This Fruit Pizza recipe stars a soft, buttery sugar cookie crust topped with tangy cream cheese frosting and a rainbow of fresh fruit. Perfect for summer barbecues, potlucks or anytime you want a fun, crowd-friendly dessert. Customize it with your favorite fruits and make it your own!
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Do you remember those truly legendary bake sales of your childhood? The ones where the sky was the real limit for all the flavors and treats you could take home? You might have been a monster cookie fan or a fudgy brownie purist, but for me, it was all about the fruit pizza with the sugar cookie crust.
This easy fruit pizza recipe is a showstopper for any occasionโ4th of July desserts, birthday parties, or even a random Tuesday when youโre craving something bright and fresh. Plus, itโs endlessly customizable! Swap the fruits, drizzle with Nutella or a fruit glaze, or even switch up the crust (I have daydreams about trying this with a peanut butter cookie base!).
The Best Sugar Cookie Crust
Thereโs a time and a place for high-protein pizza crust, a dessert pizza is not the time or place! And while you could easily make this fruit pizza with your favorite cookie dough, I opted for the classic sugar cookie base. It has a soft and chewy center with a slightly crisp edge. Itโs actually the same recipe I use to make cutout sugar cookies during the holiday season, and itโs totally foolproof.
Itโs made with simple pantry ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract. Unlike traditional sugar cookies, this crust should spread slightly in the ovenโjust enough to create a smooth base, but not so much that it overflows the pan.
How to Make It
- Mix the dough and spread it evenly into a 14-inch nonstick pizza pan (one without holes). Aim for an 11- to 12-inch circleโit doesnโt need to be perfect!
- Bake the giant sugar cookie at 350ยฐF until it is pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Cool completely before frosting.
Kellyโs Sugar Cookie Crust Tips
- If you donโt have a pizza pan, you can line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the cookie dough into a more rustic circle.
- Use another cookie dough for the base. This rainbow pizza would be just as delicious with a giant chocolate chip cookie base. Or, for a richer, buttery option, follow the shortbread instructions from my giant Samoas cookie recipe (just skip cutting out the center).
- For a perfectly clean edge, carefully run a sharp knife around the perimeter of the cookie crust immediately after it comes out of the oven.
Cream Cheese Frosting
This ultra-creamy, tangy frosting perfectly balances the sweet cookie crust and juicy fruit topping. Best of all, itโs made with four simple ingredients: cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. For the smoothest, creamiest frosting, make sure your cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature before mixing.
Iโm not a big fan of overly sweet desserts, and many fruit pizza recipes go heavy on the sugar in the frosting. To maintain a good balance, I only use 1 cup of powdered sugarโjust enough to sweeten the frosting without overpowering the fruit.
Best Fruits for Fruit Pizza (And What to Avoid!)
When it comes to fruit pizza, fresh is best! I stick with seasonal fruits that hold their shape and donโt release too much liquid. Mixing up colors, flavors and textures keeps every bite exciting. Here are my go-to picks:
- Berries โ strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries
- Kiwi โ see my easy slicing hack below!
- Grapes โ slice them in half for easy eating
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Mandarin oranges
Fruits to Avoid:
- Bananas โ brown quickly and turn mushy
- Apples & pears โ also turn brown quickly, unless you brush generously with lemon juice
- Watermelon โ too watery, which can make the pizza soggy
No matter which fruits you choose, aim for small, bite-sized pieces so every slice of fruit pizza has the perfect balance of cookie, frosting and fruit!
Kellyโs Kiwi Cutting Tip: The easiest way to slice kiwi into those pretty half-moons (like you see in my photos!) is to start by cutting off both ends with a sharp serrated knife. Next, slide a large spoon just under the skin and rotate it around the kiwi to separate the flesh from the peel. Once the skin is removed, lay the kiwi on its side and slice it into rounds. Finally, cut each round in half to create perfect half-moon slices!
Time to Assemble!
Once your sugar cookie crust has cooled completely, spread a thick, even layer of cream cheese frosting over the top. Now for the fun partโarranging the fruit! You can keep it simple by just sprinkling the fruit on top or go for a playful pattern. Let your imagination run wild!
