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Easy No-Bake Strawberry Pretzel Salad Bars

no bake strawberry pretzel salad bars - featured image
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A quick and refreshing no-bake dessert featuring a salty pretzel crust, creamy cream cheese layer, and a sweet strawberry topping. Perfect for summer gatherings and potlucks.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (200g) crushed salted pretzels
  • 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 2 cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 cups (600g) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium bowl, mix crushed pretzels, melted butter, and granulated sugar until evenly coated. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool completely (about 20 minutes).
  2. In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until creamy. In a separate chilled bowl, whip cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Spread evenly over cooled pretzel crust. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
  3. Rinse and slice strawberries. In a medium saucepan, combine granulated sugar, lemon juice, water, and cornstarch. Stir constantly over medium heat until thickened and clear (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and fold in sliced strawberries. Cool to room temperature, then pour over cream cheese layer.
  4. Refrigerate assembled bars for at least 2 hours or overnight to set. Cut into squares with a sharp knife and serve chilled.

Notes

Do not skip chilling time to ensure the cream cheese layer firms up and bars hold together. Crush pretzels finely but not into dust for best texture. Use cold heavy cream and stop whipping at stiff peaks to avoid grainy texture. Stir strawberry topping constantly to prevent lumps. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut bars neatly.

Nutrition

Keywords: no-bake dessert, strawberry pretzel salad bars, summer dessert, easy dessert, pretzel crust, creamy dessert, crowd-pleaser

Find it online: https://coracooks.com/easy-no-bake-strawberry-pretzel-salad-bars-recipe-for-perfect-summer-dessert/