Strawberry Blueberry Pretzel Salad – A Sweet & Salty Summer Favorite
If you are looking for something that felt like dessert, then you will love this strawberry blueberry pretzel salad. It is one of those dishes that people keep asking me about, and I make it a few times every summer.
What I really like about it is how it hits every flavor and texture. It’s salty crushed pretzels, a smooth cream cheese layer, and that fruity, jiggly topping with strawberries and blueberries that just feels like summer.
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This strawberry blueberry pretzel salad is easy to put together and you can make it ahead of time, which is huge when you’re trying to prep for a gathering without losing your mind.
How to Make Strawberry Blueberry Pretzel Salad
Here are the ingredients you need to make this strawberry blueberry pretzel salad, plus step by step instructions for how to make it.
Ingredients
- 2 cups crushed pretzels
- ¾ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounce frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 6 oz (family size) package strawberry gelatin
- 2 cups boiling water
- 16 oz package frozen strawberries
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Step by Step Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. This will give you time to prep the crust while the oven gets hot.
2. If your pretzels haven’t already been crushed, add them to a large zip-top bag, seal it tightly, and use a rolling pin (or a meat mallet) to crush them. Aim for pieces no bigger than ¼ inch – small enough to pack together, but not so fine they turn to dust. A little texture is good here!
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed pretzels, melted butter, and 3 tablespoons of the granulated sugar. Stir well until everything is coated and the mixture resembles wet sand. Pour into an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish, then use the back of a spoon or measuring cup to press the mixture evenly into the bottom, forming a solid crust.
4. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it, you’re looking for a lightly toasted color and a bit of crispness. Once baked, remove from the oven and set the dish on a wire rack to cool completely.
5. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and the remaining 1 cup of sugar until smooth and creamy. An electric mixer works great here, or you can use a stand mixer if you prefer. Once fully blended and lump-free, gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until it’s all combined and fluffy.
6. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled pretzel crust, using a spatula to smooth it all the way to the edges of the dish. You want to seal the edges well so the next layer doesn’t seep through. Pop the dish in the fridge to chill while you prep the gelatin.
7. In a large heatproof bowl, add the strawberry gelatin powder. Carefully pour in 2 cups of boiling water and whisk for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the powder is fully dissolved and there are no grainy bits left.
8. Stir the frozen strawberries into the hot gelatin. Let this mixture chill in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes – just long enough to cool down and start to thicken slightly. Don’t let it set fully; you want it pourable but not watery.
9. Gently pour the slightly thickened gelatin and strawberry mixture over the cream cheese layer, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the fresh blueberries over the top – press a few in slightly if you want them to sit into the gelatin a bit more.
10. Place the finished dish back in the refrigerator and let it chill for at least 2 to 3 hours, or until the top layer is fully set.
11. Once it’s firm, slice and serve cold.
Notes:
- Letting the crust cool completely before adding the cream cheese layer helps keep your creamy filling from melting when it hits the crust.
- Fully spreading the cream cheese layer to the sides of the dish creates a barrier that prevents the gelatin from seeping through and making the crust soggy.
- When chilling the gelatin, don’t leave it for too long – it goes from “just right” to “too set” pretty quickly. You’re looking for a syrupy consistency, not Jell-O cubes.
Once it’s chilled and set, slice it up and you’ve got a sweet, salty, berry-filled dessert that works for just about any summer get-together. It looks festive enough for the 4th of July but feels right at home at a Sunday dinner or backyard cookout. Keep it cold until you serve it (nobody wants warm gelatin) and you’re good to go.
More Sweets and Treats
- Strawberry Shortcake Pie Bites
- Air Fryer Strawberry Cheesecake Roll Ups
- Air Fryer Cherry Pie Bites
- Creamy Blueberry Fudge
Strawberry Blueberry Pretzel Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups crushed pretzels
- ¾ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounce frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 6 oz family size package strawberry gelatin
- 2 cups boiling water
- 16 oz package frozen strawberries
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. This will give you time to prep the crust while the oven gets hot.
- If your pretzels haven’t already been crushed, add them to a large zip-top bag, seal it tightly, and use a rolling pin (or a meat mallet) to crush them. Aim for pieces no bigger than ¼ inch – small enough to pack together, but not so fine they turn to dust. A little texture is good here!
- In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed pretzels, melted butter, and 3 tablespoons of the granulated sugar. Stir well until everything is coated and the mixture resembles wet sand. Pour into an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish, then use the back of a spoon or measuring cup to press the mixture evenly into the bottom, forming a solid crust.
- Place the dish in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it, you’re looking for a lightly toasted color and a bit of crispness. Once baked, remove from the oven and set the dish on a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and the remaining 1 cup of sugar until smooth and creamy. An electric mixer works great here, or you can use a stand mixer if you prefer. Once fully blended and lump-free, gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until it’s all combined and fluffy.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled pretzel crust, using a spatula to smooth it all the way to the edges of the dish. You want to seal the edges well so the next layer doesn’t seep through. Pop the dish in the fridge to chill while you prep the gelatin.
- In a large heatproof bowl, add the strawberry gelatin powder. Carefully pour in 2 cups of boiling water and whisk for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the powder is fully dissolved and there are no grainy bits left.
- Stir the frozen strawberries into the hot gelatin. Let this mixture chill in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes – just long enough to cool down and start to thicken slightly. Don’t let it set fully; you want it pourable but not watery.
- Gently pour the slightly thickened gelatin and strawberry mixture over the cream cheese layer, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the fresh blueberries over the top – press a few in slightly if you want them to sit into the gelatin a bit more.
- Place the finished dish back in the refrigerator and let it chill for at least 2 to 3 hours, or until the top layer is fully set.
- Once it’s firm, slice and serve cold.
Notes
- Letting the crust cool completely before adding the cream cheese layer helps keep your creamy filling from melting when it hits the crust.
- Fully spreading the cream cheese layer to the sides of the dish creates a barrier that prevents the gelatin from seeping through and making the crust soggy.
- When chilling the gelatin, don’t leave it for too long – it goes from “just right” to “too set” pretty quickly. You’re looking for a syrupy consistency, not Jell-O cubes.
