My grandmother always made this whipped strawberry jello and cool whip salad for special occasions. For many growing up, the salad was the classic Strawberry Pretzel Salad. When I saw this version I thought it was so cute I wanted to give it a try.
It is salty, sweet, creamy, and refreshing all in one bite. Served in little jars it makes this a great dish to bring to picnics or the beach. I am thinking of making a trip to the Hollywood Bowl just so I can bring these along.
This is my favorite tool for forming the crusts. I also use it to form mini pies in mini muffin tins.
This little funnel is also a handy tool in the kitchen. You can fill the jars without a mess. I used mascarpone cheese but you could easily substitute cream cheese. You can easily lighten this dish by making it with light butter spread, sugar-free Jello, and reduced-fat cream cheese.
What was your family go-to salad at family dinners? Leave a comment below. Are you on Pinterest? Follow me and see what I am making not only here but for Betty Crocker and Pillsbury.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
A modern take on a family favorite, strawberry pretzel salad.
Ingredients
- 1 cup crushed salted pretzels
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 8 ounce mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup container Cool Whip Light, thawed
- 1 3 ounce package strawberry flavored gelatin
- 1 cups boiling water
- 1 cups strawberries, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the pretzel crumbs, 4 tablespoons sugar and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Stir with a fork until the butter is fully incorporated into the pretzel crumbs.
- Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of pretzel crust into the bottom of each of your jars. Press the crumbs gently into the bottom of the jars.
- Place the jars onto a baking sheet. Bake for about 6 minutes. Allow the jars and crust to cool completely before layering in the filling.
- Beat the sugar, cream cheese and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon filling into a piping bag with a round tip or simply snip the tip of the bag. Divide the filling between each jar. Place the jars into the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
- Stir together the gelatin mix and boiling water in a medium size bowl. Stir in strawberries. Place the bowl into the refrigerator for about ten minutes. This will allow the gelatin to firm up a bit. Evenly spoon the gelatin between each the jars. Place jars back into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Serve chilled. Top with Cool Whip and fresh strawberries.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
