These Strawberry Pretzel Cookies take everything you love about the classic potluck dessert, and turn it into a fun, bakery-style cookie. The cookies start with a soft brown sugar pretzel filled cookie base, topped with the best fluffy whipped cream cheese frosting, a spoonful of fresh strawberry sauce, and a crunchy pretzel for the perfect finishing touch. They have the best balance of sweet and salty and are such a fun cookie for a crowd!
If you love strawberry pretzel jello salad, these cookies will be right up your alley. They have the brown sugar pretzel flavor, that is mixed right into the dough, for that perfect sweet and salty flavor we love.
The whipped cream cheese frosting is like my favorite part of the “salad” representing the no bake cheesecake layer. And a simple 4 ingredient homemade strawberry topping that adds the fresh strawberry jello flavor. The cookie truly tastes like strawberry pretzel salad, but now its not hiding as a side dish 😉
The cookies may look fancy with their layers of cookie, frosting, and strawberry topping. But I promise each component is actually super easy to make. The extra steps are completely worth it for a cookie that tastes this good!
Why you’ll love these cookies
- Inspired by a Classic Dish: All the flavors of strawberry pretzel salad turned into an amazing cookie!
- Sweet and Salty Flavors: The pretzel filled cookie base adds the perfect salty crunch to these cookies.
- Amazing Mix of Flavors: The pretzels, brown sugar, cream cheese, and strawberries all come together in the perfect combination of flavors. They’re sweet, and salty, and come together to create the ultimate cookie.
- So Pretty Too: The cookies don’t just taste amazing, but they look extra pretty on a table too. The mix of colors, with the red on top, and the layers all look so nice together!
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of some of the ingredients you’ll need for this Strawberry Pretzel Salad Cookie Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Unsalted Butter: This provides a rich flavor to the cookie base
- Brown Sugar: We’re using brown sugar and granulated sugar, the brown sugar gives these cookies an extra chewy texture, and a subtle caramel flavor.
- Pretzels: Chopped or crushed pretzels get baked in butter and brown sugar just like we’re making the crust for the salad. It gives the cookies extra crunch, and adds that sweet and salty flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Use full fat cream cheese to give your frosting the best tangy flavor, and creaminess.
- Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar. This frosting isn’t as sweet as other frostings, and only needs 1/2 cup.
- Heavy Cream: This makes the frosting extra fluffy.
- Fresh Strawberries: We’re making a super fresh, sweet thickened strawberry sauce that balances out all the flavors.
- Cornstarch: We use a little cornstarch to make a slurry and thicken our strawberry sauce.
How to make Strawberry Pretzel Salad Cookies
Step 1: Make the Strawberry Sauce. Add the chopped strawberries, sugar and lemon juice to a small sauce pan. Cook over medium until the berries start to release their juices. Mix the cornstarch and a little water in a small bowl and add it to the strawberries. Cook until thickened, then transfer to a bowl to cool completely. Strain if you want to remove the seeds.
Step 2: Make the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth, then slowly beat while mixing in the heavy cream, once combined beat until its nice and fluffy. Chill in the fridge until needed.
Step 3: Make the Sugared Pretzels. Chop the pretzels until they’re in small pieces. Stir them in a bowl with melted butter and brown sugar. Spread out on a cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until golden. Then let it cool until needed.
Step 4: Make the Cookie Dough. Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract until combined.
Step 5: Add in the Dry Ingredients. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix until you have a soft cookie dough. Fold in the pretzels.
Step 6: Bake the Cookies. Scoop the dough into balls (about 1.5 TBS each) and bake them until the edges are just lightly golden and the tops are set. Let the cookies cool completely.
Step 7: Assemble the Cookies. Spread frosting on top of each cooled cookie. Spoon strawberry sauce over the frosting. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream, a whole pretzel, or additional crushed pretzels if desired. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks:
- Make it EASIER: Skip the homemade strawberry sauce and use store bought strawberry jam. Skip the candied pretzels and just use chopped pretzels for the mix in!
- Assorted Sized in the Pretzels: We like some of the pretzels to be finely crushed, and some slightly bigger pieces (maybe as big as a chocolate chip) to create a variety of crunchy bites throughout each cookie.
- Do Not Over Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies just until they are very lightly golden on the edges and the center of the cookie is no longer shiny.
- Assemble Right before Serving: The cookies are best shortly after assembling them. You can make the parts in advance. but then decorate the cookies right before serving for the best taste, texture, and appearance to your cookies.
- Make the Cookies Extra Pretty: Add a dollop of whipped cream, a strawberry slice, and a mini pretzel on top of each cookie after they’ve been decorated with the frosting and strawberry sauce.
