Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

My husband and I first had this dessert at college, and thought it was fantastic. So when I started seeing recipes on Pinterest, I had to make it. I didn't try more than one recipe, just because the one that I did find (Strawberry Pretzel Salad) was, in my tastebud's opinion, perfect, so why take that chance? But that's not to say there isn't another recipe that is similar that doesn't taste just as good! The main reason I decided to write about this recipe is because I've already had someone ask me about it who attempted to make it and it did not go so well. I have also made it 2 times within a month, and made some slight alterations. It really is a simple recipe, but has a few steps that could make it go wrong. 

The first step is the most fun, because you get to smash things! The first time I made it, I personally thought I kept the pretzel pieces too big, so this time I smashed them up into smaller pieces. I also added over 2 cups of crushed pretzels (I used a 2 c. glass measuring cup and filled it up just over the top of the cup) because 2 cups did not cover the bottom of the pan very well. 

Tip for smashing things: Don't dirty another dish or clutter your already-tiny counters with more utensils. I used the measuring cup that I was measuring the pretzels with to smash the pretzels in the bag! It's also a great way to release some stress :) 

I stuck the crust into the fridge for a bit to cool off faster while I whipped together the filling. One lesson learned from a friend who made it was to make sure the filling goes all the way to the sides so there is no way the liquid topping can seep down to the pretzels. Guaranteed it will make those pretzels soggy and will not turn out right. 

Both times I made this recipe, I did not have time to wait for the filling to set for 2 hours and do the topping right after. So I let the filling in the fridge overnight or during the entire day, so it was, no question, set. 

For the topping, I loved the idea of a bit of pineapple in this to add liquid juice and a different flavor. 
I did have to spread the strawberries out once it was poured on the filling, because they all clumped together. It really does fill up a 9x13 pan almost to the top. I also made sure it was level while setting in the fridge. The first time, I also tried to put saran wrap on top instead of the plastic lid, thinking the lid would hinder the gelling process. This did not work out well, because the saran wrap immediately was suctioned to the liquid. The second time, I stuck to the plastic lid :)

One lesson I learned the hard way, and luckily it was with the left-overs for my husband and I, was that the topping is not stuck to the filling. So when traveling, I had to tip it for a period of time to fit in my cooler, and all the topping slid off! It was easy to spread back over, but I would be very careful when traveling with it. 

All the topping slid to one side!

FYI: the crust does start to get soggy after 2 or so days, but not a mushy-soggy. I still thought it was absolutely delicious to the very end, 5 days later!

Delicious!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

2 cups crushed pretzels (you want small pieces, but don't pulverize them in a food processor)

3/4 cup melted butter

3 Tbsp + 3/4 cup sugar

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese

1 8-oz container whipped topping

2 3-oz pkg strawberry gelatin dessert mix

2 cups boiling water

2 10-oz pkg frozen strawberries

1 8-oz can crushed pineapple

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. For the crust: Grab a medium bowl, add the pretzels, butter and 3 Tbsp sugar, and mix together. Press this mixture into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. For the Filling: In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar. Fold in the whipped topping, and spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until well chilled.

4. For the Topping: In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in boiling water, and allow to cool slightly. Add the strawberries and pineapple, and pour over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate until serving time.