Fruit Pizza
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Fruit Pizza is a soft sugar cookie crust topped with cream cheese frosting, fresh fruit, and a shiny honey apricot glaze. It looks impressive, it's easy to make, and you can do most of the work ahead of time.
Summer desserts have been on my mind. The weather has been so gorgeous, and when the sun comes out, and those summer fruits are at their peak, this is such a great recipe to showcase all of those flavors.
It's got a soft, buttery cookie crust, a layer of fluffy, sweet cream cheese, and TONS of gorgeous, seasonal summer fruit. And it's so much fun to make!
My kids' eyes nearly popped out of their heads when they saw this. Can you blame them?? It's like a beautiful rainbow! Such a stunning presentation, but really so simple.
This recipe would be perfect for Memorial Day or the Fourth of July if you just used red, white, & blue fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, white peaches, or star fruit. You could even arrange the fruit to look like the American flag!
Quick Summary
- The base: A soft, chewy sugar cookie crust pressed into a 12-inch pizza pan and baked at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
- The layers: Cream cheese frosting, a colorful mix of fresh fruit, and a glaze made from apricot jelly and honey.
- The design: Arrange the fruit in rainbow rows, a flag, concentric circles, or a wreath. Slice everything evenly and add the delicate fruit last.
- The big mistakes to avoid: Frosting a warm crust, using wet fruit, and assembling too far ahead.
- Make ahead: The crust and frosting keep for days. Decorate and glaze the day you're serving it.
Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's colorful and fun. Everyone notices it on the dessert table, and kids love helping decorate.
- The crust is soft and buttery. It tastes like a big sugar cookie, not a dry shortbread base.
- The frosting is tangy. Cream cheese frosting balances the sweet crust and fresh fruit.
- You can use any fruit. Swap in whatever looks best at the store or in your garden.
- It's make-ahead friendly. Prep the components first, then assemble right before serving.
Ingredients You'll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.
For the Crust
- Unsalted butter: Softened, so it creams smoothly with the sugar. Softened means it gives a little when pressed, but isn't greasy or melted.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the crust.
- Egg and egg yolk: The whole egg binds the dough, and the extra yolk keeps the crust soft and chewy.
- Vanilla extract: Adds classic cookie flavor.
- All-purpose flour: The structure of the crust. A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works as a swap.
- Cornstarch: Keeps the crust tender.
- Baking soda and kosher salt: Lift and balance.
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- Unsalted butter: Softened, and the base of the frosting.
- Cream cheese: Use the brick-style kind, not the spreadable tub. Cold cream cheese keeps the frosting thick enough to hold its shape.
- Lemon juice: Brightens the flavor and cuts the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavor.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Kosher salt: Just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
For the Toppings
- Strawberries: Bright red and sturdy enough to hold their shape. Hull and slice them.
- Mandarin orange segments: Drain them very well so the frosting doesn't get watery.
- Kiwis: Add a pop of green. Peel and slice them.
- Blueberries: Easy to place, with no cutting needed.
- Grapes: Halving them helps them lie flat and makes the pizza easier to eat.
- Raspberries: Delicate, so halve them and add them last.
- Fresh mint: Optional, for garnish.
For the Glaze
- Apricot jelly: Gives the fruit a clear shine without adding much color.
- Honey: Thins the jelly into something you can brush on, and adds a little floral sweetness.
In Photos: How To Make Fruit Pizza
Step 1: Make The Crust
The crust for this fruit pizza is made from soft sugar cookie dough. If you'd like, you can use store-bought dough and save yourself some time.
But for what you see here, I used my favorite soft-and-chewy sugar cookie recipe. It's easy to make in just one bowl, and it's got such a great soft, chewy texture and rich vanilla flavor. You can read more about it here: Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookies.
Preheat the oven. Set it to 350°F.
Cream the butter and sugar. Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla. Beat in the egg, then stir in the egg yolk and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt, and stir until just incorporated.
Just press the dough into the bottom of a pizza pan, in an even layer. If you don't have a pizza pan, you can order one here: Pizza Pan, or just use a sheet pan like this one: Baking Sheet.
Once you've pressed the dough into a nice, even layer, pop it in the oven to bake. You'll know it's done when the edges are set, and golden brown, and the center is still a bit soft.
Let this cool completely while you get going on the toppings.
Step 2: Frosting
In a large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla on medium-low speed until smooth.
Scrape down the bowl. Add about half the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Scrape again, then add the rest of the powdered sugar and the salt, and mix until combined.
Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy and stiff. Stop as soon as it looks stiff, since over-whipping can make it runny. Use it right away.
Once the sugar cookie is completely cool, spread a layer of fluffy cream cheese frosting over it. This will serve as the "sauce" for the fruit pizza.
Again, you could use store-bought frosting, but this homemade cream cheese frosting whips up in a snap, and the flavor is off the charts. Find the full recipe here: Cream Cheese Frosting.
Step 3: Decorate
Start with a plan before you start placing fruit. The frosting is soft, so it's hard to move things once they're down.
Pick your pattern first. Lightly mark it out with a few pieces of fruit, then fill it in.
Work from the outside in. Start with a ring of fruit around the edge, then work toward the center. This keeps the circles neat.
Use one fruit per color. Strawberries for red, mandarins for orange, kiwi for green, blueberries for blue. A clear color line looks more polished than a random mix.
Cut fruit evenly. Slices that are about the same thickness lie flat and cut cleanly.
Add delicate fruit last. Raspberries and ripe strawberries crush easily, so place them after the sturdier fruit.
Step 4: Glaze
The last step is to glaze the fruit. This part is optional, but it gives the fruit the most gorgeous shine, and it also helps to keep it fresher longer.
Just brush the glaze all over your creation. Ta-dah!
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Choose the right fruit. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, kiwi, mandarins, grapes, mango, pineapple, peaches, and nectarines all work well.
- Skip fruit that browns. Bananas and apples brown quickly, so only use them if you're serving the pizza right away.
- Drain juicy fruit well. Pat it dry with paper towels before it goes on the frosting.
- Pan size matters. I use a 12-inch pan. A smaller pan makes a thicker crust that needs a bit longer to bake. A larger pan makes a thinner crust that bakes faster.
- Use a solid pan or line it with parchment. If your pizza pan has holes, the dough can leak through.
- Press the dough with floured fingers. The dough is soft and sticky, and a little flour keeps it from sticking to your hands.
- Make it ahead. The crust and frosting keep for several days. Decorate and glaze the day you're serving it, or the day before at the earliest.
- Storage: Cover loosely and refrigerate. It's best within 1 to 2 days.
Design Ideas
Fruit pizza can be decorated for any holiday! Here are some good ideas, below.
- Rainbow: Arrange the fruit in curved rows of red, orange, yellow, green, and blue. This is the version my kids love.
- American flag: Make a rectangle of blueberries in the corner and rows of sliced strawberries or raspberries for the stripes. Leave frosting showing for the white stripes.
- Concentric circles: Alternate rings of sliced strawberries, kiwi, and blueberries from the edge to the center.
- Wreath: Make a ring of kiwi and green grapes with a few raspberries as berries. Add a strawberry bow for the holidays.
- Heart: Press the dough into a heart shape and cover it in strawberries and raspberries for Valentine's Day.
- Flower: Place sliced strawberries like petals around a center of blueberries.
- Mini fruit pizzas: Bake individual cookies and decorate each one. They're good for kids' parties.
- Sheet pan version: Bake it on a sheet pan and cut it into squares for a crowd.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Frosting a warm crust. The frosting will melt. Wait until the crust is completely cool.
- Using wet fruit. Extra moisture makes the frosting runny and can make the crust soggy.
- Overbaking the crust. Pull it when the edges are golden and the center is still a little soft. It will firm up as it cools.
- Assembling too early. The fruit releases juice over time. Decorate close to serving.
- Skipping the glaze. It's what gives the fruit that bakery shine and slows browning.
- Spreading the dough too thin. A very thin crust bakes quickly and can turn crisp. Press it evenly and keep the thickness consistent.
Recipe FAQ
This fruit pizza can be made gluten-free by swapping out the flour for a gluten-free blend. Look for one that subs 1:1 for regular flour. Here are a few good options:
- King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
- Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
- Cup4Cup Multi-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
If you're looking to make this fruit pizza ahead, I have a few suggestions.
The sugar cookie crust and cream cheese frosting can be made several days prior and kept tightly wrapped. The frosting should be refrigerated, but it's fine to leave the crust out at room temperature.
The fruit can be sliced, arranged, and glazed 1 day before serving, but it's really best to do it the day of.
Fruit pizza is fine left out on your dessert table for a few hours.
If you have any leftovers, they should keep in the fridge for another day or so, although you might notice the fruit doesn't look quite as pretty as when it's freshly sliced.
