Description
Delightful Strawberry Crack Salad is a creamy, sweet, and crunchy dessert salad featuring a luscious cream cheese and whipped topping base, fresh diced strawberries, and a caramelized pretzel and pecan crunch. This treat combines a refreshing fruitiness with a rich and buttery crunch, perfect for a quick and impressive dessert or party dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Cream Cheese Base
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz whipped topping
Crunch Topping
- 1 cup pretzels, chopped
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup melted butter
Fruit
- 2–3 cups strawberries, diced
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the crunch topping, ensuring the oven is hot and ready when you spread the mixture.
- Prepare Strawberries: Wash the strawberries thoroughly, dry them completely to avoid excess moisture, and dice them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside to maintain freshness.
- Mix Crunch Topping: In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped pretzels, chopped pecans, melted butter, and brown sugar. Stir thoroughly until all pieces are evenly coated with the buttery, sugary mixture for maximum caramelized flavor.
- Bake Crunch: Spread the coated pretzel and pecan mixture evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes until the topping is golden brown and caramelized. Remove and allow it to cool completely to firm up the crunch.
- Make Cream Cheese Base: Using a mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth, fluffy, and well combined, creating a creamy, sweet base for the salad.
- Fold in Whipped Topping: Gently fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture to keep the texture light and airy, avoiding deflating the mixture.
- Combine Salad: Carefully fold in the diced strawberries and the cooled crunch topping into the cream cheese mixture, ensuring some crunch pieces remain intact for texture contrast.
- Serve Immediately: Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and enjoy immediately to savor the best combination of fresh strawberry juiciness and crunchy topping freshness.
Notes
- For best texture, serve the salad immediately after assembling to prevent the crunch from becoming soggy.
- You can substitute pecans with walnuts or almonds for a different nutty flavor.
- If you prefer less sweetness, reduce the amount of sugar or brown sugar slightly.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, but the crunch topping may soften.
