I just tried making this recipe, though it is easy to make it would have been nice for the recipe to specify that as soon as you add the frozen strawberries to the jello it starts to set immediately, turning the jello thicker than jelly and almost impossible to spread on the cream cheese mixture... I recommend using fresh strawberries or waiting for them to thaw before adding to jello mixture.

Modify the technique - not the ingredients.

Make the crust, cool. Make cream cheese mixture and spread evenly. Sprinkle frozen strawberries over dessert and then pour gelatin mixture as the top layer of this dessert. It will set right away and look beautiful! This presents really nice in a glass dish.

The frozen strawberries are NEEDED in order to set the Jello. Take a knife, rinsed in warm water, and roughly chop the strawberries or use halves and pieces.

Before serving, immerse the bottom of the pan in warm water for 15 to 30 seconds so that it releases and is easier to cut.

This is my all time favorite retro dessert! I make this gluten free by using Wylde's gluten free pretzels.

Hi Pem, actually when you make this pretzel salad recipe, you MUST use the frozen strawberries as the hot jello and frozen strawberries is what makes it set, if you let it set more then 6 to 9 mins. it then starts to thicken where it is TOO thick to spread, a recipe is like a formula and must be made EXACTLY as it reads... I hope you have better luck next time in making this, as it is an awesome recipe and something different that everyone raves about.

To Pem... the cream cheese mixture is added on top of the pretzel crust then u add the jello and frozen strawberries :)

I love reading American recipes - but this seems a strange combination of flavours! Do the pretzels make it a little salty? Happy July 4th!

The salty of the pretzels mixing with the cool sweetness of the jello and fruit combined with the richness of the cream cheese/cool whip combo is what makes it so appealing! The flavors, though seeming like a strange combination, go so well together!

This recipe is great! Try it!

The butter and pretzels taste like nuts! I use frozen raspberries. Pretzel Jello is a family favorite. And yes you have to use frozen fruit it sets the jello.

This recipe is about my favorites.. Yes it is a little strange but the flavors are awesome! The only thing I can say is I loved it a little to much and ate to much... We have it for Christmas and Thanksgiving and special occasions.

The best way to get this recipe exactly right is to use the speed set method for the jello that is on the box. That is the only way that I have gotten this to work.

I love this recipe.. .modified it to add 1 envelope of Knox gelatin to the strawberry jello. Soften first in 2 T. cold water, then add the Knox/water mix to the hot jello - stir to dissolve.

I have been making this recipe for years! It is a favorite. I make it exactly like it says, except with raspberries and raspberry jello. Delish!

My family loves the strawberry pretzel dessert. I have actually made it with rasberry and it is great. Does anyone know or have tried to make it with peaches? Just wondering. I wanted to try it when i saw peach flavored jello but didn't want to waste the ingredients if it wouldn't work. thanks

I make this dessert all of the time but I reverse it. I prefer to all the pretzel mixture as my last layer. First the jello mixture, then I add the cream cheese mixture and finally the pretzels This way the pretzels are still nice and crunchy.

I made the pretzel jello dessert with 2 boxes of raspberry jello and 1 12 oz. package of frozen raspberries. I let the jello set until it was staring to thicken ,but not completely set. I spread this over the cream cheese mixture and it is very delicious. Yum, Yum.

LOVE THIS RECIPE!

I always prepare it as Maria (IL) shared by sprinkling the fruit over the cream cheese mixture and pouring the jello over that.

To answer variation questions... I have used:

Blueberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Peaches
Pineapples

For the peaches and pineapples variation, I purchased canned fruit in juice and froze them on a single layer, cookie sheet.

As shared, the fruit MUST be frozen for the jello to set. Otherwise, it just makes a gigantic mess.

Hope this helps!

Peace n Blessings to yall

Everytime I have made this in the past I have a hard time keeping the pretzels from sticky horribly to the glass pan. Do you grease the pan or use Pam? Or do you use a nonstick pan which takes away from the presentation of the dessert?

I have used an 8oz container of strawberries in syrup and let that thaw. I use that as my "cold" water when adding to the jello. I have it sit in a measuring cup in the fridge for 20 minutes before I pour on the cream cheese mixture.

Pretty good recipe. I did try taking another commenter, Maria's advice about pouring the jello over the top and it failed horribly. It did not set right away, just soaked the entire casserole dish, including the pretzels. It still tastes good, just not pretty.