipped cream layer. However, I find that it’s difficult to evenly distribute the strawberries if the strawberry pretzel salad is made this way, and it can be easy to accidentally disturb the whipped cream layer and create dents.
4.
Carefully pour about ⅓ (1 cup) of the strawberry Jell-O over the whipped cream filling.
5.
Arrange the strawberry slices over the entire top of the strawberry pretzel salad.
6.
Carefully pour the rest of the strawberry Jell-O over the strawberry slices. Be sure to make sure each of the strawberry slices get some Jell-O poured over them so they become glazed as the Jell-O sets.
7.
Transfer the strawberry pretzel salad to the refrigerator for 3 hours to allow the Jell-O to set before slicing and serving.
How to Make Strawberry Pretzel Pie
Strawberry pretzel salad can easily be turned into a pie just by adjusting the ingredient amounts. The result is the same three layers: a pretzel crust, a stabilized whipped cream filling, and a fresh strawberry Jell-O topping, all made in a pie tin instead of a casserole dish. This version is often called strawberry pretzel pie, though if you search for that term you’ll find a lot of variations out there: some have a no-bake strawberry cheesecake filling, others add strawberry flavor to the whipped cream filling, and some are even frozen.
To make strawberry pretzel pie, follow the same step-by-step instructions in the recipe above using the ingredient amounts listed below. For the crust, follow the pretzel pie crust recipe and use the amounts listed there.
Filling:
- 4oz Cream Cheese, room temperature (113g)
- 5T Granulated Sugar (65g)
- ¾c Heavy Whipping Cream (177mL)
Strawberry Topping:
- ½lb Strawberries, hulled and sliced (227g)
- 3oz Strawberry Jell-O Mix (85g)
- 1c Water (237g)
Other Strawberry Pie Recipes
Strawberries are a plentiful and popular summer berry, and there are many different summer pies that feature strawberries.
- Glazed Fresh Strawberry Pie: A delicious, summery pie with fresh strawberries in a homemade strawberry glaze. Perfect for when strawberries are in season.
- Fresh Strawberry Jell-O Pie: Very similar to this strawberry pretzel salad but without the whipped cream filling. It is a great beginner pie and a good option if you want a pie with a clear filling that holds its shape well.
- Strawberry Fruit Pie: Fruit pies are one of the oldest types of sweet pies and have been made for centuries. Strawberries have long been baked into double-crusted pies, either on their own or combined with other fruits.
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie: Although the original “strawberry rhubarb” pies didn’t actually have strawberries in them, rhubarb pie with strawberries is a delicious and popular fruit pie flavor.
- Mixed Berry Pie: When you see “mixed berry pie” or “triple berry pie,” the usual berries are raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. That said, the pie is just as good if you replace the blackberries with strawberries or add strawberries as a fourth berry for extra flavor and color.
- Strawberry Cheesecake Pie: New York style strawberry cheesecake is a classic dessert. Making the dessert in a graham cracker pie crust eliminates the need for a water bath but keeps the same deliciousness.
- Frozen Strawberry Pie: Frozen pies are served straight from the freezer. The filling is sometimes ice cream, but not always, and they are an easy way to serve a chilled dessert without making ice cream from scratch. Strawberry is a classic flavor for frozen pies.
How to Store Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Strawberry pretzel salad is best eaten the day it was assembled, immediately after the Jell-O has set, or the following day. The pretzel crust begins to absorb moisture from the whipped cream filling within a day, causing the crust to lose its crunchiness. The whipped cream, while stabilized with whipped cream, doesn’t hold up for more than 3 or 4 days very well. Finally, the fresh strawberry slices, although suspended in Jell-O preventing them from being exposed to the air, will begin to shrivel after a few days as well. Keep the dessert refrigerated until ready to serve.
We’d love to see your strawberry pretzel salad creations! If you give this recipe a try, tag @doggone_baking on social media so we can share in the baking fun.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Equipment
- 1 9" x 13" Baking Dish (23cm x 33cm)
Ingredients
Pretzel Crust
- 2 cups Pretzels, crushed (~300g)
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar (50g)
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted (3oz or 85g)
Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature (227g)
- 10 tbsp Granulated Sugar (125g or ½c + 2T)
- 1½ cups Heavy Whipping Cream, cold (355mL)
Strawberry Jell-O Topping
- 1 lb Strawberries, hulled and sliced (454g)
- 6 oz Strawberry Jell-O Mix (170g)
- 2¼ cups Water (533mL)
Instructions
Make the Pretzel Crust
- Start by grinding your pretzels into fine crumbs.The easiest method is to use a food processor. You’ll need about 1½ cups of crumbs in total. If you don’t have a food processor, place the pretzels in a large zip-top bag, leave a small opening for air to escape, and crush them evenly with a rolling pin.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pretzel crumbs with ¼ cup of melted butter and 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Stir with a fork until the crumbs are evenly coated.
- Press the mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom of a 9 x 13 (23cm x 33cm) baking dish. You can use the bottom of a measuring cup to make it easier.
- Optional Step: Strawberry pretzel salad is a no-bake recipe, but if you prefer a crispier crust, you can bake the pretzel crust for 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 350F (175C).
Make the Whipped Cream Cheese Filling
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and sugar together at high speed until fully combined. It’s important to mix thoroughly in this step so that the sugar fully dissolves into the cream cheese and the filling doesn’t become grainy.
- In a clean mixing bowl, in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy whipping cream at high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the whipped cream cheese and sugar until the filling is a uniform consistency.
- Carefully spread the whipped cream filling over your prepared pretzel crust. An offset spatula is the best tool for this, but the back of a spoon will work in a pinch. (See Recipe Notes)
- Refrigerate the strawberry pretzel salad while you prepare the topping.
Make the Strawberry Jell-O Topping
- Bring the 2¼ cups of water to a boil.
- In a large bowl, mix the boiling water with 6oz of strawberry Jell-O mix.
- Let the Jell-O cool for about 40 minutes.
- Carefully pour about ⅓ (1 cup) of the strawberry Jell-O over the whipped cream filling. (See Recipe Notes)
- Arrange the strawberry slices over the entire top of the strawberry pretzel salad.
- Carefully pour the rest of the strawberry Jell-O over the strawberry slices. Be sure to make sure each of the strawberry slices get some Jell-O poured over them so they become glazed as the Jell-O sets.
- Transfer the strawberry pretzel salad to the refrigerator for 3 hours to allow the Jell-O to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
About Me
In 2016, I left my office job and became a professional baker. These days I spend my days testing recipes and baking pies while my two dogs snooze happily nearby.
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