Maggie’s Strawberry Pretzel Delight
Ingredients
Pretzel Crust:
- 1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 cups pretzel sticks, crushed in food processor
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1 8-ounce tub Cool Whip, thawed in the refrigerator
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
Strawberry Jell-O Topping:
- 1 6-ounce package strawberry Jell-O gelatin
- 1-1/2 cups boiling water
- Whipped cream, optional
Instructions
To prepare the pretzel crust:
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray; then make a parchment paper sling and place into greased pan; set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, stir together melted butter, sugar, and crushed pretzels.
- Press firmly into the bottom of the pan.
- Place in oven and bake in pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool completely before topping with the cream cheese filling.
To prepare the cream cheese filling:
- In a large bowl, beat together sifted confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla until well combined.
- Blend in Cool Whip.
- Spread evenly onto the completely cooled pretzel crust.
- Top evenly with sliced strawberries.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 30 – 60 minutes while making and cooling the top layer.
To prepare the Jell-O topping:
- Place contents of Jell-O gelatin into a large bowl; pour in hot water.
- Stir until completely dissolved; cool at room temperature for 30 – 60 minutes while your middle layer is chilling.
- Pour over the chilled middle layer.
To prepare for serving:
- Cover with saran wrap and store in the refrigerator until the Jell-O has set; at least a few hours.
- When ready to serve, use the parchment paper sling to remove the delight from the pan; cut into pieces.
- Top with whipped cream, if desired, and serve.
Notes
Try using orange Jello-O and Mandarin oranges; raspberry Jell-O and fresh raspberries; black cherry Jell-O with a can of cherry pie filling or fresh cherries, etc.
