Strawberry Crinkle Salad (Print version)
Layers of fresh strawberries, creamy filling, and buttery pretzel crust create a sweet-and-salty dessert
# What you need:
→ Pretzel Crust
01 - 2 cups salted pretzels, crushed
02 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
→ Creamy Layer
04 - 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
05 - ½ cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 (8 oz) container whipped topping, thawed
→ Strawberry Layer
07 - 1 (6 oz) package strawberry gelatin
08 - 2 cups boiling water
09 - 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine crushed pretzels, melted butter, and ¼ cup sugar. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool completely.
02 - In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and ½ cup sugar until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped topping. Spread this creamy layer evenly over the cooled pretzel crust, making sure to seal the edges to prevent the jelly from seeping through. Refrigerate while preparing the next layer.
03 - In a separate bowl, dissolve the strawberry gelatin in 2 cups boiling water. Allow to cool to room temperature but do not let it set.
04 - Arrange sliced strawberries evenly over the creamy layer. Pour the cooled gelatin carefully over the strawberries. Refrigerate the salad until the gelatin is fully set, at least 2 hours. Slice and serve chilled.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The mix of salty pretzels and sweet strawberries hits every craving at once
- People will think you spent hours when it really comes together in minutes
02 -
- The cream layer must touch the edges of the dish completely or the gelatin will tunnel through to your pretzels
- Hot gelatin will melt the cream layer so patience during cooling is non negotiable
03 -
- A food processor makes crushing pretzels fast and even but a ziplock bag and rolling pin works perfectly fine
- The hardest part is waiting for that gelatin to cool so pour it into a wider bowl to speed things up