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A No Bake Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie with a pretzel crust is the perfect easy pie recipe! This is like eating a strawberry pretzel salad but in pie form – with a thick sweet cream cheese layer and no jello!
No Bake Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
This pie has it all: salty pretzels, creamy sweet cheesecake, and yummy strawberries. It’s an twist on a classic cream cheese pie! There are three amazing layers to this pie: pretzel crust, cheesecake with cool whip, and strawberry pie filling. You could also top this with fresh berries!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It tastes like you put strawberry pretzel salad into a pie form – without jello or gelatin!
- Easy to make and no bake!
- It’s the perfect cream cheese pie with strawberries on top.
Ingredients Needed
- Pretzels – I love the addition of a salty pretzel crust! Twists or rods will work.
- Sugar – To sweeten the crust and the pie.
- Melted Butter – We use this to bind the crust. I used Challenge butter. Remember how I said my dad won’t eat any other kind? Still true.
- Cream Cheese – for the cheesecake filling – make sure your cream cheese is softened. Use Challenge Cream Cheese if you can find it!
- Cool Whip – whipped topping helps the filling come together fast.
- Strawberry Pie Filling or fresh strawberries for the topping
How to make Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- Let’s talk about PRETZEL CRUST! I crushed my pretzels in a food processor, but you can also use a rolling pin. The finer they are, the easier the crust sticks together.
- Stir together the crust ingredients and press into a 9-inch pie plate.
- Once the crust is done, we fill the pie! Beat cream cheese with sugar and a teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. I used granulated sugar but you could use powdered sugar if you prefer.
- Fold in the whipped topping until smooth.
- Spread cream cheese mixture in the pie crust.
- Spread your strawberry pie filling on top of your cream cheese layer and chill to set.
Recipe Swap
- This pie would also be good with a graham cracker crust, Oreo crust, or shortbread cookie crust. If you’re not going to use the pretzel crust, I suggest graham cracker crust!
- Top the pie wtih FRESH strawberries instead of pie filling if they’re in season!
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- Always use high quality ingredients – I use Challenge Butter because it’s my favorite kind and is made with happy cows at family owned dairies. It’s also award winning! I love Challenge Cream Cheese too, check their website to see where to find it.
- Traditionally cream cheese pies are served in a graham cracker crust, but the pretzel crust is SO good.
- Not all pie fillings are the same color! If you find that your can of strawberry pie filling isn’t as vibrant as you’d like, add a few drops of red food coloring to it before topping the pie.
- Always start with room temperature cream cheese to aovid lumps in your cream pie.
- To substitute whipped cream in placed of the Cool Whip, beat 1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form and gently fold it into the cream cheese mixture (by hand, not with a mixer).
FAQs
How to store cream cheese pie?
Store this pie in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze strawberry cream cheese pie?
I don’t recommend freezing this pie. You can, without the topping, but the crust might get soggy.
Can whipped cream cheese be used in place of regular?
I don’t recommend whipped cream cheese. It might not set up correctly. Be sure to use block full fat cream cheese.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie Recipe
This No-Bake Strawberry Pretzel Salad Pie turns the popular Jell-O salad recipe into a pie! No bake cheesecake, pretzel crust, and strawberry topping!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups (150g) finely crushed pretzels (about 3 cups pretzel twists)
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted Challenge Butter , melted
For the filling:
- 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (226g) whipped topping
- 1 20 ounce can Strawberry Pie Filling or use fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Make the crust: stir finely crushed pretzels and sugar with melted butter. Press into a 9” pie plate. Chill until ready to fill.
- Make the filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Whisk or fold in whipped topping until no lumps remain. Spread in prepared crust.
- Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
- When ready to serve: top with strawberry pie filling or chopped strawberries.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Make sure your pretzels are finely crushed so they stick together – the larger the pieces the harder it is to get them to form a crust and it will be more crumbly.
- Skip the pie filling and top this with fresh berries if you prefer.
- Not all pie fillings are the same color! If you find that your can of strawberry pie filling isn’t as vibrant as you’d like, add a few drops of red food coloring to it before topping the pie.
- To substitute whipped cream in placed of the Cool Whip, beat 1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form and gently fold it into the cream cheese mixture (by hand, not with a mixer).
- Always start with room temperature cream cheese to aovid lumps in your cream pie.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 617IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Favorite No Bake Pies
This post was sponsored by Challenge Butter in 2016. Post has been updated.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie is a no bake cheesecake with a pretzel crust – or use graham cracker crust – and a strawberry pie filling on top! The perfect easy pie recipe.
Last Updated on April 23, 2023
106 degrees this week. SAY WHAT? I’ll take all the no-bake desserts I can get. Love this!
This PIE! Seriously such a fun idea….I’ll take pie salad any day! 😉
Looks wonderful!m
Yum! I’ll take this salad, salad/pie, salad/dip anyway I can get it. My eldest son is anti-jello as well, but like cottage cheese. He might just buy into this one! lol
Love that this is no bake and comes together so easily!
Yum. This takes me back! There was always a strawberry pretzel salad at every get together back in the day. And this is definitely a salad to me. In Minnesota if it’s cream cheese or mayo based, it’s called a salad. ?
It’s been so humid lately that I haven’t wanted to turn on my oven. This no-bake strawberry pretzel salad looks like the perfect solution to my dessert cravings!
Mmm this is such a great idea, Dorothy! Pretzel salads are such a hit, that this pie just kicks it up about 100 notches. This looks perfect to serve at all of those barbecues and get-togethers!
Dorothy – This pie looks to die for! I can’t say that I’ve ever had strawberry salad, but I need to try it now. This flavor combination is all I want on a hot summer day. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.
Salad pie? Oh so much better than just the filling itself because there’s CRUST. Pretzel crust, no less! Wowie.
I’m sad because I can’t find Challenge cream cheese on this coast, and I’d love nothing more than to not have to wait for my cream cheese to soften before baking. Argh! Will keep looking!
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