Description
Strawberry Crackle Salad combines fluffy cream cheese, fresh strawberries, and caramelized pretzel-pecan crunch for the ultimate sweet-salty dessert. Perfect for potlucks and BBQs!
Ingredients
Creamy Base
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (one standard package; use full-fat for best texture)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure vanilla recommended)
- 8 oz whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip or store-brand; can substitute homemade whipped cream)
Crunchy Topping
- 1 cup pretzels, roughly chopped (mini twists or rods work great)
- ½ cup chopped pecans (can substitute walnuts or sliced almonds)
- ¾ cup brown sugar (light or dark both work)
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, melted (unsalted preferred)
Fruit
- 2–3 cups fresh strawberries, diced (about 1 lb; frozen will make it too watery)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C).
In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup chopped pretzels, ½ cup chopped pecans, ¾ cup brown sugar, and ¾ cup melted butter. Stir until everything is evenly coated and the mixture looks like wet sand.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the pretzel mixture in an even layer across the pan.
Bake for 7–9 minutes, stirring once at the halfway mark to ensure even caramelization. Watch closely after 7 minutes—it goes from golden to burnt quickly!
Remove from the oven when it’s bubbling and deep golden brown. Let it cool completely on the baking sheet; it will harden as it cools and become wonderfully crunchy.
In a large mixing bowl, add 8 oz softened cream cheese, ½ cup granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, beat for 2–3 minutes until the mixture is completely smooth, fluffy, and no lumps remain. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the 8 oz thawed whipped topping. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture with a sweeping motion from the bottom to the top.
Don’t overmix or use the electric mixer here—you want to keep it light and airy. Fold just until fully combined and the mixture is uniformly creamy and pale.
Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble (can be made up to 24 hours ahead).
This step is crucial: assemble just 15–30 minutes before serving to maintain the crunch!
Dice your fresh strawberries into bite-sized pieces (about ½-inch cubes).
Break up the cooled pretzel-pecan crunch into bite-sized clusters—don’t pulverize it; you want substantial crunchy pieces.
Add the diced strawberries and about three-quarters of the crunchy topping to the creamy base. Using a large spoon or spatula, gently fold everything together until the strawberries and crunch are evenly distributed throughout.
Don’t overmix or the crunch will start breaking down. Transfer to your serving bowl.
Sprinkle the remaining pretzel-pecan crunch over the top for visual appeal and an extra crunchy first bite.
Serve immediately in a large serving bowl for family-style scooping, or portion into individual dessert cups or mason jars for a pretty presentation.
If the salad sits longer than 30–45 minutes, the crunch will begin to soften from the moisture in the strawberries and cream, so timing is everything!
Notes
- Make it extra fancy: Layer the components parfait-style in clear glasses—cream base, strawberries, crunch, repeat. Gorgeous for bridal showers!
- Double the crunch: This recipe makes just enough topping. If your crowd loves crunch, make 1.5x the pretzel-pecan mixture. You won’t regret it.
- Control the sweetness: The crunch is quite sweet from the brown sugar. If you prefer less sweetness, reduce brown sugar to ½ cup or use unsalted pretzels to balance it.
- Prevent butter separation: Make sure your pretzel mixture is evenly coated before baking. If butter pools on the pan, the crunch won’t set properly.
- Stir halfway through baking: This isn’t optional—it prevents burning on the edges and ensures even caramelization throughout.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 42g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 65mg