This Gluten-Free Strawberry Pretzel Salad is a delicious sweet and salty, southern dessert-like salad without gluten. Fresh strawberries mixed with strawberry Jell-O on top of a velvety smooth sweetened cream cheese layer over a bed of crushed sugary pretzels.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
This delicious southern salad dates back as far as I can remember in my childhood. Whether it is indeed a salad or a dessert still remains a mystery. Southerners tend to find a way to turn salads into desserts like this apple snickers salad recipe.
This delicious dessert, which is called a salad, tastes similar to a strawberry no-bake cheesecake and doesn’t require any baking either.
Years ago when I first shared images of a strawberry pretzel salad I’d just made on social media my feed was flooded with friends sharing memories linked to this dish.
Though it’s not at all healthy I wanted to find a way to omit the gluten in this salad, which is something I’ve done from my diet overall. Today’s grocery store is filled with many gluten-free products and pretzels are among them.
Making the swap is simple and I’m sure many who have gone gluten-free before me are regulars and making these simple recipe changes.
How to Make this Recipe
There’s absolutely no baking involved in this easy recipe. You can easily make it up to 2 days before you plan on serving it and store it in the fridge in an air-tight container.
Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Pretzels, crushed
- Sugar
- Butter
- Cream Cheese
- Sugar
- Cool Whip
- Strawberry Jell-O
- Fresh Strawberries
- Water
Instructions
Below are the steps for preparing each layer of this salad. Allow each layer to cool completely before adding the next. For the salad to set completely and firm up place it in the fridge overnight before serving.
Pretzel Crust
- Stir together the crushed pretzels and sugar. Pour the butter in and toss with the mixture.
- Use your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup to press the pretzel mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
Cream Cheese Layer
- Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Using a rubber spatula gently fold in the whipped cream.
Strawberry Jell-O Layer
- Place the dry Jell-O in a bowl and pour in boiling water. Stir until the Jell-O completely dissolves, and then stir in cold water. Refrigerate the mixture for 1 1/2 hours or until slightly thickened.
- Stir the fresh strawberries into the Jell-O layer.
Recipe Variations
My favorite version of this salad is to use strawberries and strawberry Jell-O, however, there are many other recipe options you can try. Below are some to try, after you try the strawberry version of course.
- Cherry Pretzel Salad: change the fresh strawberries and strawberry Jell-O out for cherry Jell-O and fresh sliced cherries. This makes a delicious summer salad.
- Pineapple Pretzel Salad: for a tasty tropical salad use fresh chopped pineapple and pineapple Jell-O.
- Raspberry Pretzel Salad: use fresh raspberries and raspberry Jell-O for the topping.
- Vanilla Pretzel Salad: this will change the texture of the salad, but using vanilla Jell-O pudding will add a nice topping. If you make this version I recommend sprinkling some extra crust on top to keep the top firm.
There are so many versions of Jell-O so the variations for this salad are endless. You can even combine some options like fresh peaches with pineapple Jell-O for a super tropical treat. Add some sweetened coconut to the crust layer too.
Different Crust Options
Even though this is called strawberry pretzel salad, you don’t have to use pretzels in the crust. One option is to use graham crackers like in this graham cracker crust. If you want it to remain gluten-free then purchase graham crackers without the gluten.
Some other gluten-free options instead of pretzels are gluten-free vanilla wafers or even Oreo cookies, which have a gluten-free option now too.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes, you can use frozen strawberries. Thaw them first and then drain them before mixing them into the strawberry Jell-O.
Can I use fresh whipped cream?
Unfortunately, the homemade whipped cream will not mix with the cream cheese properly. The whipped topping creates a more stable layer.
Recipe Notes and Tips:
- Make the strawberry Jell-O first and let it chill in the fridge for about an hour and a half before stirring in the fresh strawberries. This will keep it from bleeding into the sides and cream cheese layer.
- After spreading the cream cheese layer over the pretzel crust let it chill and firm for about 15 to 20 minutes before adding the topping.
- Spread the cream cheese all the way to the edges to prevent the Jell-O layer from seeping down the sides.
- Firmly press the pretzel crust into an even layer at the bottom of the dish. The firm crust helps to set up the other layers.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients
PRETZEL CRUST
- 2½ cups Pretzels crushed
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter melted
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 8 ounces Cool Whip thawed in the fridge
STRAWBERRY TOPPING
- 6 ounces Strawberry Jell-O
- 1 lb Strawberries sliced and hulled
- 2 cups Boiling Water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
PRETZEL CRUST
- In a medium bowl stir together the crushed pretzels and sugar. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the ingredients are evenly coated. Firmly press the pretzel mixture into the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Bake for 10 minutes and let cool completely.
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
- Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula gently fold in the cool whip. Spread evenly over the crust and cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
STRAWBERRY TOPPING
- Place dry Jell-O in a medium bowl and pour in the boiling water. Stir until the Jell-O is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in the strawberries and pour over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until the Jell-O layer is completely set.
Notes
- Make the strawberry Jell-O first and let it chill in the fridge for about an hour and a half before stirring in the fresh strawberries. This will keep it from bleeding into the sides and cream cheese layer.
- After spreading the cream cheese layer over the pretzel crust let it chill and firm for about 15 to 20 minutes before adding the topping.
- Spread the cream cheese all the way to the edges to prevent the Jell-O layer from seeping down the sides.
- Firmly press the pretzel crust into an even layer at the bottom of the dish. The firm crust helps to set up the other layers.