This recipe was given to me years ago by my Aunt Gloria. It’s the ultimate jello recipe! A little salty, sweet, creamy, crunchy — and, of course, Jell-o-y! Strawberry Jello Pretzel Salad is sure to become a favorite in your family, too!
Jello is the weirdest thing. I feel like it’s something we love to hate but can’t stop at one bite. There’s just something so comforting about this jiggly treat that keeps us coming back for more!
My Aunt Gloria made this jello years ago when we visited her home for her famous Christmas Eve party. They had a White Elephant exchange every year. It was an epic event. She laughed and said, “Every year, someone goes home crying!” Usually a grandchild who didn’t end up with the gift they wanted. My kids loved it. And they loved her jello!
Brookie (aka Female Foodie), our second oldest, loved this recipe and talked about it for months. Finally, I tracked down the recipe through Aunt Gloria’s family and stashed it in my archives.
I only make one other jello, which is Claudeen’s recipe for The Best Cherry Jello. Claudeen’s recipe is completely different than this. It uses cherries and pudding whipped with whipping cream. We love both recipes!
I think you will love Aunt Gloria’s recipe for Strawberry Jello Pretzel Salad. It’s so sweet, it could double as dessert in a pinch. I love my Aunt Gloria. If you have the ABK Cookbook, you may remember when I mentioned her teaching my mother how to make bread and cinnamon rolls years ago. She was always so kind. So loving. So funny. I’m grateful I have such sweet memories of my aunt that are connected to food we love. <3
Strawberry Jello Pretzel Salad
Ingredients
Pretzel Layer:
- 2 1/2 cups pretzels, crushed
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons white or brown sugar
Cream Cheese Layer:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream*
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Jello Layer:
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 large box or two small boxes Strawberry or Raspberry Jell-o
- 1 16-ounce package or 2 cups frozen strawberries or raspberries, not in syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine crushed pretzels, butter, and sugar in a bowl. Press into a lightly greased 9×13-inch pan. Bake 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.
- While the crust is baking, mix the cream cheese layer together. Beat heavy cream in a bowl until stiff. Set aside. In another bowl, mix softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Gently fold in whipped cream.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over completely cooled crust. Be sure to spread the mixture all the way to the edges of the pan, creating a seal to support the jello layer.
- Boil water and add to jello in a medium bowl. Whisk until the jello is completely dissolved. Add frozen berries to the jello mixture. Let set in fridge until the mixture is slightly thickened, usually about 10-15 minutes. Pour jello on top of cream cheese mixture.
- Refrigerate until completely set.
Notes
- Cool Whip may be used in place of whipping cream. If using Cool Whip, do not add powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture.
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. I’d love to see a photo, tag @abountifulkitchen on Instagram!