Keep leftover fruit pizza in the fridge, loosely covered with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container.
It's best to eat it within 1 to 2 days. After that, the fruit may begin to release juices, softening the cookie crust.
I don't recommend freezing a fully assembled fruit pizza. The fresh fruit can get watery and soft after thawing, and the frosting might lose its smooth texture.
You can freeze the plain sugar cookie crust if you wrap it tightly, then thaw it before adding the frosting and fruit.
Yes! Store-bought sugar cookie dough is a great shortcut. Just press it evenly into the pan and bake until the edges are golden and the center is set.
You can, but cream cheese frosting is sturdier and holds up better with the fruit. Whipped cream is softer and may not last as long.
A round pizza pan gives you the classic fruit pizza look, but you can also use a sheet pan and cut it into squares or bars.
If you want to do cute little individual fruit pizzas, make the sugar cookies as directed here: Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookies. Then top each one with a dollop of cream cheese frosting, arrange the fruit on top, and brush it with glaze. These are awesome little finger foods for a kid's birthday or class party!
Make sure the fruit is dry before adding it, and put the fruit pizza together close to serving time. The frosting also helps keep the fruit and cookie crust separate.
Ingredients
Crust
- ¾ cup 170 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1⅓ cups 200 g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups 281 g all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup 32 g cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup 113 g unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ounces 113 g cream cheese, cold
- 1½ teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups 300 g powdered sugar
- Pinch of kosher salt
Toppings
- 8 ounces strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 2 ounces mandarin orange segments, well drained
- 3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
- 2 ounces blueberries
- 2 ounces grapes, halved
- 1 ounce raspberries, halved
- 1 sprig fresh mint, optional
Glaze
- 1 tablespoon apricot jelly
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, then stir in the egg yolk and vanilla.
- Scrape down the bowl. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt, and stir until just incorporated.
- Press the dough evenly into a 12-inch pizza pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are set and golden and the center is still slightly soft.
- Cool the crust completely, about 1 hour.
- For the frosting, beat the butter, cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla on medium-low speed until smooth.
- Scrape down the bowl. Add half the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Scrape again, add the rest of the powdered sugar and the salt, and mix until combined.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy and stiff. Stop as soon as it looks stiff.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled crust.
- Arrange the fruit in a pattern on top of the frosting.
- Stir the apricot jelly and honey together in a small bowl. Brush the glaze lightly over the fruit.
- Garnish with mint if you like. Slice and serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Refrigerate, loosely covered, for up to 1 to 2 days.
- Make the crust and frosting up to a few days ahead. Decorate the day you serve it.
Author
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Have a question about this recipe? Ask AI:
What size round pizza pan does this recipe call for?
I think the one I used was probably around 12 inches, but really you could use any size. A smaller one would yield a thicker "crust" and a larger one, thinner. Just keep an eye on it as it bakes because thinner would bake faster and vice versa. Good luck I hope this is helpful!
What is a batch of cream cheese??? 8 or 16 ounces???
Click the link for the recipe.
Wonderful fruit pizza and fun to make . Making a cream cheese frosting takes it over the top .I used a pizza pan with perforations and when I do it again I will line pan with parchment as cookie dough leaked out ?Definitely a keeper!!!
By the way, this recipe is nowhere near 102 calories for 1/8 of the pizza. I added everything I did including the cookie crust, frosting, and fruit, and it turned out being about 450 calories. I used a couple different things, but still... BIG DIFFERENCE!!
Looks Good!!! Thanks for sharing. I always do the same, and share amazing recipes on my blog everyday.
For the cream cheese frosting, I also add a bag of white chocolate chips..melt CAREFULLY in microwave. Watch it closely during melting, it burns easily. Or you can also use a double boiler, or boil water in a saucepan, then put a bowl on the pan to melt the chips. Glass or metal bowl.
Sounds delish!
I have made this for years, with a couple differences. 1st, I don't get fancy with the placement of fruit, I like getting a bite of all the fruit in one bite, so I don't arrange it.
2nd, I make a glaze to pour over top. It adds a little punch of sweetness and tartness.
I make it from pineapple juice, some water and corn starch for thickening..Boil all 3 ingredients till thickened, then let cool. Pour over the fruit. It also kinda seals the fruits that can turn brown, like peaches slices, bananas, etc. You can email or text me if interested in my process..
Your glaze sounds fantastic! Thanks for sharing!