Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Here’s what you need:
- 6 oz. box of Strawberry Jello
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 1/2-3 cups salted pretzels, crushed (measured before crushing)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 8 oz. tub of cool whip (or fresh whipped cream)
- 1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Combine jello mix with the boiling water and stir to dissolve. Set aside.
Using a food processor (or a large ziploc bag and rolling pin), crush your pretzels into tiny pieces. Add 1/4 cup sugar and mix to combine. Add your melted butter and mix to combine. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish and press out evenly over the bottom to create a crust. Bake for 10 min in your preheated, 350 degree, oven. Allow to cool completely.
In a medium bowl, combine your cream cheese and sugar, beating until the sugar is well incorporated and dissolved. Add your 8 oz. of cool whip and mix until fluffy and there are no streaks of cream cheese showing.
Spread this mixture over your COOLED crust, careful to spread it evenly all the way to the edges, sealing in the pretzel crust.
Place your strawberries on top, covering the cream cheese mixture.
Once the Jello liquid is completely cooled, carefully pour it over the strawberries.
Refridgerate for 2-4 hours or over night is even better. Once the jello is set, you can serve it. Enjoy!
**NOTES:
- To save some time, you can use the ready made Philadelphia No-Bake Cheesecake mixture. It comes in a 24 oz. tub and you can just use 1/3 of it. This eliminates the need to blend the cream cheese and sugar. You will just combine the No-Bake Cheesecake with the Cool whip in one easy step!
- If your strawberries are small enough, no need to slice them. Save time by simply washing and hulling them and then place them, bottoms up, over the cream cheese mixture.
