Best Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza (easy summer dessert)

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This fruit pizza made with a buttery sugar cookie crust is a classic summertime dessert that is not only easy and customizable, but it is beautiful too! Bring this sugar cookie fruit pizza along to your next BBQ, cookout, or family event for a crowd pleaser that looks like you spent all day in the kitchen.

Despite fruit pizza being a popular summertime dessert, I had honestly never had it until I was an adult. While it was love at first bite, I was a little intimidated by how fancy it looked. Beautiful designs made with fruit. A crust and frosting I had never tasted before. I just assumed it was complicated to make.

Once I realized how easy this is to make, it became one of my new favorite go-to desserts to bring to every gathering and summer BBQ. It is always a huge hit, and everyone asks for this sugar cookie fruit pizza recipe. I also think it would be great for birthday parties, bridal showers, and more! I love how you can use whatever fruit you have on hand or get creative with certain colors or patterns. 

In these photos, I even used canned mandarin oranges and frozen blueberries since I didn’t have much fresh fruit on hand. It still turned out great, and the mandarin oranges are now one of my new favorite toppings!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Here is why you will love making this easy fruit pizza recipe:

• It’s easy! The crust is simply one large sugar cookie. The frosting is quick to whip up. Then, you can top it with whatever fruit you have on hand.
• This is a great recipe to make with kids because they enjoy doing the decorating.
• It uses simple ingredients. I bet you have everything on hand!
• It is completely from scratch. No box mixes or tubs of frosting needed. This also allows you the ability to make swaps or substitutions to fit your family’s dietary needs.
• It’s visually stunning without any special tools, skills, or tons of time and serves a crowd, making it the perfect dessert to share with friends.
• It’s customizable. Need a special 4th of July or Memorial Day dessert? Roll it out in a rectangle and top it with red, white, and blue berries to make an American flag fruit pizza. You can also use only your favorite fruits and avoid those your family doesn’t care for.

Here are a few more fun fruit pizza design ideas:

• Rainbow Spiral: Arrange fruit in rainbow color order in a spiral pattern starting from the center:
   Strawberries → Mandarins → Pineapple → Kiwi → Blueberries → Grapes
• Flower Garden: Use sliced kiwi as flower bases. Add raspberries, blueberries, or grapes as the centers. Use mint leaves or thinly sliced green grapes as leaves.
• Butterfly or Ladybug: Make the pizza into the shape of a colorful animal like a butterfly or ladybug. Then, decorate with the appropriate colored fruit.
• Heart-shaped – perfect for Valentine’s Day and anniversary gatherings: Make a heart-shaped crust. Spread filling evenly and line the edge with blueberries or blackberries. Fill the center with a mix of red berries like strawberries and raspberries.
• Monogram or message: Whether it is for a birthday cake substitute or a baby shower dessert, you could use fruit to add a special message or monogram. Use one color for the “writing” and use contrasting colored fruit around it to make the message pop.
• ​Mix things up and use the same recipe to make fruit pizza cookies (this is great when you don’t want to have to slice it later!)

Tips for Making the Best Fruit Pizza

• Fresh or canned fruit works best. I did use frozen blueberries here, but they did bleed a little color into the frosting and other berries. If you are in the same situation, let the fruit defrost in the fridge, then use a paper towel to remove excess water before topping your fruit pizza. Fresh berries would have definitely been better!
• Don’t use really juicy fruits like watermelon. It will just make a watery mess.
• If you choose to use fruits that turn brown, like bananas, apples, or peaches, make sure to treat them with a little lemon juice first. Personally, I just avoid these fruits.
• If you find the sugar cookie crust difficult to roll out, wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes to chill. I generally don’t do this, but depending on the temperature of your ingredients, it might help.
• Feel free to make this fruit pizza whatever shape you’d like! I love how a circle looks, but a rectangular shape is sure easier to cut into even servings.
• If you don’t feel like slicing it up later, the pizza can be frosted and then pre-sliced with a pizza cutter before adding the fruit. This is best if there isn’t going to be a great place to slice it up before serving.

Best Fruits For Fruit Pizza

• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Canned mandarin oranges
• Kiwis
• Pineapple 
• Grapes
• Mangoes

What You Will Need to Make the Best Fruit Pizza

How to Make the Best Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza

You can find the full printable recipe with measurements below, but here are the steps so that you can have a good idea of the process before you get started. 

Start by making the sugar cookie crust. There are many recipes for sugar cookies out there, but I happen to think this one works the best for fruit pizza with its smooth top and perfect amount of sweetness. 

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl or stand mixer and beat together with an electric mixer until creamy and well combined.

Step 2:

Add in the egg and vanilla and mix well using your stand mixer or hand mixer.

Step 3:

Finally, add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until the cookie dough is smooth with no remaining lumps.

Step 4:

Roll out the dough on a parchment paper-lined pizza pan or cookie sheet. I made mine on a pizza pan here, but you can make it whatever shape you’d like. I haven’t had any issues rolling my dough immediately after mixing, but if you are finding that it crumbles or comes off on your roller, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes before rolling it out.

Step 5:

Bake the crust at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes or until set in the middle. Golden brown is overcooked, so don’t let it cook that long. Overcooking the crust will make it dry and crumbly. Remove the pan from the oven and let the crust cool completely. If you are in a hurry, I have put the crust in the freezer for a few minutes to speed up this process, and it worked great.

While you wait for the crust to cool, it’s a good time to make your homemade Cool Whip.

Step 6:

Next up is making the cream cheese frosting. In a stand mixer or medium bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and Cool Whip until well combined and slightly fluffy.

Step 7:

Spread the frosting in an even layer across the cooled cookie crust. 

Step 8:

Time for the fun part! Top the frosting with the colorful fruit of your choice. You can get creative with designs or patterns, but honestly, I don’t think you can go wrong.

Amaze your friends and family with your beautiful dessert. Then, slice with a pizza cutter (my favorite) or a sharp knife and enjoy!

How to Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Want to have all of the prep done ahead of time? Just prepare and bake the cookie crust, wrap it tightly, and set it aside. Make the frosting and refrigerate in an airtight container. Frost and assemble the day of serving. You can make this the night before with no issues as well. 

I don’t suggest cutting your fruit until you are ready to decorate, as fruit tends to get juicy after it is sliced. 

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FAQs

Can I make this fruit pizza gluten-free?

Yes! Just substitute 1:1 gluten-free flour mix for the flour called for in the sugar cookie recipe.

Can I make fruit pizza without a pizza pan?

Yes, you can cook and prep the fruit pizza on any baking pan. You could also cut the recipe in half and press the sugar cookie base into a 9×13 pan.

How long does fruit pizza last in the fridge?

Fruit pizza lasts 3-4 days in the fridge. It would be safe to eat for 5-7 days, but it won’t look as pretty by then.