Strawberry Pretzel Layered Dessert (Printable)

Layers of pretzel crust, creamy filling, and fresh strawberries create a flavorful summer treat.

# What You Need:

→ Pretzel Crust

01 - 2 cups crushed salted pretzels
02 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar

→ Cream Cheese Layer

04 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Strawberry Layer

08 - 6 ounces strawberry-flavored gelatin
09 - 2 cups boiling water
10 - 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine crushed pretzels, melted butter, and 1/4 cup sugar; press mixture evenly into bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
02 - Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Incorporate 3/4 cup sugar until combined.
03 - Whip cold heavy cream with vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until smooth.
04 - Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled crust, sealing edges to prevent leakage. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
05 - Dissolve strawberry gelatin in 2 cups boiling water; let cool to room temperature without setting.
06 - Arrange sliced strawberries evenly over chilled cream cheese layer. Pour cooled gelatin carefully over strawberries.
07 - Refrigerate assembly for a minimum of 3 hours until gelatin is fully set. Slice and serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pretzel layer gives you that salty-sweet contrast that somehow makes every layer taste better than it would alone.
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you'll be done in about 25 minutes of actual work.
  • No one expects the strawberry jelly to taste this fresh and bright—it's the kind of dish that gets people talking.
02 -
  • The pretzel crust must be completely cool before you add the cream cheese layer, or the heat will soften everything and you'll end up with a mushy middle.
  • Sealing the cream cheese all the way to the edges of the baking dish is the only thing that keeps the jelly from soaking into the crust and ruining the texture contrast you worked for.
  • Don't skip the cooling step for the gelatin—pouring hot jelly over the cream cheese will melt it into an unusable mess.
03 -
  • A rubber spatula is your best friend when folding the whipped cream into the cream cheese—it lets you be gentle and thorough at the same time.
  • If your pretzel crust cracks while pressing it into the dish, just use a little melted butter to patch the holes before baking.
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