Monday, August 01, 2011

Strawberry Pretzel Bars

What a super summer dessert that's great for outdoor entertaining or as a bring-along. Our salty yet sweet, light yet creamy recipe for Strawberry Pretzel Bars will stand out from the rest.

Serves: 12

Cooking Time: 10 min

Ingredients

* 2 cups finely crushed pretzels
* 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) butter, melted
* 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
* 2 (4-serving) packages strawberry-flavored gelatin
* 2 cups boiling water
* 1 (16-ounce) package frozen strawberries (see Note)
* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine crushed pretzels, butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar. Press mixture into bottom of baking dish. Bake 8 minutes; let cool.

3. In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add strawberries and chill until slightly thickened.

4. In another large bowl, with an electric beater on medium speed, combine cream cheese and remaining 1 cup sugar until smooth and creamy. Fold in whipped topping and spread evenly over pretzel crust.

5. With an electric beater on low speed, beat gelatin and strawberries until berries are broken up. Spread over cream cheese layer. Cover and chill at least 4 hours, or until firm.

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