Strawberry Crackle Salad
A sweet and creamy strawberry cheesecake salad with juicy berries and a buttery caramelized pretzel-pecan crunch.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 319kcal
Ingredients
For the Pretzel Pecan Crackle
- 2 cups coarsely crushed salted pretzels
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup salted butter melted
For the Strawberry Cheesecake Filling
- 2 packages cream cheese 8 ounces each, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2 containers frozen whipped topping 8 ounces each, thawed
- 4 cups fresh strawberries hulled and diced
- Additional strawberries for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the crushed pretzels, chopped pecans and brown sugar. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture is evenly coated.
- Spread the pretzel mixture into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the brown sugar is bubbling and the pecans are lightly toasted. Watch the mixture closely near the end to prevent burning.
- Allow the pretzel mixture to cool completely on the baking sheet, then break it into small, bite-sized clusters.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes, or until smooth, fluffy and the sugar is mostly dissolved.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and salt until combined.
- Fold the thawed whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture until smooth and evenly combined.
- Pat the diced strawberries dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Reserve about 1 cup of the pretzel-pecan crackle for topping.
- Just before serving, gently fold the strawberries and remaining pretzel crackle into the cheesecake mixture.
- Spoon the salad into a serving bowl and sprinkle the reserved crackle over the top. Garnish with additional strawberries, if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Thaw the whipped topping beforehand: Let the frozen whipped topping thaw slowly in the refrigerator before making the filling to help maintain the right fluffy texture. Thawing it at room temperature may leave you with a watery, less fluffy topping.
- Dice the strawberries evenly: To ensure delicious strawberries in every bite, cut the berries into small, bite-sized pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the filling.
- Keep it chilled: If you’re making this dessert ahead of time, store the strawberry cheesecake mixture separate from the crackle in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
- Keep the crackle crunchy: Add the crackle to the cheesecake mixture right before serving to preserve the crunchiness!
- Storing leftovers: If you expect to have leftovers and want to preserve the crunchy crackle, keep the pretzel-pecan mixture and cheesecake mixture stored separately and combine them right before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 154mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg