Strawberry season is one of my favorite times of the year. I always look forward to the sweet taste of locally grown strawberries. There are so many ways we can use these strawberries in recipes – pies, jam, muffins, and so much more! One of my favorites is this strawberry salad with candied pecans and pretzels. The pretzels add a perfect balance of salty with the rest of the sweet salad, and the pecans and pretzels add a wonderful crunch to the creamy salad. Enjoy!
Strawberry Salad with Candied Pecans and Pretzels
The pretzels add a perfect balance of salty with the rest of the sweet salad, and the pecans and pretzels add a wonderful crunch to the creamy salad.
Kimberly Baker, ©2020 Clemson Extension
3 cups strawberries
1 cup pretzels, coarsely crushed
½ cup pecans, chopped
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup butter, melted
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
8 ounces whipped topping
- Preheat oven to 400 °F.
- Wash strawberries in cool running water. Trim off tops. Cut each strawberry in half and then thinly slice. Set aside.
- Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Combine pretzels, pecans, melted butter, and brown sugar. Spread on prepared pan. Bake for 7-9 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon together until fluffy. Gently fold in whipped topping and strawberries.
- Crumble the cooled pretzel and pecan mixture, and fold into salad immediately before serving.
Yield: approximately 12 servings
Note: Keep salad refrigerated. If the entire salad will not be eaten at the time of service, the candied pretzels and pecans can be served on the side as a topping to the salad. If they are mixed in and refrigerated for more than a few hours, they will begin to become soggy.
