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Creamy Patriotic Strawberry Pretzel Salad Cups

Creamy Patriotic Strawberry Pretzel Salad Cups - featured image
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A quick and easy no-bake dessert featuring a salty-sweet pretzel crust, creamy cheesecake filling, and a bright strawberry topping, perfect for summer celebrations and patriotic holidays.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups pretzels, finely crushed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Crush pretzels finely using a food processor or sealed bag.
  2. In a bowl, mix crushed pretzels, sugar, and melted butter until combined.
  3. Press mixture firmly into bottom of serving cups about 1/2 inch thick.
  4. Bake crust for 8-10 minutes until golden and fragrant. Let cool completely.
  5. In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy (2-3 minutes).
  6. In a separate chilled bowl, whip heavy cream with vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
  7. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until fluffy.
  8. Spoon or pipe creamy filling evenly over cooled pretzel crust in each cup. Smooth tops gently.
  9. Refrigerate cups for at least 30 minutes to set filling.
  10. In a small saucepan, combine sliced strawberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice.
  11. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until strawberries soften and release juice.
  12. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook 1-2 more minutes until glaze thickens and becomes shiny.
  13. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  14. Spoon cooled strawberry topping generously over creamy filling in each cup.
  15. Return cups to fridge and chill for an additional hour before serving.

Notes

Use softened cream cheese for smooth mixing. Whip cream to stiff peaks to maintain airy texture. Press pretzel crust firmly to prevent crumbling. Cool strawberry topping completely before adding to filling to avoid melting. Fresh strawberries preferred but frozen can be used if thawed and drained. Chill time is crucial for best texture. For gluten-free, use gluten-free pretzels. For dairy-free, substitute cream cheese and heavy cream with dairy-free alternatives.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry dessert, no-bake dessert, patriotic dessert, pretzel crust, cheesecake filling, summer dessert, easy dessert, Fourth of July dessert

Find it online: https://jodierecipes.com/creamy-patriotic-strawberry-pretzel-salad-cups-easy-no-bake-dessert-recipe/