Strawberry Pretzel Pie

This Strawberry Pretzel Pie recipe is my spin on the classic Strawberry Pretzel Salad. Fresh strawberries, strawberry compote, a fluffy pudding similar in taste and texture to my Dirty Pudding recipe, and a salty sweet pretzel crust held together by melted butter and brown sugar. It’s delicious; very similar to a no-bake cheesecake, but…different.

Fun fact: I was introduced to both Dirty Pudding and Strawberry Pretzel Pie by my ex mothers-in-law (I’ve been married twice, that’s why that’s plural). I had no idea either of those desserts existed before I visited with them. It almost makes being in relationships with their awful sons worth it!

Strawberry Pretzel Pie Ingredients

Feel free to jump to the full recipe, but here are useful notes about the ingredients you will need to make this Strawberry Pretzel Pie recipe:

• Pretzels: Use your favorite pretzels! Just make sure they are salted, and they’re not too big or thick. I like to use pretzel sticks for my Strawberry Pretzel Pie: pulsing them in the food processor gives me a nice mixture of pulverized pretzel crumbs, and small pretzel pieces – as shown above.
• Unsalted butter: Unless you used unsalted pretzels (I do not recommend that) you’ll want to use unsalted butter to avoid an overly salted crust.
• Cream cheese, Cool Whip: These two get blended together (along with powdered sugar) for the sweet and fluffy Strawberry Pretzel Pie filling. I’m gonna use Cool Whip every time, but if you have a preference for another frozen whipped topping, feel free. Just make sure you use the same amount.
• Powdered sugar, granulated sugar, light brown sugar: It’s not dessert without sugar! Well, not here on deepfriedhoney.com, at least. Powdered sugar goes into the filling, granulated in the strawberry compote, and brown sugar for the crust.
• Strawberries, lemon juice: Fresh berries! If you use frozen berries you’ll want to thaw and drain the excess liquid. Lemon juice is optional, but does a great job keeping the berries tasting fresh.
• Cornstarch, water: A thickening slurry for the compote. It will ensure the compote is nice and syrupy, and not too wet. If you’d prefer a gelatinous texture, like traditional Strawberry Pretzel Salad, I recommend stirring in two teaspoons of agar-agar powder as soon as you remove it from heat. You could also use gelatin – follow the package instructions in that case.

How to Make Strawberry Pretzel Pie

Full instructions are included in the recipe below, but here is a basic overview of what you’ll need to do, along with some important tidbits to help you make the most of this Strawberry Pretzel Pie recipe:

• Get Ready for Strawberry Pretzel Pie. Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9″ deep dish pie pan with baking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed pretzels, melted butter, and light brown sugar until all the dry crumbs of pretzel are moistened. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie pan, and use the bottom of a measuring cup to press it down into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then set it aside to cool completely.
• Prepare the Strawberry Compote. To make the strawberry topping, combine the diced strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and let simmer until the berries have broken down and released all of their juices, about 15 minutes.
• Strawberry Pretzel Pie Filling Time! While the berries are cooking, go ahead and make the pie filling. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the cream cheese with the powdered sugar until smooth. Some small lumps are fine. Next, use a spatula to gently fold the Cool Whip into the sweetened cream cheese, one half at a time. Once combined, pour it into the cooled pie crust. Use the back of the spatula to press it down into the pie crust, and then spread and smooth it out. Place the pie in the fridge to chill while you finish the topping.
• Build your Strawberry Pretzel Pie. Once the berries have broken down, remove the saucepan from the heat. In another vessel, whisk together the cold water and cornstarch, then pour the cornstarch slurry into the strawberry compote and stir well. Next, gently stir in the sliced strawberries. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rest on the counter until it has cooled to room temperature. It will thicken slightly, as it cools. When the strawberry topping is cooled, pull the pie from the fridge. Spoon the strawberry topping over the filling, taking care not to pour it on the crust. Spread it out into an even layer, then place it back in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours, preferably. Dassit! Slice and enjoy. 

Obligatory Pinterest Graphic –

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