Strawberry Pretzel Salad
A salty pretzel crust is topped with tangy cream cheese filling and sweet strawberry jello (with fresh strawberries!) to make this gluten free strawberry pretzel salad. It’s an old-fashioned dessert that’s perfect for summer potlucks and picnics.
Table of Contents
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free option
- Skill Level: Easy
Despite the name, strawberry pretzel salad is not a salad at all. It’s an old-fashioned layered dessert made with a pretzel crust, cream cheese filling, and a layer of strawberry jello. I was first introduced to this dish when my mom moved to Delaware and started ordering it at a local homestyle restaurant. Going gluten free meant I had to start making it myself – but nobody will even notice the difference!
I love to make jello desserts like this one and creamsicle jello mold (another old-fashioned classic!) in the summer because they’re so easy to make. Plus, in the case of this gluten free strawberry salad, summer means juicy, fresh strawberries, which taste so much better than frozen! I love using berries in the topping, versus just a jello layer, as some people do. And the crust is perfectly crunchy and such a nice and salty balance to the dish.
Why I Love This Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe
- (Almost) no bake. The pretzel crust for this dessert does get popped into the oven for 10 minutes so that it doesn’t crumble as easily. Beyond that, there’s no baking or even actual cooking required.
- Made with fresh strawberries. While many strawberry pretzel salad recipes use frozen strawberries, I prefer to make mine with juicy, plump fresh strawberries. Then you get a real burst of fruit in every bite. The flavor is much better, too.
- Easily gluten free. The only swap needed to make strawberry pretzel salad gluten free is the pretzels. Everything else is the same and there’s no difference in texture or flavor. It’s a win-win when you’re serving this at a picnic or gathering where not everyone is gluten free.
Key Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this strawberry pretzel salad recipe, with some notes, tips, and recommendations. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
- Gluten free pretzels – I used the Snyder’s brand of gluten free mini pretzels.
- Butter – You can use salted or unsalted butter here. After testing it with both, I prefer salted.
- Brown sugar – A small amount of brown sugar sweetens the crust and helps bind it together.
- Strawberry gelatin – I used the family-size box of strawberry Jell-O.
- Strawberries – I like to make this in the summer with fresh strawberries. However, lots of recipes use frozen instead of fresh, and even though fresh certainly holds up and tastes better, you can easily use frozen when making this dish outside of strawberry season.
- Cream cheese – Be sure to use the brick-style cream cheese, as the type in the container is too soft. Bring it to room temperature first for a smooth, creamy filling.
- Whipped topping – aka Cool Whip. If it’s frozen, defrost it in the refrigerator (NOT on the counter) at least 4 hours before you intend to use it.
🍴 In the Cupcakes & Kale Chips Kitchen…
- Strawberry huller – the easiest way to make quick work of removing the hulls from all of those berries.
- Baking pan – you’ll want a nice deep casserole dish that can go from the oven to the refrigerator.
- Spatulas – you’ll want to gently fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula. I love this set of silicone spatulas and use at least one of them every single day.
How To Make Gluten Free Strawberry Pretzel Salad
This dessert does require some planning, as the layers need to chill at various points, but it’s super simple and straightforward to make. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Make the crust. Crust the pretzels with a rolling pin in a freezer bag. Transfer to a bowl with the melted butter and brown sugar. Mix to combine. Transfer to a baking dish and evenly press into a single layer with the flat side of a measuring cup.
- Bake. Bake the crust at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
- Make the gelatin layer. Combine the strawberry gelatin and 2 cups of boiling water in a bowl. Mix until all gelatin has dissolved. Let sit for an hour until no longer warm.
- Make the filling. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Use a spatula to fold in the whipped topping. Mix just until combined.
- Assemble. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled pretzel crust, spreading it all the way to the edges. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Add the strawberries. Wash, dry, hull, and slice the strawberries. Stir the strawberries into the gelatin mixture. Spoon in an even layer on top of the chilled cream cheese later.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until the jello layer has fully set.
