Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the crushed pretzels, brown sugar, and melted butter and press into a lightly greased 9 x 13" pan.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once the pretzel crust is slightly cool, refrigerate it 30-60 minutes so that it gets really cold.
In the meantime, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Then using a spatula, fold in the Cool Whip.
Spread over cooled crust. (Make sure you spread this layer completely to the edges. You want to create a seal so your Jell-O doesn’t leak through.) Return your pan to the fridge to chill.
Next, prepare the Jell-O according to the package directions minus 1/4 cup of water. This is a personal preference, but I find using less water allows the Jell-O to firm up better. Put your bowl of Jell-O in the fridge to allow it to chill. However, do not let it become completely firm
While the Jell-O cools, slice the strawberries. Then, place them on top of your chilled layer of cream cheese and cool whip.
Once the Jell-O is chilled to about the consistency of jam or pudding (about an hour or two in the fridge), it’s ready. Spoon or pour the Jell-O over the cream cheese layer.
Return the pan to the fridge. Cool until your Jell-O is completely set (about an hour).
Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Please note: For best results, you must chill the layers between steps. This is an easy dessert to make but it does take time due to chilling. Allow enough time to complete the entire recipe.