Welcome Spring With Sheri Castle’s Strawberry Pretzel Icebox Salad Recipe

Sheri Castle’s Strawberry Pretzel Salad is a sweet, salty addition to any spring menu.

This retro favorite is one of the easiest, prettiest and most refreshing fresh strawberry recipes I know – a real crowd-pleaser. The recipe’s been around since the 1970s, so while I didn’t invent it, I did spruce it up. Instead of a paltry box of frozen berries, I use a heaping quart of fresh strawberries and only enough Jell-O to make them shine. The filling now tastes like no-bake cheesecake because I use real whipped cream and cream cheese. But I didn’t dare mess with the crushed salted pretzel crust that balances the sweetness and lets us say, “You’ll never guess what’s in it!” to those who are new to this delightful recipe that we curiously call “salad” even though it can be dessert.

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My secret to success in making a picture-perfect salad that cuts cleanly is to give each layer the time and attention it needs. Let the crust cool before adding the filling. Spread the fluffy white filling to the edges so that the red layer doesn’t seep down into the crust. Chill the Jell-O until it’s partially set before folding in the berries. Refrigerate the salad until deeply chilled and firm before cutting.

See more: Berried Treasure Strawberry Recipes

Strawberry Pretzel Icebox Salad Recipe

Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

Crust:

2 cups (7 ounces) finely crushed salted pretzels

3 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

2 cups whipping cream, chilled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

2 boxes (3 ounces each) strawberry Jell-O (not sugar free)

2 cups boiling water

4 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Instructions

1. For crust: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss together pretzels, sugar and butter; press evenly over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake until fragrant – 8 to 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
2. For filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth in a large bowl with a mixer set to high speed. Add cream and vanilla and beat to firm peaks. Spread evenly to the edges over cooled crust. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
3. For topping: Stir together Jell-O and boiling water in a medium bowl. Refrigerate uncovered only until it thickens to the loose, jiggly consistency of uncooked egg whites, about 20 minutes. Fold in strawberries and spread over filling.
4. Refrigerate until deeply chilled and firmly set, at least 4 hours. Serve chilled.

Tip: Use fully ripe strawberries that are bright red all the way to the tips, with a heavenly aroma that perfumes the kitchen. Wash them just before capping and using.

See more: Sheri Castle’s Recipe for Lemon Angel Pie

Sheri Castle is the host of The Key Ingredient, an Emmy Award-winning show from PBS North Carolina. She is also an award-winning food writer, recipe developer and cooking teacher. The Southern Foodways Alliance named her one of 20 Living Legends of Southern Food, calling her The Storyteller. She grew up in Watauga County and now lives in Chatham County. Keep tabs on her at shericastle.com.