Fruit Pizza
Back in the later years of high school, I had a girlfriend that often brought fruit pizza to various get-togethers. It was always a HUGE hit! And it made enough of an impression on me to remember. It’s something that not everybody has heard of, but once you do, you immediately become a fan. Personally, this is my first time making any myself and I couldn’t be happier with the results!
There are a couple of options you have when you go to make your fruit pizza. Firstly, the pan. If you don’t own a small, 12″ pizza pan then you can always use a 9×13-inch pan. It just won’t have that “pizza” look. It’ll look more like a bar. Or you can do what I did and make a 92-cent investment in a cheap Walmart pan : ) Your call.
Now for the sugar cookie crust. Some people aren’t home bakers. For those people, I strongly encourage you to not give up on this recipe simply because you don’t want to make the cookie dough- go out and get some store-bought! Refrigerated or boxed. Doesn’t matter, it’ll have the same result. But I have to say, this homemade sugar cookie crust recipe is ammmmmmazing! Hands down, you’re socks will be knocked off if you decide to go the homemade route. It was moist and chewy, just perfect! It was easily pressed into the pan with some well-floured fingertips and it came out in beautiful slices.
The fruit is obviously your call. I went with strawberries and blueberries because of the 4th of July, but I’ve seen lots of people use other things like grapes, kiwi, etc. Banana’s and the like aren’t great because they oxidize and get brown. Yuck.
For the cream cheese topping, you can go 2 routes- simple sweetened cream cheese or a fun, fluff-cream cheese combination. I went with the fluff option, but I think they would both be equally delicious. I think sweetened cream cheese would be less slippery for the fruit and probably easier to glaze though. Plus you’ll get more of a distinct cream cheese flavor. But the fluff option is just so much fun!
Fruit Pizza
Serves: 12
Ingredients:
For the Sugar Cookie Crust:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For Cream Cheese Topping:
- 1 (8 ounces) package cream cheese
- 1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow fluff
For the Syrup:
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- Assorted fruit
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. With floured fingertips, press dough into a 12″ greased pizza pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool.
Beat Cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Mix in fluff until well combined. Spread across cooled cookie crust. Assemble fruit.
In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt, corn starch, orange juice, lemon juice, and water. Cook and stir over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat, and add grated orange rind. Allow to cool, but not set up. Spoon over fruit. Chill for two hours, then cut into wedges and serve.
Notes:
For a topping that has a stronger cream cheese flavor use 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 tsp vanilla extract.
For a simpler syrup alternative, heat up some apricot (or other favorite fruit) jelly, thin it out with 1 tsp of water or so as needed.
