Strawberry Crackle Salad

This Strawberry Crackle Salad is a delightful dessert-salad hybrid that perfectly balances sweet and salty flavors with creamy and crunchy textures. A buttery, caramelized pretzel-pecan crust forms the “crackle,” layered with a luscious cream cheese and Cool Whip filling, and topped with fresh, juicy strawberries. It’s a fantastic, crowd-pleasing dish that’s incredibly addictive!

Strawberry Crackle Salad

Ingredients:

1. Prepare Pretzel Crackle: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium-sized bowl, add the 2 cups crushed pretzels, 1 cup chopped pecans, and 1 cup brown sugar. Mix these dry ingredients together until well combined. Pour the 1 cup melted butter over the pretzel mixture and mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are well coated. Spread the pretzel mixture evenly onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until it’s bubbly and lightly golden. Remove the pan from the oven and set it aside to cool completely. As it cools, it will firm up and become “crackly.” Once fully cooled, break the mixture into small pieces.
2. Prepare Creamy Layer: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, mix together the 2 (8 oz) packages softened cream cheese, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy, with no lumps of cream cheese. Gently fold in the 16 oz Cool Whip until just combined, being careful not to overmix and deflate the Cool Whip. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the cream mixture until you are ready to serve the salad.
3. Assemble and Serve: For serving: Just before serving, take out your chilled cream mixture. Top it with the 4 cups sliced strawberries and the cooled pretzel crunch pieces. Gently mix the strawberries and pretzel crunch into the cream mixture right before serving to maintain the texture of the crackle. You can also top with a bit more pretzel crunch if desired for extra visual appeal and texture.