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Bake the Crust: Press the pretzel mixture firmly into the bottom of a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. This will form the base of your cheesecake delight.
Creamy Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
For an extra burst of vanilla flavor, you can use a vanilla bean instead of vanilla extract. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean pod and add them to the cream cheese mixture along with the pod itself. Remove the pod before folding in the whipped topping.
Fold in the Fun: Gently fold in the whipped topping to the cream cheese mixture until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can deflate the whipped topping and make the filling dense.
Strawberry Delight: In a separate bowl, dissolve the strawberry gelatin completely in the boiling water. Stir constantly to ensure there are no lumps.
You can use fresh or frozen strawberries for this recipe. If using frozen strawberries, thaw them completely and drain any excess liquid before adding them to the gelatin mixture.
Gently Does It: Once the gelatin mixture has cooled slightly (but not set), gently fold in the sliced strawberries. Be careful not to break the strawberries.
Setting the Stage: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the gelatin layer is completely set. Ideally, leave it overnight for the best results.
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