Small Batch Strawberry Pretzel Salad

“Strawberry pretzel salad has long been a spring and Easter favorite, with its salty pretzel crust, creamy cheesecake layer, and topped with sweet strawberries in Jello. But you don’t always need a big 13×9 pan like the kind you’d carry to a church potluck. This Small Batch Strawberry Pretzel Salad is scaled down to an 8×8 dish, just right for a family dinner.”

2 cups small pretzel twists or sticks about 3 ounces (1 ½ cups crushed)

2 tablespoons light brown sugar or granulated sugar

½ cup butter, melted 

1 3 ounce package strawberry flavored gelatin 

1 cup boiling water + ½ cup cold water (measured separately)

4 ounces cream cheese (½ of an 8 ounce package), very soft

1 ¼ cups Cool Whip plus more for dolloping on top, if desired

¼ cup granulated sugar or ⅓ cup powdered confectioners sugar

1 ½ cups hulled and sliced strawberries about ¾ of a 16-ounce container