Last Updated on August 6, 2024 by Michelle
Cookies are my love language.
So when my kids started talking about how Crumbl cookies were all the rage, naturally I was curious. The funny thing is, whenever I indulge in a Crumbl cookie, all I’m thinking about is how I can make them better, cheaper, and more nutritious at home.
A cookie, nutritious? Yep. With the combination of fresh milled flour, protein-packed beef gelatin, and locally-grown strawberries, these cookies can become somewhat of a superfood. Don’t mill your own flour yet? Don’t worry, these cookies will turn out great with regular all-purpose flour too.
And as a bonus these cookies have the additional benefit of nostalgia–I can’t be the only one who used to eat a hefty serving of Strawberry Pretzel Pie (or casserole) at every family gathering, can I?
How unhealthy are Crumbl cookies?
I read recently that there are more calories in a Crumbl than a Big Mac. And it’s made with seed oils artificial colors and flavors and a boatload of refined sugar… The plain chocolate chip Crumbl offers you more than a day’s worth of sugar–28 grams to be exact–and it’s refined sugar at that.
What are the negatives of Crumbl cookies?
While Crumbl cookies are made with refined flour and sugar, which offers you zero nutrients, extra starch, and a higher blood sugar level the minute you take a bite, you can make a homemade copycat Crumbl with nutrient-dense fresh flour and a complex sugar (one of my favorites is coconut sugar–find it here).
See my Complete Guide to Sugars for more great sweetener options.
Can I make Crumbl Strawberry Pretzel Pie Cookies at home?
You bettcha. And I promise, they’ll taste just as good (dare I say better?) than the “real” crumbl. Plus, this way you can customize the ingredients to suit your family’s needs, not to mention save lots of cash!
What is Strawberry Pretzel Pie?
Strawberry pretzel salad is a delicious dessert that takes jello salad to a new level. It offers a buttery, salty pretzel crust covered with a cream cheese and whipped cream filling, and topped with a strawberry Jell-O spread and chopped pretzels sprinkled on top for the big finish.
I don’t know about your family, but ours used to gather at a long table, picnic-style, with strawberry pretzel pie front and center, treated like a side dish, served with the meal. Personally, I always knew it was a dessert item rather than a side dish, but no one seemed to mind an excuse to enjoy dessert with our meal.
These strawberry pretzel pie cookies combine the best of these layers into a decadent cookie your family might become slightly addicted to.
Crumbl Strawberry Pretzel Pie Cookie Recipe
When Crumbl came out with this cookie I knew I had to try it. One bite in and I knew I had to make a nutritious version. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was. If your family loves this recipe as much as mine does, please come back and leave a quick 5-star review so the Google gods share this deliciousness worldwide.
The world would be a “berry much” better place, yes?
Crumbl Strawberry Pretzel Pie Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1/2 cup sugar (I love coconut sugar for baking)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/3 cups flour * if you're using fresh milled flour, I used 1/2 hard white and 1/2 soft white, milled on a fine setting
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- a pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup crushed pretzels + 3 tablespoons melted butter, mixed together
For the Strawberry Toping:
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons plain beef gelatin* or unflavored gelatin
For the Whipped Cream Cheese Icing:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2.5 ounces cream cheese roughly 1/3 of an 8 oz package, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a stand mixer beat both butters, sugar and vanilla for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture gets slightly fluffy. Add the egg and mix until combined.
- Add the flour, cream of tartar, salt, and baking powder and mix until a soft yet firm dough forms.
- While the dough mixes, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and stir the crushed pretzels into the butter. Add to the dough and combine.
- Forming a large dough ball (I usually make 9 total), flatten each ball until it's about 1/4 inch thick. Carefully smoosh the sides of the cookie until a ridge forms, leaving room for the fillings later. See images above for what this should look like. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet (you can use parchment paper if you have it) and bake for 7 1/2 minutes until they're just barely cooked through (they might look slightly undercooked when you first pull them out).
- While the cookies are baking, grab a sauce pan and add the strawberries, water, and sugar. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries start to soften. Using a banana masher or just a wooden spoon, smash the strawberries. Turn the heat up to medium/high and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Stir the powder in carefully, trying to avoid lumps. continue to boil the strawberry mixture until the gelatin is dissolved fully. When it's ready to remove from the heat your finger should leave a clean mark on the back of your spoon when you make a line with your finger. Set aside to let cool slightly.
- While the strawberries and cookies are cooling, make the cream cheese icing. First, in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Remove from the bowl and set aside. Next, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar together until creamy. Add the whipped cream back in and briefly beat the two together until combined.
- Assemble the cookies: spread a layer of the whipped cream frosting on the bottom, then spread the strawberry filling on top. Sprinkle additional crushed pretzels on top, if desired.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes for Making Copycat Crumbl Strawberry Pretzel Pie Cookies
I use unflavored beef gelatin like this one. Read more about the benefits of “real” beef gelatin here.
Don’t mill your own flour? Regular all-purpose flour will work.
Not sure what sugar you want to use? Go here for a break down of all the best options.
Use Redmond Real Salt in this recipe and add more than 64 trace minerals! Use code SOULYRESTED to save & stock up on some of this amazing salt today. I buy it in the bulk size because it stores so easily and keeps forever.
Have duck eggs? They’d add a delicious richness to this recipe. Read more about duck eggs here.
Wondering what grain mill would be right for you?
There are many options for grain mills & it’s an important choice that people can wind up sitting on for years. Years of debate and wondering that could have been filled with better daily nutrition around their family table.
After years of using and comparing many varieties of mills I put together a Complete Guide to Choosing a Mill to help you make your decision.
In the end, these are the 3 I recommend: The Classic Nutrimill does a great job, at the lowest price point. The Harvest Mill wins for most beautiful to sit on your counter. And the Mockmill is a beautiful workhorse that wins for best engineered, best at milling alternative grains, and finest flour, but it also sits at the highest price point.
More aboutย some of the alternative flours I make in the Mockmill here.
More in-depth info about all these mills (and others) in my Complete Guide to Choosing a Mill.ย
My favorite ingredients for these Crumbl Copycat Cookies
Talk to me about your Crumbl Strawberry Pretzel Pie Cookies!
If you have any questions, leave a comment below. If you make and love these, leave a five star review! And please tag me on ig to show me your Crumbl Strawberry Pretzel Pie Cookies! @souly.rested
More recipes like Crumbl Strawberry Pretzel Pie Cookies:
- The Secret to Delicious Strawberry Pie
- Kamut Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The Best cut-out Cookies Ever
- Cookies Made with Bacon
- Want to mill your own flour? Learn Why I Started Milling my own Flour
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These look SO good! Canโt wait to try the recipe!
Definitely looks like a fun one to try
This can be ๐ season recipe. Michelle can I use fresh ๐ or should I freeze first? now to find dairy/ soy / gluten free pretzels .
you can use fresh strawberries. hope you find the pretzels!
Michelle could I use lard in place of /or part dairy butter. I do have plant based butter .
absolutely! more info here: https://soulyrested.com/how-to-bake-with-lard-and-why-you-should/