- Enjoy! Top with some whipped cream and fresh strawberries before serving, if desired.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Cool the jello for an hour only. If left out too long, the strawberry gelatin will begin to set, and it won’t be possible to mix the strawberry slices in. I recommend not leaving it to cool on the counter for longer than 1 hour.
- Use fresh strawberries if possible. The fresh strawberries give such a nice bite of fresh fruitiness and is a much better alternative to frozen, flavor and texture-wise.
- Let each layer cool. This can happen simultaneously for the cream cheese filling and the gelatin, but you do want to bake the crust and let it cool before adding the cream cheese. It’s important to let the cream cheese filling chill in the fridge before adding the strawberries.
- Chill before slicing. The strawberry jello needs time to fully set in the fridge before it can be sliced. Otherwise, it will just fall all over the place. Four hours is usually just the right amount of time.
Proper Storage
Gluten free strawberry pretzel salad is best eaten fresh, as the crust will begin to lose its crunch over time. However, leftovers can be tightly covered and kept in the fridge for up to 4 days.
More Strawberry Desserts To Try
Gluten Free Strawberry Pretzel Salad
A salty pretzel crust is topped with tangy cream cheese filling and sweet strawberry jello (with fresh strawberries!) to make this gluten free strawberry pretzel salad. It’s an old fashioned dessert that’s perfect for summer potlucks and picnics.
Servings: 12 slices
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups crushed gluten free mini pretzels (about 4 cups uncrushed, recommended: Snyder’s of Hanover) (roughly 160 grams)
- ¾ cup melted butter (170 grams)
- 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar (40 grams)
For the strawberry gelatin layer:
- 6 ounce box strawberry gelatin (170 grams)
- 2 cups boiling water (500 mL)
- 1 pound fresh strawberries , washed, dried, hulled, and sliced (450 grams)
For the filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese , softened to room temperature (226 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 mL)
- 8 ounces whipped topping (i.e. Cool Whip, thawed in the refrigerator if frozen) (226 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the 2 cups crushed gluten free mini pretzels in a plastic freezer bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into small crumbs. Add the pretzel crumbs to a bowl, then add the ¾ cup melted butter and 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar and mix to combine thoroughly.
- Transfer the crust mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish and use the flat side of a measuring cup to evenly press the crust into a single layer. The crust will be crumbly.
- Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- While your crust is baking, begin the gelatin layer by pouring the 6 ounce box strawberry gelatin into a medium bowl and adding 2 cups boiling water. Using a spoon or silicone spatula, mix until all the gelatin has dissolved. Allow this to sit for about an hour until the gelatin is no longer warm.
- While it is cooling, for the filling, in a medium bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, beat together 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for 2 or 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Once whipped, use a silicone spatula to fold in the 8 ounces whipped topping, and mix just until thoroughly combined.
- Once the pretzel crust has cooled, transfer the cream cheese mixture into the pan and spread it out evenly, making sure to spread it all the way to the edges, that way it creates a seal so the gelatin doesn’t seep through later.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. During this time wash, dry, hull, and slice the 1 pound fresh strawberries.
- Once the gelatin has cooled and the cream cheese layer has finished chilling, add the sliced strawberries to the gelatin and carefully stir. Then, spoon the mixture in an even layer over the top of the cream cheese layer.
- Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, until the jello has set.
- Enjoy with whipped cream or more whipped topping and fresh strawberries!
Notes
Store leftover strawberry pretzel salad in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Facts
Gluten Free Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 511
Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 15g75%
Trans Fat 0.5g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 50mg17%
Sodium 851mg35%
Potassium 111mg3%
Carbohydrates 74g25%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 39g43%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 627IU13%
Vitamin C 22mg27%
Calcium 46mg5%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Which jello do you use thats GF ? Is it also dye free ?
I just use regular Jell-o brand. It is gluten free, but not dye free.