Description
Sweet peach pretzel salad combines salty, crunchy pretzels with creamy cheesecake layers and juicy peach chunks. Chilled Southern-style dessert promises refreshing summer flavors that delight palates seeking delightful contrast.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups pretzels (crushed)
- 4 cups peaches (sliced, fresh or canned)
- 1 box peach gelatin (6 oz/170 g)
- 1 package cream cheese (8 oz/226 g)
- 1 carton whipped topping (8 oz/226 g)
- 2 ⅓ cups boiling water
- 1 pasteurized egg (optional)
- ¾ cup butter (melted)
- 3 tbsps powdered sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Gelatin Preparation: Whisk peach gelatin into boiling water until completely dissolved, creating a smooth liquid base. Fold in chopped peaches and allow to cool, developing a soft-set consistency.
- Pretzel Crust Creation: Crush pretzels into fine crumbs using a rolling pin within a sealed bag. Mix thoroughly with powdered sugar and melted butter, pressing the mixture into a 9×13-inch pan to form a compact foundation. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, then cool completely.
- Cream Cheese Layer: Whip cream cheese with powdered sugar and pasteurized egg until silky smooth. Gently incorporate whipped topping, maintaining a light texture. Spread evenly across the cooled pretzel crust, ensuring complete coverage.
- Final Assembly: Pour the softened peach gelatin mixture over the cream cheese layer, distributing uniformly to create a seamless top. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until the gelatin sets firmly and completely.
- Serving: Retrieve the dessert from the refrigerator, slice into portions, and serve chilled to preserve the perfect layered texture and refreshing flavor profile.
Notes
- Pretzel Prep Tip: Crush pretzels thoroughly to create a fine, even base that ensures consistent crunch and prevents crumbly texture.
- Gelatin Setting Strategy: Allow gelatin to cool to a soft-set consistency before adding peaches to prevent fruit from sinking and maintain layered appearance.
- Crust Cooling Caution: Let pretzel crust cool completely to room temperature before adding cream cheese layer, preventing unwanted melting and maintaining structural integrity.
- Chilling Critical: Refrigerate for full 2-3 hours to guarantee perfect gelatin set and allow flavors to meld harmoniously, delivering optimal taste and texture experience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg