I know. Some of you are saying, “Hey, Kate, it’s not 1989! Fruit pizza hasn’t been cool for, like, 20 years now.” Well, I’m here to tell you that I’m bringing it back, baby. I don’t care if it was served at the baby shower held for your mother when she was pregnant with you–it is gorgeous and delicious and no one ever told YOU you weren’t cool just because you were adorable in 1989, right? This is our update on the classic fruit pizza of years past: an orange zest sugar cookie crust, whipped cream topping, and fresh, juicy berries to finish things off.
Making the Crust
First, you’ll whip up the dough, which is our classic sugar cookie recipe, with a little twist: orange zest. Because orange zest makes everything better.
After you make your dough, spray a pizza pan (not a pizza stone–cookies don’t do so well on pizza stones) with non-stick cooking spray and drop your dough into the center. You could also use a cookie sheet lined with parchment, as pictured here.
Using a rolling pin and your fingers, gently shape the dough in to a circle. If you’re feeling awesome, you can flute the edges (because we all know the most awesome people flute the edges of their fruit pizzas).
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place the whole thing in the refrigerator for about an hour.
When you’re ready to bake the crust, preheat the oven to 350. Bake the crust for 18-25 minutes or until it’s golden around the edges and completely cooked in the center. You can cook it a little longer if you prefer a crispier cookie.
While the crust is baking, wash your strawberries and blueberries. Slice the strawberries and pat everything dry with paper towels. Set the berries aside.
Making the Whipped Cream Topping
While the crust is cooling, you’ll want to make the creamy topping. Using an electric mixer, beat some cream cheese, brown sugar, and orange extract on high until the mixture is light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, beat some heavy cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form. Fold the whipped cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture and mix until combined.
Dollop the creamy topping onto the crust. Spread the topping over the crust. Like so.
Decorating with Berries
You can arrange the berries however you want on your pizza. It can be patterned or haphazard, whatever your style is.
Once your berries are how you want them, you can really live on the edge. If desired, melt some dark chocolate, and drizzle it all over everything. Then you can take your extra berries and dip them in your extra chocolate. Cut it into thin (or thick–hey, no judging from the girl who ate a chocolate marshmallow brownie and a Diet Coke for breakfast this morning!) wedges and serve.
Note: there’s really no need to keep it red, white, and blue. Go crazy with any variety of fruit you have on hand!
Red, White, & Blue Fruit Pizza
Description
Sweet cream frosting and sliced fruit top a sweet sugar cookie base in this fantastic dessert pizza.
Ingredients
For the crust
1 cup real butter (no substitutions!)
1 cup white sugar
1 egg (make sure to use a large or extra large egg)
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Zest of 1 orange
For the creamy topping
1 8-oz. package cream cheese (light cream cheese is fine)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
For the fruit topping
1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled, sliced, and patted dry
1 pint blueberries, washed and patted dry
1/2 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy–about 2 minutes. Add in egg and extract and mix to incorporate.
In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined. Add the orange zest and mix until combined.
Spray a round pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray and using your hands and a rolling pin, spread the dough out to the edges of the pan. If desired, you can add a decorative finish (like fluting) to the edges of the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
When ready to bake the crust, preheat your oven to 350. Bake the crust for 18-25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and completely baked in the center. If you prefer a crisper crust, you can bake the crust for a longer amount of time. Allow to cool completely.
When the crust is almost cool, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese, orange extract, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whip the cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and combine well.
Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange the fruit as desired over the creamy topping. If using chocolate, place the chocolate chips in a heavy-duty small Ziploc bag and heat in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time, mashing the bag around until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Cut a small corner off the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the pizza. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
You don’t have to limit yourself to red, white, and blue– top with whatever variety of sliced fruit you desire. Canned mandarin oranges and fresh kiwi are great. We recommend staying away from fruits that brown easily, such as bananas.
It’s important to correctly measure your flour or you will end up with a dry, crumbly dough. Never, ever use your measuring cup to scoop up the flour. Use a regular sized spoon and spoon the flour into the cup and then level it off with a knife.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
Questions & Reviews
My 8 year old had fruit pizza instead of cake for her birthday. It’s still cool.
Boy, it’s a good thing all food with fruit on it has zero calories (or so I tell myself!). Looks fabulous. = )
Oh my goodness! All I can say is YUM!!!!!!
Hey this is so cool! I do a flag fruit pizza every year for July 4. It’s the same thing only I make it in a rectangular pan and then put strawberry and banana slices for stripes and blueberries for the star section of the flag. It’s delicious!
I love love love fruit pizza even though I can’t recall the last time I had it. It brings back good memories for me though as we had it at one of the most fun Super Bowl Parties I remember.
I typically blend almond paste into my filling on my fruit pizza and everyone loves it. I’m thinking you could incorporate the almond (extract or paste) into the cookie crust and it would be totally fabulous. Also, for those looking for a “lazy way” to do it, I sometimes just use rolled out crescent roll dough for the crust, especially if I’m serving it for breakfast. Makes it a little less sweet.
This sounds and looks super to me. And I agree, so what if it’s not “cool.” If it is pretty and it is delicious, then I say it’s a winner!
Just wondering how far ahead of time you can make this? Does the crust get soggy if it’s in the fridge too long, like a day or 2?
Our fruit pizza’s usually start to get soft after a few days in the fridge. The crust doesn’t get soggy, just softer than strait out of the oven. No worries from us, I like the texture!!
PS- I USUALLY cheat and use a sugar cookie mix, but will change my lazy ways and try this recipe next time!!!!
I adore fruit pizza..if it’s wrong, I don’t want to be right!
I have been making fruit pizza for years. I always spread some strawberry glaze over my cream cheese layer before I lay on the fruit. Makes it really look like pizza.
Yummy! I may use store-bought crust since I am a lazy baker. 😉
I’m not sure who says fruit pizza is out of style, but my high school students can’t get enough of it. They are always asking for another fruit pizza cooking lab.
I LOVE fruit pizza and have been looking for a good recipe! I am so excited and am definitely making it for my 4th of July party!!
Fruit pizza is still awesome even if it is out of style. I love it!
You can never go wrong with a fruit pizza… no matter what decade it is! ; )
Oh my goodness, this looks incredible! I may not be able to wait until the 4th of July for this one!
This looks fab! I’ve used your sugar cookie recipe to make mini fruit pizzas as well…just use a circle cookie cutter and bake them, then decorate. So yummy!
OOH i’ve been looking for a great fruit pizza frosting and hope this is the one…fruit of july (i totally heart things like that 🙂 here i come!!!
That looks good… but I have to tell you, the write up on it was so entertaining, if I hadn’t have seen the final picture, I’d still have a smile on my face. Thanks!
This looks and sounds AMAZING!! Can’t wait to try it….I love making vegetable pizza- (crescent rolls, sour cream, ranch packet and sliced raw veggies…sooo delicious!)
Kate, I think I love you
Right back atcha, sister. 🙂
We made fruit pizza a few weeks ago with your sugar cookie recipe (which is fabulous!) Next time we’ll have to try the orange zest.
I have to disagree on one point….we LOVE cookies on a pizza stone. We’ve even been doing them lately on the pizza stone on the grill! (We’ve been boycotting the oven to avoid heating the apartment.)
It could very easily be my pizza stone (and the fact that my cookies always come out tasting like garlic… 🙂 )
Yeah, I don’t think that fruit pizza ever can or should go out of style. In fact, I ate it at a baby shower JUST LAST MONTH! Not in 1989! At any rate, this looks delicious–this looks like the same cream filling for the strawberry pie you posted around easter, which is probably my favorite cream filling ever. Seriously, I can (…and do) eat it by the large spoonful before introducing it to its dessert collaborators. I’ll probably make this soon!
Yep, totally the same filling, only with orange instead of vanilla. You might die of happiness. 🙂
Who says fruit pizza went out of style in the 80s? 🙁 I make it probably about once a year for special occasions and no one has ever complained. Everyone I’ve ever served it to loves it! I’m eager to try your crust and frosting recipes, though, since they’re different than mine.
See, Jen, you’ve had it right all along! You’re cool. I’m cool. All those people who made fun of me and my fruit pizza aren’t. 🙂
This looks amazing! Guess I know what I’m making now to take to the in-laws this weekend! 🙂
Thanks for a fun recipe! I always loved my grandmother’s fruit pizza, which she served at a baby shower in my honor in 1993 which was only 18 years ago. If it seems old fashioned to call it pizza, then put it in a tart pan and call it a tart. Because either way it looks delicious!
I guess I know what I’m making for the 4th of July! Fruit of July pizza! )that’s what my son wants to call it (he’s 9….). I think we’ll use raspberries instead though.
I also think I’ll make a flag pizza (regular) and use pepperonis as the stripes and mushrooms in the corner for the stars.
YUMMY can’t wait til Monday!
On my “to do” list today was, “Figure out what to make for dessert for BUNCO on Friday.” Decision made!
I’m happy you are bringing back fruit pizza:-) Yours is so pretty!
Seriously, this looks AMAZING… and not just because it’s 11:39 pm and I have a serious case of the munchies. Definitely going to make this!