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
I recommend assembling the cookies right before you want to enjoy them. The strawberry sauce will start to soften the cookie, and give you soggy pretzels, no good. They can be stored in the fridge for a day or two, if needed.
Otherwise I recommend storing the parts of the cookies separate. The unfrosted cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Store the frosting, and strawberry sauce in the fridge during that time.
The cookie bases can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Make the frosting and strawberry sauce fresh to decorate the thawed cookies.
These Strawberry Pretzel Salad Cookies are such a fun twist, and make such a fun cookie flavor. They capture everything people love about the original dish, and turn it into a handheld treat. You’ll love them for a summer BBQ, spring potluck, and honestly they’ll disappear any time of the year!
More Favorite Cookies:
- Lemon Cream Pie Cookies
- Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Crumbl Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies
- Butter Pecan Cookies
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
- Pretzel Cinnamon Chip Cookies
- Strawberry Sugar Cookies // Best Christmas Desserts
If you make this Strawberry Pretzel Salad Cookie Recipe please leave a comment and 🌟 rating letting me know what you think! If you post the photo on Instagram, please tag me – I’d love to see what you’re making!
Strawberry Pretzel Salad Cookies
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Sauce:
- 3 cups Diced Strawberries
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 3 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1/2 TBS Cornstarch
- 1/2 TBS Water
For the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 6 oz Cream Cheese (Softened)
- 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1.5 cup Heavy Cream
For the Brown Sugar Pretzels:
- 2 cups Chopped Pretzels
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (Melted)
- 3 TBS Brown Sugar
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 TBS Vanilla Extract
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour (weighed, or spooned and leveled)
- 1 TBS Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
For Assembly:
- 1 cup Whipped Cream (optional)
- 32 Mini Pretzels
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
Instructions
For the Strawberry Sauce:
- Add the strawberries, sugar, and lemon to a medium pot over medium heat. Bring to a low bowl. 3 cups Diced Strawberries, 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar, 3 tsp Lemon Juice
- Mix together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add it to the boiling strawberries. Stir it all together, and let it keep boiling until the sauce is thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. 1/2 TBS Cornstarch, 1/2 TBS Water
- Remove from the heat, and transfer the strawberry sauce to a small bowl to cool completely.
For the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Add the cream cheese to a medium bowl and beat it with a hand mixer until it is smooth and creamy. 6 oz Cream Cheese
- Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar, 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1/4 tsp Salt
- With the mixer running on low, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Once the cream is all mixed in, turn the mixer to medium high speed. Continue mixing until the frosting is thick enough to hold its shape. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. 1.5 cup Heavy Cream
- Place the frosting in the fridge until needed.
For the Brown Sugar Pretzels:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine your crushed pretzels, butter, and brown sugar. 2 cups Chopped Pretzels , 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, 3 TBS Brown Sugar
- Spread the mixture over the top of cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool until needed.
For the Cookie Dough:
- Line another baking sheet with parchment paper, and set it aside.
- Add the butter and sugars to a large bowl. Cream them together for about 2 minutes until light and creamy. 1 cup Unsalted Butter, 1 cup Brown Sugar, 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and stir until combined. 2 Eggs, 1/2 TBS Vanilla Extract
- Add in the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix everything together. 3 cups All Purpose Flour, 1 TBS Cornstarch, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp Salt
- Fold in the candied pretzels until they're mixed evenly into the dough.
- Scoop 1.5 TBS of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Place cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes, oruntil they just start to turn golden and the top of the cookies is no longer shiny.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely, or enjoy warm.
For Assembly:
- Spread a spoonful of frosting on top of each cooled cookie. Add a spoonful of the strawberry topping over the frosting. Add a dollop of whipped cream, if desired. Top with a mini pretzel. Repeat with additional cookies. 1 cup Whipped Cream, 32 Mini Pretzels
Notes
- Make it EASIER: Skip the homemade strawberry sauce and use store bought strawberry jam. Skip the candied pretzels and just use chopped pretzels for the mix in!
- Assorted Sized in the Pretzels: We like some of the pretzels to be finely crushed, and some slightly bigger pieces (maybe as big as a chocolate chip) to create a variety of crunchy bites throughout each cookie.
- Do Not Over Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies just until they are very lightly golden on the edges and the center of the cookie is no longer shiny.
- Assemble Right before Serving: The cookies are best shortly after assembling them. You can make the parts in advance. but then decorate the cookies right before serving for the best taste, texture, and appearance to your cookies.
- Make the Cookies Extra Pretty: Add a dollop of whipped cream, a strawberry slice, and a mini pretzel on top of each cookie after they’ve been decorated with the frosting and strawberry sauce.
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