Strawberry Pretzel Bars

Old-fashioned strawberry pretzel salad, topped with gelatin, gets a modern makeover. Here, pretzels are tossed with graham cracker crumbs, then topped with a light cream-cheese mixture and finished off with strawberry jam and fresh strawberries, for a delicate sweetness. Cut the bars into bite-size pieces or bigger slabs. Either way, this old-new dish is sure to be a favorite.

Ingredients

• 1 cup/120 grams finely crushed pretzels, plus more for garnishing
• 1 cup/115 grams finely crushed graham crackers (about 7), plus more for garnishing
• 0.75 cup/170 grams unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup/240 milliliters heavy cream
• 1 cup/123 grams powdered sugar
• 1 (8-ounce/226-gram) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup strawberry jam, stirred to loosen
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

Steps

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix pretzels, graham crackers, butter, sugar and cinnamon. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake until set, 13 to 15 minutes. Cool on a rack. Wipe out the bowl to use for the filling.
3. Make the filling: Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip heavy cream and 1/2 cup powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Transfer whipped cream to the wiped bowl. To the stand mixer (no need to wash the bowl), add the cream cheese, the remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Spread evenly over the cooled crust.
4. Top the bars: Spoon dollops of jam over the filling and carefully swirl into the whipped cream. Top with sliced strawberries. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or until firm. To serve, cut into 12 equal pieces and sprinkle with crushed pretzels and graham crackers.