Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Whatever twisted genius thought to call a dessert with layers of buttery crust, whipped cheesecake filling and strawberry gelatin topping a salad is my new best friend.  Who needs vegetables anyway… To say this is a nostalgic dessert for me would be an understatement.  It’s one of my most beloved “vintage” (circa 1990’s) desserts that I remember from so many potlucks and parties.  When I decided I wanted to make one for my blog, I knew I wanted to seek out a more modern, updated version that skips the frozen strawberries and whipped topping for homemade versions instead.

I found this recipe on Food & Wine, which took little convincing to determine that this was “the one”: a brown butter-graham cracker-and-pretzel crust, lemony no-bake whipped cheesecake layer set with gelatin, and fresh strawberries in the classic strawberry Jell-O topping.  It’s a little more work to make the components, but worth it with improved flavor and texture!This makes a great summer dessert for a crowd because, well, it serves a crowd!  It’s festive, light and full of fresh summer berries.  Plus you have no choice but to make it ahead, making entertaining a breeze!

[tasty-recipe id=”36707″]