Strawberry Pretzel Layered Delight (Printable Version)

Salty crust meets creamy cheese and fresh strawberries in this layered summer favorite.

# 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 gelatin (Jell-O)
09 - 2 cups boiling water
10 - 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

# Directions:

01 - Combine crushed salted pretzels, melted unsalted butter, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a bowl. Mix thoroughly.
02 - Press the crust mixture evenly into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
03 - Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add 3/4 cup sugar and mix well.
04 - Whip cold heavy cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until smooth.
05 - Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the cooled pretzel crust, sealing edges to prevent gelatin seepage. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
06 - Dissolve strawberry gelatin powder in 2 cups boiling water. Allow to cool to room temperature without setting.
07 - Arrange sliced fresh strawberries evenly over the cream cheese layer.
08 - Pour cooled gelatin carefully over the strawberries. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours until fully set.
09 - Slice the dessert and serve chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Three distinct textures in every bite—crispy, creamy, and jiggly—that somehow work together like they were meant to.
  • It looks impressive enough to be the star of any table, but nobody needs to know how easy it actually is to pull off.
  • Makes twelve servings, which means you're actually covered for that potluck without spending all day in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Letting everything cool to the right temperature before layering is not optional—warm Jell-O on a cream cheese layer is how you end up with an accidentally deconstructed dessert.
  • Those pretzels need to stay crispy, which means sealing that cream cheese layer to the edges is the single most important thing you'll do in this recipe.
03 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese is everything—take it out of the fridge thirty minutes before you start, or your filling will have lumps that even aggressive beating won't fix.
  • The moment when the Jell-O is at room temperature but not yet set is when you pour it—too warm and you'll melt your cream cheese layer, too cold and it won't pour evenly, so watch it carefully.
Go Back