keto Strawberry Pretzel Desert

Salted Strawberry Keto Salad Without the Pretzel is the perfect dessert for parties or picnics. Similar to the traditional strawberry jello cookie dessert but without the pretzel but all the taste! So if you're on a low-carb diet, try these sugar-free, gluten-free jelly candies. Only 1.6g of net carbs per serving. 

keto Strawberry Pretzel Desert

The first time I had salted strawberry salad was about 5 years ago. I thought it was a delicious dessert! It had a crunchy, buttery crust, a sweet, creamy cheesecake middle, and a strawberry jello top.

Today I wanted to make something similar to that classic dessert but make it lower carb. So I came up with the Salted Strawberry Keto Salad and I'm in heaven. I call it a salad because that's what the original recipe called it, it's a dessert. Regardless, this keto jello pretzel salad tastes so much like the original, you won't miss out on the pretzels or the extra sugar.

Yield: 24

Prep time: 20 MINUTES

Cook time: 20 MINUTES

Additional time: 4 HOURS 30 MINUTES

Total time: 5 HOURS 10 MINUTES

Ingredients

• 2 (0.3 oz) boxes of sugar-free strawberry gelatin
• 8 large strawberries, sliced thinly
• 8 oz of cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup of Swerve sweetener
• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 3 cups raw pecans, chopped
• 1 stick of butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt the butter in the microwave, then add the pecans and 1/2 cup of Swerve to the food processor.
3. Whisk until the nuts are sticky.
4. Add the nut mixture to the melted butter and mix well. Place in a large baking dish (I used a 13" x 9") and press down to make the crust.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until soft and browned on top. Then let it cool completely. This is very important so that the cream cheese does not mix with the nuts.
6. Meanwhile, using a hand mixer, pour in the remaining Swerve and cream cheese. Then add the heavy cream and whisk until creamy and fluffy.
7. Pour and smooth the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust, making sure to create a firm layer and seal the sides and corners so that the gelatin does not seep through. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and proceed to make the jelly.
8. Add the gelatin to a bowl and pour 2 cups of boiling water over it. Whisk until the gelatin dissolves, then set aside to cool. Note that you only use 2 cups of water, not 4 as stated on the package.
9. Mix the strawberries with the gelatin, then pour it over the cream cheese layer.
10. Put it in the refrigerator for 4 hours until the jelly hardens before eating.
11. Please read the notes below for more information.

RECIPE TIPS AND NOTES

• It is very important to let the crust cool completely before spreading the cream cheese mixture. Otherwise, the layer of cream cheese will pull off the crust.
• Make sure to add cream cheese to all corners and sides to seal the crust. This way the jelly won't seep to the bottom layer and will stay nice on top.
• You can also refrigerate the baking dish after spreading the cream cheese for 30 minutes. This will make the strawberry layer stay in place nicely and not mix with the cream cheese.
• The jelly must be significantly cooled before pouring the cream cheese layer. You don't want the cream cheese to melt.
• I used a 13" x 9" baking dish and if you use a small dish it can affect the times as well as the carb count of that dish. However, if you just make sure to follow the tips above, it should work just fine.

Nutrition

YIELD: 24 SERVING SIZE: 24 Servings: Amount Per Serving: CALORIES: 199NET CARBOHYDRATES: 1.6g