Description
A delightful summer salad featuring a crunchy pretzel-pecan crust, a creamy filling, and topped with fresh strawberries for a burst of flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups Crushed Pretzels (Gluten-free pretzels can be used)
- 1 cup Chopped Pecans (Can substitute with walnuts or almonds)
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar (White sugar can be swapped)
- 1/2 cup Melted Butter (Coconut oil is a great dairy-free alternative)
- 4 cups Fresh Strawberries (Can substitute with raspberries or blueberries)
- 8 oz Cream Cheese (Make sure it’s at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar (Pastry sugar works well)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (Optional to replace with almond extract)
- 8 oz Cool Whip (Whipped cream or a vegan option can be used)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Place 2 cups crushed pretzels and 1 cup chopped pecans in a food processor and pulse until mostly uniform. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar.
- Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the mixture and stir until evenly moistened. Press firmly into the prepared pan to form an even layer.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker at the edges. Let the crust cool completely on a rack.
- In a mixing bowl, beat 8 oz room-temperature cream cheese with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.
- Fold in 8 oz Cool Whip gently and spread this cream evenly over the cooled crust.
- Hull and quarter 4 cups fresh strawberries. Toss them with a teaspoon of granulated sugar and let sit 10–15 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.
- Arrange strawberries in an even layer over the cream and gently press them down.
- Cover the pan and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (overnight is ideal).
- Slice into squares and serve cold.
Notes
For added texture, sprinkle extra chopped pretzels or toasted pecans on top just before serving. You can also add lemon zest to the cream layer for extra brightness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Chilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 30mg