Fruit Pizza

A giant sugar cookie baked on a pizza pan, spread with sweetened cream cheese vanilla sauce, covered with fresh fruit, and finished with a glossy orange-lemon glaze. Fruit pizza is the dessert that gets photographed before anyone takes a slice.

The three layers each do specific work. The cookie crust provides a sweet, sturdy base. The cream cheese layer adds tangy richness that prevents the fruit juices from soaking into the cookie. The cornstarch-thickened glaze seals the fruit on top, adds shine, and keeps everything from drying out in the fridge.

Use store-bought sugar cookie dough for the crust. Press it onto a buttered pizza pan in an even layer and bake just 10 minutes. Overbaking makes the crust hard and cracker-like instead of chewy.

Let every layer cool completely before adding the next. Warm cookie melts the cream cheese. Warm cream cheese wilts the fruit.

Kitchen Tips

• Spread the cookie dough thin and even on the pan. Thick spots stay doughy while edges burn.
• Cook the glaze until it thickens and turns clear. Cloudy glaze means the cornstarch isn’t fully activated.
• Cool the glaze before pouring over fruit. Hot glaze cooks delicate strawberries and wilts kiwi slices.
• Arrange the fruit in colorful concentric circles for the most impressive presentation.

Variations

• Berry only: Use all berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) for a red-white-and-blue holiday version.
• Tropical: Top with mango, pineapple, and coconut flakes for a piña colada-inspired pizza.