Strawberry pretzel salad: Is that the ideal dessert for the holidays?

GWondering what dessert to prepare for this year’s holidays? Don’t hesitate to try something delicious and proven to be an easy dish that will appeal to everyone. On the holidays, I usually like to pair absolutely everything, from the dishes to the cocktails. I want each flavor to complement the other in the perfect way. The dessert also plays an important role. I love the combination of sweet and salty. That’s why this year my holiday table will feature a strawberry pretzel salad. How to prepare it? What are the serving methods? Today is the day to learn all the tricks!

Strawberry pretzel salad: The perfect combination between sweet and salty

What do you think when you read strawberry pretzel salad? Before hearing about this dessert, I personally pictured a salad with spinach sprinkled berries and broken pretzels on top. Well yes, that sounds amazing, but that has nothing to do with reality. This is actually a very famous dessert that resembles the shape of a cheesecake, but with a much crispier base. It is perfect for the holidays and very easy to make. Let’s find some of the best ways to make the strawberry pretzel salad!

Strawberry pretzel salad recipe

Wondering why this dessert is suitable for Christmas? Especially in this recipe that I am about to show you, there is jelly which will help the dessert to last longer. If you want to save time on the holiday, you can prepare the strawberry pretzel salad in advance. If you put it in the fridge, it will be perfect for your festive dinner. It is a great addition to your favorite Christmas cocktails as well.  Let’s find out what are the ingredients and the guide on how to make it!

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces (170 g) Strawberry jello
• 2 cups (450 ml) bowling water
• 2 cups (400 g) pretzels (crushed)
• 1/4 cup (25 g) granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 8 ounces (220 g) cream cheese
• 1/2 cup (40 g) granulated sugar
• 8 ounces (220 g) cool whip
• 1 lb (450 g) strawberries
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation: 

1. Start by preheating your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Put the Jell-O into a bowl and pour the bowling water over it. Stir really well and then leave it aside to cool off.
2. Crush the pretzels by placing them in a ziploc bag, using a rolling pin.
3. Melt the butter and mix it in a pan with the crushed pretzels. Add 1/4 cup sugar and mix really well.
4. Transfer the mixture into a glass casserole dish and press it to spread it evenly. Bake for about 10 minutes and then remove from the heat.
5. Beat the cream cheese with the 1/2 cup granulated sugar. The mixture should be very fluffy. Add the cool whip and mix again.
6. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the pretzels. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
7. Slices the strawberries, add them to the jello, and stir well. Pour the jello over the cooled cream cheese. Make sure to spread it evenly.
8. Refrigerate for about 4 hours and then serve.

Try it deconstructed!

If you don’t like jello and you want something even easier, try the same delicious dessert, however deconstructed! It looks modern, cool and it is the perfect little bowl that will give you all the flavors that you want! This time the name will not create confusion, since here the strawberry pretzel salad will actually look like one. The bowls are the easier version of the desert and you can serve them straight away. You will not have to refrigerate them for hours to achieve the perfect texture. I have good news, this recipe includes pecans and they will give you the extra crunch! Let’s have a look on how to do it!

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup (250 g) crushed pretzels
• 1/2 cup (125 g) chopped pecans
• 3/4 (165 g) brown sugar
• 3/4 (165 g) melted butter
• 3 cups (600 g) strawberries (diced)
• 7 ounces (190 g) cream cheese
• 1/2 (100 g) granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 (100 g) whipped cream or cool whip

Preparation: 

1. Grab a bowl and mix the melted butter with the pecans, pretzels, brown sugar and the cinnamon. Mix really well. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake for about 6 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C). Once ready, remove from the heat and let it cool off completely. When the mixture has cooled off, break it into small pieces.
2.  Grab another bowl and mix the cream cheese, granulated sugar and the vanilla extract. Beat them well until everything is combined perfectly. Add the cool whip or the whipped cream and mix everything really well. Using a plastic wrapper, cover the bowl and put it in the fridge.
3. When you serve the dessert, add the diced strawberries and the pretzel mixture into the cream cheese. Mix everything together. Serve in small bowls and garnish with more pecans and sliced strawberries.

Strawberry pretzel salad: healthy version

How to make a strawberry pretzel salad healthy? Well, for starters we have to remove the butter and the cream cheese from the recipe. They are not unhealthy in general, however they contain fat that can be easily substituted. So instead of making it in a casserole dish, just grab a mason jar. Put your non-fat yogurt, follow by a little but if maple syrup and some sliced strawberries. Then add some crushed pretzels and pecans. Follow by the yogurt and so on. Continue with the layers until there is no more space. Grab your spoon and enjoy! If you like a sweet breakfast, this can be the ideal one if you are on the run.