Pretzel Pie Crust

1. Ground the pretzels into a fine powder using a food processor. Then pulse in the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter, shortening, and egg and pulse until it forms a thick and crumbly dough. Press it into a 9 inch tart pan and freeze, uncovered, for 1 hour.

Pretzel Crunch

1. Preheat the oven to 300F and line a medium-sized baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add the pretzels to a large ziplock bag and wack to crush into medium to small pieces. Toss together the pretzels with the rest of the ingredients on the baking sheet and then spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes, tossing halfway, until fragrant and golden. Leave on the pan to cool, then transfer to a storage container or bag and keep at room temperature. 

Strawberry Topping

1. Add the strawberries and sugar to a bowl and toss to combine. Let them sit out at room temperature to macerate.

Pretzel Pie Crust

1. Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350F. Line the shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Place on a large baking tray and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the paper and weights and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center doesn’t appear too wet.

2. While the pie shell cools, make the cream cheese filling.

Cream Cheese Filling

1. In a bowl using a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until you reach stiff peaks, about 3 minutes. Scoop into a separate bowl. Now place the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the same bowl used to whip the cream (no need to clean it) and mix until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream until combined. Spread inside the cooled pretzel shell. 

2. Allow any juices to drain off the strawberries and arrange them on top. Mix the jam with 1 teaspoon of water and heat for 15 seconds in the microwave to loosen. Brush over the strawberries.

3. Chill the tart for at least 2 hours or overnight to set. Before serving, top with a layer of the pretzel crunch. Enjoy!