Made with a cookie crust, this fruit pizza starts with a from-scratch sugar cookie dough baked into a shareable “pizza” shape. A light cream cheese and Cool Whip topping spreads easily over the cooled crust, then gets finished with fresh berries and kiwi tossed in a quick lime-tequila syrup. It’s a colorful, make-ahead dessert that’s perfect for parties, showers, and anytime you need something fun that feeds a crowd.
Because Sprinkles Make Everything Better
This is the kind of dessert I make when I want something that looks fun on the table but doesn’t require a lot to pull off. The sprinkle cookie crust is soft and buttery, just crisp enough so that it holds up just enough to slice like a pizza. Everyone likes sprinkles!
The cream cheese topping stays light, the fruit adds a little freshness, and before you know it, people are asking for seconds. It’s easy, it feeds a crowd, and it has just enough color to make everyone happy.
I wanted to create a fruit pizza recipe because when our kids were young we went to this local pizza shop that served dessert pizza. They came to love that more than pepperoni. I wanted to give it a bit of pizzaz so I tossed the fresh fruit in a tequila lime syrup that I love on my blueberry mango salad.
This fruit pizza starts with a homemade sugar cookie dough shaped into a crust. You’ll bake the crust in the oven before adding the toppings, so everything is nice and sturdy. It’s similar to the dough I use for frosted sprinkle cookies.
The cream cheese layer is super easy. It’s just cream cheese, Cool Whip, powdered sugar, and vanilla. This is like the “sauce” of the pizza that is spread on top. It’s the perfect tangy complement to the sweet, juicy fruit.
The fruit layer is the fun part. You’ll toss fresh fruit in the homemade tequila-lime simple syrup to sharpen the flavors without making it a boozy dessert. However, you can leave the tequila out for a non-alcoholic version, and it’ll taste just fine. Most is cooked off when making the syrup.
Although this recipe doesn’t take long to whip up, you can make the crust ahead of time and store it in the freezer. Make sure to thaw it completely before adding the cream cheese and fruit layers.
I’ve served this dessert for all sorts of summer potlucks, from the 4th of July to Memorial Day, or any warm summer day that needs a little something sweet. However, we can get blueberries, strawberries and kiwi all year long around here, so try serving it in January when you want a light and refreshing dessert.
Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza Recipe Must-Haves
A few basic pantry staples and fun extras come together to make this easy Fruit Pizza. Scroll down to the recipe card for all the details.
- Sprinkles: Use jimmies instead of nonpareils so the color doesn’t bleed into the dough.
- Tequila: Optional but recommended. The alcohol mostly cooks off, leaving behind a clean citrus note.
- Fruit: Use fresh fruit only. Frozen fruit releases too much liquid and softens the topping. Feel free to use whatever in-season fruit you like, such as blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, raspberries, blackberries or peaches, you name it.
Building a Fruit Pizza From Scratch
Step One: Bake the Cookie Crust
This makes enough crust for 2 pizzas. You can freeze half of it or make it into cookies.
Cool the crust: The crust must be fully cool before adding the topping, or the cream cheese will melt.
Step Two: Make the Cream Cheese Topping
Step Three: Prepare the Fruit Mixture
Cooling first: Warm syrup will wilt the fruit instead of coating it lightly.
Step Four: Assemble and Serve
Right before serving: Assemble close to serving time for the cleanest slices and best texture.
This fruit pizza is easy to make, easy to serve, and easy to adjust based on whatever fruit you have on hand. It’s the kind of fruit dessert that works just as well for a casual get-together as it does for a special occasion. If you’re looking for a fun, reliable crowd-pleaser, this one earns a permanent spot in your recipe box.
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Ingredients
CRUST
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sprinkles
CREAM CHEESE TOPPING
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temp
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
- ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
FRUIT MIXTURE
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup Tequila
- 2 limes zest and juice
- 1 cup blueberries
- 2 cups strawberries cut in half
- 1 cup blackberries
- 3 kiwi peeled and cut into small chunks
Instructions
CRUST:
- Preheat the oven to 325º.
- With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes. Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch and salt. Slowly add to the butter mixture on low speed and mix until combined. Gently mix in the sprinkles, just enough to disburse but not so much that they bleed into the dough.
- Divide in half and place one half onto parchment paper and roll into a pizza shape. Slide dough and parchment paper onto a flat cookie sheet. Bake until lightly browned about 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the dough. Save the other half for cookies or a second pizza. It can be frozen.
- Let cool completely before assembling.
CREAM CHEESE SPREAD:
- With a hand held mixer, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, then add Cool Whip, sugar and vanilla. Beat until well combined and spread on the cooled pizza dough right before serving.
FRUIT TOPPING:
- Combine sugar and Tequila and lime zest in a small pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook just until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and add the juice from both limes. Let it cool to room temperature. Once cooled, pour the desired amount over the fruit.
- With a slotted spoon, place fruit over the cream cheese layer.
Notes
- To Make ahead, bake the crust and prepare the fruit mixture in advance, but assemble shortly before serving.
- You can leave out the tequila. Some of the alcohol will be burned off but not all of it.
