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 :)