It’s no secret that we love a good vintage-inspired dessert here at 12 tomatoes, especially the ones that are called “salads” that have nary a vegetable in sight. And that is the exact category today’s recipe falls into. This Strawberry Crackle Salad is inspired by the legendary layered Strawberry Pretzel Salad, but instead of stacked ingredients, all that crunch, creamy, and fruity goodness gets mixed together. You enjoy it by the bowlful and if you’re anything like us, then you’ll definitely be going back for seconds!
The recipe starts out with making a pretzel-pecan crunch that we would honestly snack on all by itself if left unattended (guilty!). The pretzels bring that addictive salty-sweet flavor, while the brown sugar and butter caramelize everything into this toasty, golden crumble that’s hard to resist. Adding chopped pecans gives it that delicious nutty hint and it’s all baked until bubbly and then broken into pieces. That’s the crackle!
Next, the smooth and creamy layer. We’re talking softened cream cheese, vanilla, a bit of sugar, and a generous amount of cool whip to lighten everything up. It’s sweet, tangy, and rich without feeling too heavy—the perfect compliment for those juicy strawberries.
