Fruit Pizza Dessert

Do you have family recipes that hold a special place in your heart? I was blessed to be born into a family of kitchen bosses, and I’ve got an arsenal of recipes that will bring comfort and sunshine to the grayest day. One of the best recipes is my grandma’s fruit pizza dessert, which I happen to have a copy handwritten by grandma herself. Layers of sugar cookie, whipped cream cheese and fresh fruit create a deliciously colorful dessert.

Seasonal Fruit on Display

My favorite aspect of this dessert is that you can change up the fruit to whatever suits your fancy, or is on sale. I like to use berries because that’s what my kids and hubby like, but I’ve been known to throw in kiwi for added color. It is very important to use fresh over frozen fruit for this treat, and I would also suggest to stay away from extra juicy cut fruit that will turn your filling into soup. Berries are just the easiest choice and even better if you are lucky enough to grow your own.

Sugar Cookie Crust

If fresh fruit isn’t sweet enough for you, the sugar cookie crust should do the trick. The only thing that can make sugar cookies sweeter is having a cute assistant. It may be messier, take longer, be less sanitary, be less exact and… well you get the picture. But this is how I learned to cook, and making memories with your kiddos is worth it right?

So Avery and I whipped up the sugar cookie dough in my Kitchen Aid mixer but you can definitely use a standard hand mixer or just a wooden spoon if you are super buff. I try not to overthink the cookie dough mixing process. First I creamed my butter and sugar. I tend to like gooey denser cookies so I don’t spend more than a minute on this step. If you like lighter less dens cookies you can cream your butter and sugar for up to 5 minutes.

After adding the eggs and vanilla, we added all of the dry ingredients into the bowl. If you are type A, mix your dry ingredients in a separate bowl and gradually add them to your wet ingredients as you mix.

After we mixed up our sugar cookie dough, I pressed it evenly into a large cookie sheet and popped it into the oven to bake. The dough will be about 1/4 inch thick. I like to push it up the sides of the pan a little bit to create a ridge around my pizza.

Whipped Cream Cheese Filling

Who doesn’t love fluffy whipped cream cheese. I think there actually are a few people out there but I am leery of them. To take the filling above and beyond, I use heavy cream and make my own whipped cream. If you are strapped for time or just can’t be bothered with extra steps, you can use a large container of store bought whipped cream.

I used my Kitchen Aid to whip my cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Then I scraped the cheese mixture into a separate bowl and used the mixer to whip my cream. I added another 1/4 cup of granulated sugar to the cream before whipping. When my cream was whipped to stiff peaks, I tossed my cream cheese mixture into the bowl and mixed until combined. Pop the filling in the fridge while you wait for your crust to cook and cool.

Once the crust is cool, your are ready to layer on your filling and then your fruit. Serve immediately or let it chill while you barbecue with the fam.