My family has been making this salad for years and we've learned a few tricks I thought I would pass on.
1) Freeze the pretzel layer until completely cooled and hardened.
2) Add 1/3 of a packet of gelatin to the jello mixture.
3) Allow the jello mixture to chill before pouring on top of the cream cheese layer.
Hope these hints help!
Great recipe!!! Whenever I make it I bring several copies of the recipe because people ALWAYS ask for me for it! ***Hint*** I made the mistake of crushing the pretzels in their original store bought bag and ended up with all of the extra salt from the bottom of the bag in my recipe...Too Salty! I recommend putting the pretzels in a Ziploc bag and crushing with a rolling pin.
My cousin-in-law made this for Christmas two years ago. I couldn't get enough of it, and she forgot to send me the recipe. Needless to say, I was very glad to find it here! It's delicious. One suggestion for cooks using electric ovens and Pyrex-type bakeware, lightly cover the pan with cooking spray before baking the pretzel crust.
Good recipe - it tasted similar to a "Banana Split Cake." Tip: crush pretzels in a deep bowl with the bottom of a heavy glass. I tried using a ziplock bag but the sharp edges of the pretzels put holes in the bag. I also followed the suggestion of melting butter and mixing in the brown sugar before adding the crushed pretzels. Lastly I used frozen whole strawberries which helped the jello set faster.
Very good however really ensure you do have your cream cheese/whipped topping layer sealed well before you add the jello layer. I obviously did not and some of my jello went to the bottom! It would also help to not add the jello layer until it has some thickness to it.
The margarine & brown sugar should be melted before adding to the crushed pretzels otherwise the crust doesn't hold. Also try reducing the crushed pretzels to 2 cups instead of 2 1/2. Also the cream cheese layer is disproportionately small especially compared to the gelatin layer on top.
This recipe was excellent! I made it for our daugther's first birthday as part of the menu and everyone absolutely loved it. The only change I made was that I pureed the strawberries in a food processor and then added it to the gelatin. I think next time I make it I'll make the gelatin layer first since it took quite some time to cool off. The pretzel crust didn't get soggy even after 3 days and we've enjoyed the leftovers. This is definitely a recipe I'll make again and again.
Turned out great! Didn't overcook crust, didn't use light cool whip, and made sure edges were sealed so jello didn't seep to bottom. Thank you for posting the recipe and thanks to everyone else who wrote in their tips! You all helped make this perfect! Fantastic!
I had this at a party several times and now I have the receipe. This is a dessert and the saltiness of the pretzel bottom gives it an unique flavor. I tried raspberries and raspberry gelatin in instead of strawberry and it was superb!!! thanks.
