Active time:20 minutes
Total time:20 minutes, plus at least 5 hours chilling and chilling
Servings:12 to 16
The aspect that puts people off is the incongruity between the dish and what many consider a salad. But food historians and people over a certain age can remember the importance that frozen salads had in Americaespecially in the middle of the 20th century – and some of them, like this one, are still appreciated today.
According Farmers Almanacstrawberry pretzel salad was introduced to the world in “The Joys of Jell-O”, first published by General Foods in 1963. While frozen salads have largely faded from the spotlight since then, strawberry pretzel salad remains an iconic dish, especially in the South and Midwest where, due to the low effort it requires and the large number of servings recipes generally produce, it is popular. at potlucks, holidays and other large gatherings.
I consider it a dessert, but others disagree: “It’s a candy, but it’s not a dessert”. Andrew Spena wrote in Epicurious. “As my Memaw might explain, it’s just ‘a little sugar on your plate at dinner.’ cheese, your mashed potatoes.
No matter the categorization, this light, savory-sweet confection is a delight.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad is basically a pretzel crust with a no-bake cheesecake filling topped with strawberries and fruit-flavored gelatin. More traditional recipes call for store-bought whipped topping to be mixed with the cream cheese for topping, but whipping heavy cream in the same food processor used to crush pretzels requires minimal extra effort. Vanilla extract is traditional for flavoring the filling, but my recipe-developer brain couldn’t help but think of all the other flavoring possibilities, a few of which I’ve listed below.
Fresh strawberries are great in this recipe – making it particularly suitable for spring and summer – but you can use frozen, thawed and drained fruit if needed, or even try different combinations of fruit and gelatin to taste. make your own.
Get ahead: The pretzel crust can be baked up to 1 day in advance. Cool completely, cover and store at room temperature.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
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- 8 ounces (227 grams) pretzel sticks
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks/170 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the cream cheese filling
- 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, preferably Philadelphia brand, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (can be replaced with almond extract, Grand Marnier, kirschwasser or balsamic vinegar)
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) cold heavy cream
For the strawberry filling
- 2 cans (3 ounces/85 grams) strawberry flavored gelatin, such as Jell-O brand
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) boiling water
- 1 pound (454 grams) fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
Make the crust: Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
In a food processor, pulse the pretzels and sugar until coarsely ground. Add melted butter and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pretzel mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish and, using the bottom of a measuring cup, press down into an even layer. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the crust is fragrant and just beginning to brown around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly, about 20 minutes.
Prepare the cream cheese filling: Clean the food processor. Add cream cheese, sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth, about 5 seconds. Add the heavy cream, pulse a few times then mix until thickened, about 30 seconds. Do not over process. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled crust, making sure to go all the way to the edges of the pan to completely cover the pretzels. Refrigerate until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Prepare the strawberry filling: While the cream cheese is setting, place the strawberry gelatin in a large liquid measuring cup or medium bowl. Add boiling water and whisk until gelatin is dissolved. Refrigerate, uncovered, until cooled to at least 70 degrees, about 30 minutes. (It may start to thicken slightly, but don’t let it harden completely.)
Assemble the dessert: Spread the sliced strawberries over the cream cheese filling and spoon the strawberry gelatin over them. Refrigerate uncovered until set, at least 4 hours and overnight. Cut into rectangles and serve chilled.
Per serving (one 2 x 3 inch slice), based on 16
Calories: 333; Total fat: 25g; Saturated fat: 15g; Cholesterol: 79mg; Sodium: 257mg; Carbohydrates: 26g; Dietary fibre: 1 g; Sugar: 13g; Protein: 3g
This analysis is an estimate based on the available ingredients and this preparation. It should not replace the advice of a dietitian or nutritionist.
Staff Writer Recipe Aaron Hutcherson.
Tested by Aaron Hutcherson; questions by e-mail to [email protected].
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