Creamy Strawberry Pretzel Salad Recipe Easy No-Bake Summer Dessert
A no-bake summer dessert featuring a salty pretzel crust, a smooth cream cheese and whipped cream layer, and a fresh strawberry topping. Perfect for hot days and potlucks, this creamy strawberry pretzel salad is quick, easy, and crowd-pleasing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (about 60g) crushed pretzels (mini twists preferred)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, melted
- 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups (about 600g) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Melt and slightly cool the butter before mixing.
- In a medium bowl, combine crushed pretzels and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Pour in melted butter and stir until mixture resembles wet sand.
- Press pretzel mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish and compact firmly. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to set.
- In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a separate chilled bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture without deflating. Spread evenly over chilled pretzel crust and refrigerate.
- Toss sliced strawberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and lemon juice. Let sit for 10 minutes to macerate.
- Spoon macerated strawberries evenly over creamy layer, pouring any extra juice on top. Cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow layers to meld and crust to soften slightly.
- Cut into squares and serve chilled.
Notes
Press the pretzel crust firmly to keep it together and avoid sogginess. Chill the dessert overnight for best flavor and texture melding. Use frozen strawberries if fresh are unavailable, but thaw and drain well. For gluten-free, substitute pretzels with gluten-free crackers or nuts. For dairy-free, use dairy-free cream cheese and coconut whipped cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12th of the dish (
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 18
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Protein: 3
Keywords: strawberry pretzel salad, no-bake dessert, summer dessert, creamy dessert, pretzel crust, easy dessert, potluck dessert