This frozen strawberry cream pie in a sweet and salty pretzel crust is about to become a favorite warm-weather treat.
One of the most nostalgic desserts that I can think of from my childhood, aside from my grandma Esther’s bunny cake and my grandma Patsy’s Coca Cola cake, is the strawberry jello dessert with a pretzel crust. Also can we just appreciate, for a second, that this dessert is widely known as Strawberry Pretzel Salad? You just have to love those desserts that are named “salad”. Snickers Salad is another favorite of mine. Is this just a Midwestern thing? Fill me in.
One look at all of the photos of strawberry pretzel salad dessert through a Google search and I am immediately transported back in time to a summer picnic with burgers and hot dogs on the grill and a plethora of potato salad and chips. 
I wanted to recreate this dessert as a creamy strawberry pie with a pretzel crust and this is what I came up with. I thought about basically making the strawberry pretzel salad similar to the original, as a cream cheese layer topped with a strawberry gelatin layer, but putting it in a pie dish. However, I really wanted it to be a creamy strawberry filling. I also felt like the salad dessert has a lot of different steps between the crust and two different filling layers. I wanted to keep it simple!
The end result of this Frozen Strawberry Cream Pie with Pretzel Crust turned out so tasty and super simple. The pretzel crust is basically like a graham cracker crust but with pretzels. The filling is simply mixing a bunch of ingredients together, pouring it into the pie crust, and popping it in the freezer. You do have to whip some heavy cream but there’s no fussing with gelatin or worrying about things setting up.
While this recipe isn’t technically no-bake since the pie crust does need to be baked for a few minutes, this still makes a great spring or summer dessert for when the warmer temps discourage us all from using our ovens.
Click here for the pretzel crust recipe.
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Strawberry Cream Pie in a Pretzel Crust
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
A dreamy strawberry cream pie, made extra special with a crunchy, salty pretzel crust. Perfect for a summer gathering!
Ingredients
For the pretzel crust:
- 2 cups (about 200 g) salted pretzels, finely crushed
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted
For the strawberry cream filling:
- 2 cups (473 ml) heavy whipping cream, divided
- 2 cups (about 300 g) fresh strawberries, diced
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 can (14 oz / 396 g) sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 10-inch pie dish.
- Make the crust: mix together the crushed pretzels, brown sugar, and melted butter in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
- Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie dish.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling.
- Make the filling: in a medium bowl, beat 1 cup of the heavy whipping cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Place the diced strawberries in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk together with an electric mixer until smooth and well combined.
- Add the chopped strawberries to the cream cheese mixture and mix until incorporated.
- Gently fold in the whipped cream until just combined.
- Pour the filling into the cooled crust and freeze for at least 6 hours, or until fully set.
- When ready to serve, beat the remaining 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread over the top of the frozen pie.
- Freeze for another hour if desired, or serve straight away. Slice and enjoy.
Notes
For a stronger pretzel flavor, use salted pretzels in the crust. To avoid a watery filling, let the diced strawberries drain briefly or macerate them with a pinch of sugar for 15 minutes before adding to the cream cheese mixture. The finished pie keeps well in the freezer for up to 2 weeks; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 50
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 60
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of pretzels should I use for the crust?
You can use crushed traditional pretzels, like the hard pretzel rods or twists, to create a sweet and salty crust for the pie.
Can I substitute fresh strawberries for the strawberry gelatin layer?
While fresh strawberries can be used, the gelatin helps to set the layer and provides a different texture, so you may want to adjust the recipe to include some sugar and cornstarch to achieve a similar consistency.
Is it necessary to freeze the pie before serving?
Yes, freezing the pie helps the creamy strawberry filling set properly and makes it easier to slice when serving.
