Fresh Fruit Pizza: A Delightful Dessert Delight
The next time you’re reaching for pizza for dinner, why not sweeten the deal with this vibrant and scrumptious Fresh Fruit Pizza? It’s easy to make and a true showstopper, perfect for any occasion!
Add your favorite fruits to create a customizable dessert pizza recipe. Whether it’s for a summer gathering or a casual pizza party, this dessert is sure to impress your guests!
Why You Should Make This
- Imagine a deliciously soft sugar cookie crust, topped with a dreamy cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with colorful, glazed fresh fruit. Sounds tempting, doesn’t it?
- Did you know October is National Pizza Month? It’s the perfect excuse to try something new!
- If you’re looking to wow your friends with a beautiful and tasty dessert at your next gathering, this fruit pizza will do just that!
Reader Endorsement
Janet says, “YUMMY! This was the best sauce for a fruit pizza. I used a variety of berries and grapes plus kiwi fruit. It was not just delicious but also incredibly beautiful!”
She shared how she pulled out her pizza pan, shaped the cookie dough, and spread her favorite cream cheese icing before artistically placing the fruits on top. A dessert pizza is indeed a delightful way to celebrate any occasion!
Ingredient Notes
- Kitchen Staples: Butter, Sugar, Powdered Sugar, Flour, Salt, Eggs, Vanilla, Baking Soda
- Baking Powder: If you have some lying around, just check the expiration date.
- Cornstarch
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Cream Cheese
- Fresh Fruit: Think berries, kiwi, seedless grapes—feel free to choose a medley of colors or stick to all red berries for a monochromatic look!
Expert Tips
This fun dessert can be adjusted in many delightful ways. From just strawberries to trying a different cookie base for the crust, here are some tips to ensure you nail it every time:
- Pro Tip: Chill your cookie dough before baking. This will prevent it from spreading too much.
- If you find the dough spread too widely post-bake, gently press it back into shape with a spatula while it’s still warm.
- For a quick fix, you can opt for store-bought refrigerated cookie dough.
- Create a unique flavor profile by experimenting with different flavored cookie doughs; however, sugar cookie dough remains the most versatile.
- Feel free to top it with a single fruit or a lovely combination of your choice!
- Pro Tip: Use soft fruits like berries and peeled peaches, making it easy to slice your fresh fruit pizza into wedges.
- Get creative with toppings! Consider chocolate frosting, mini marshmallows, and a drizzle of chocolate sauce for a twist.
Ingredients
Crust:
- ½ cup butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
Frosting:
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup butter, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar, sifted
To Finish:
- Fresh fruit, sliced as needed (for instance, I used blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, green grapes, and kiwi)
- ¼ cup strained apricot jam to glaze, optional
Instructions
- Cream together the butter and sugar using a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cornstarch. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Cover the bowl and chill for at least 30 minutes (longer is better to avoid spreading during baking).
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 12-inch pizza pan and pat the chilled cookie dough into a flat round.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until it’s a very light golden brown. Avoid over-baking. Let it cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, whip the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and lemon juice, mixing until combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until fully incorporated.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cookie crust, leaving about a ½ inch around the edge unfrosted. Arrange the fruit in lovely concentric circles.
- To glaze the fruit, heat the strained apricot jam with a teaspoon of water (a microwave works great for this). Once warm, brush the glaze over the fruit.
- Finally, cut into wedges or slices for serving!
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s just what it sounds like! It’s a delightful dessert pizza topped with fresh or cooked fruits. Many people, especially kids, love dessert pizzas made with cookie crust, topped with frosting, and adorned with fruit.
You can choose various crusts based on your toppings. A traditional yeast bread pizza crust works well, but my favorite is a sugar cookie crust that’s baked first and cooled before adding toppings.
Absolutely! Just keep an eye on the baking time since it may differ from my recipe, but it’s a fantastic shortcut!
If fresh fruit options aren’t great, canned fruit can work in a pinch. Just slice as necessary, then place it on a couple of layers of paper towels to absorb excess juice.
For the best results, it’s recommendable to make this pizza on the day you plan to serve it. Fresh fruit can release juices over time, which might make the frosting discolor or the crust soggy. However, if leftovers exist, they can still be lovely days later!
For a fruit pizza, a glaze adds a nice sheen to the fruit. Simply use a few tablespoons of jelly that complements your fruit colors, heat it with a little water, let it cool slightly, and brush it over the fruit-topped crust.