Before slicing and serving, I whisk together apricot jam and water, then brush it over the fruit for a glossy, bakery-worthy finish. It not only makes the fruit pop but also helps keep it fresh longer.
Decorating Ideas
- Patriotic version: Spread the dough into a rectangle on a 9ร13-inch baking sheet and decorate it like my American flag cookie cakeโperfect for Memorial Day or the 4th of July!
- Mini fruit pizzas: Use round cookie cutters to create individual-sized fruit pizzasโgreat for parties or as a fun kid-friendly dessert!
- Sunburst design: Arrange slices of oranges, strawberries and pineapple in a radiating pattern for a bright, cheerful look.
- Rainbow design: Create a stripe of each color using seven different fruits for a vibrant, rainbow effect! You can even tint the frosting with gel food coloring for extra fun.
- Cookie cutter fun: Cut some of the larger, sturdier fruits, like apples or cantaloupe, into fun shapes using small cookie cutters. Or simply slice up some star fruitโnatureโs done the shaping for you!
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
- To make ahead: Prepare the sugar cookie crust and frosting separately. Store the crust at room temperature and refrigerate the frosting. Assemble just before serving to avoid a soggy crust.
- To store: If you opt to top your cookie pizza, it will last up to 3 days in the fridge. This is mostly due to the more perishable nature of the frosting and fruit. If you do need to top the dessert pizza ahead of time, Iโd suggest using less juicy, uncut fruits, like raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. The crust will soften over time but still taste amazing!
Now itโs your turn! Iโd love to hear how you make this fruit pizza your own. Do you go for a classic berry combo, or do you get creative with tropical fruits? Maybe youโve got a next-level decorating idea I need to try! Drop a comment below and letโs talk all things fruit pizza.
Ingredients
For the cookie base:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/3 cups white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the frosting:
- 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, at room temp
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup confectionersโ sugar
- Assorted fruit, for topping
For the glaze (optional):
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
- 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
Make the cookie base:
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition, then beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix just until combined. Spread the dough into a nonstick 14-inch pizza pan. (See Kellyโs Note.) Bake the pizza until it is pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely while you make the frosting.
Make the frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and confectionersโ sugar.
- Spread the frosting atop the completely cooled sugar cookie base. Decorate with fruit then slice and serve.
Make the glaze (optional):
- For added sheen, whisk together the apricot jam and water until smooth then brush it atop the fruit before slicing and serving.
Kellyโs Notes
- If you donโt have a nonstick pizza pan, you can line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the cookie dough into a more rustic 14-inch circle.
- Want a different base? Try a chocolate chip cookie crust or a buttery shortbread crust (see my Giant Samoas Cookie recipeโjust skip cutting out the center!).
- For a clean edge, run a sharp knife around the perimeter as soon as it comes out of the oven.
- To make ahead: Prepare the sugar cookie crust and frosting separately. Store the crust at room temperature and refrigerate the frosting. Assemble just before serving to avoid a soggy crust.
- To store: If you opt to top your cookie pizza, it will last up to 3 days in the fridge. This is mostly due to the more perishable nature of the frosting and fruit. If you do need to top the dessert pizza ahead of time, Iโd suggest using less juicy, uncut fruits, like raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. The crust will soften over time but still taste amazing!
- โ Did you make this recipe? Donโt forget to give it a star rating below!
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So good! I loved that it wasnโt overly sweet and my crust held up perfectly in the oven. I used strawberries, Sumo citrus and blueberries.
Thrilled you enjoyed it, Carol!
Really delicious! My guests loved it โ including the kids! Thank you for sharing this easy recipe
Iโm so thrilled to read this, Jessie!
Recipe calls for baking powder. Then says baking soda in the instructions. Currently my cookie is all over the oven because I used baking powder and not soda โโ๏ธ please correct the recipe so others donโt have the same experience on Super Bowl Sunday trying to get it done.
Hi Carrie โ The baking powder listed in the recipe is correct.
Or you could just buy the premade sugar cookie mix! They sell it at Hobby lobby and it is amazing!
It could definitely be an optional swap in!
This was spot-on for what I buy at my local bakery! The crust was so soft but sliceable. Yummy yummy yummy!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Joan!