Today’s second dairy-free dessert course comes courtesy of the South. I first encountered it while living in Louisiana and working in Texas. I’ve put a dairy-free twist on a classic dessert, full of salty and sweet goodness and super easy to make. This dessert features fresh strawberries and Jell-O and a rich, creamy, dairy-free layer sitting atop a salty, crunchy pretzel crust.
It’s a Strawberry Pretzel Salad! Don’t let the name deter you, it’s not a salad. It’s more like a no-bake cheesecake, and it has quickly become a favorite here in the Jordan house. This dish is perfect for these late summer days where you can take advantage of fresh strawberries. If you find yourself craving this outside of strawberry season, don’t fret. The beauty of this recipe is that you can use frozen strawberries or a multitude of other fruits ā just be sure to use the respective Jell-O flavor (i.e., raspberries with raspberry Jell-O, etc.).
I have made this dessert dairy-free by using So Delicious CocoWhip instead of Cool Whip and Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese instead of cream cheese. I would argue that using these dairy-free alternatives makes this dish even better than the traditional version. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- PRETZEL CRUST:
- 2 1/4 cups crushed pretzels
- 3/4 cup butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- CREAM FILLING:
- 8 ounces Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 8 ounces So Delicious CocoWhip, defrosted
- STRAWBERRY TOPPING:
- 6 ounces strawberry Jell-O
- 2 cups boiling water
- 4 cups sliced strawberries
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375Ā°F.
- 2. Combine the crushed pretzels, sugar, and melted butter in a bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom of 9x13 glass pan, making sure the bottom is completely covered. Bake for 10 minutes and then cool completely.
- 3. Place the Tofutti and sugar in a medium bowl. Mix with a hand mixer on medium until fluffy and well-mixed. Gently fold in the CoCoWhip. Using a silicone spatula, spread the cream filling evenly over the cooled crust, all the way to the edge of the glass pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- 4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Jell-O and boiling water until the Jell-O is dissolved. Allow the Jell-O mixture to sit at room temperature until just completely cooled. Do not let it sit too long, or else Jell-O will start to form.
- 5. Place sliced strawberries over the cream filling. Pour the cooled Jell-O mixture over the top of the strawberries.
- 6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firmly set, for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
