4th of July Fruit Pizza
Tasty, easy to make, and loaded with fresh fruit, this patriotic dessert is perfect for your 4th of July BBQ or gathering.
Ingredients
- 2 packages pre-made sugar cookie dough, softened
- 2 8 oz Strawberry Cream Cheese, tubs/containers
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Remove cookie dough and the cream cheese from the fridge and let it soften on the counter for about 30 minutes.
- Take a large baking sheet and cover with a piece of parchment paper (trim around the edges). Spray it with cooking spray.
- Remove the cookie dough from packaging and place on the cookie sheet, pressing down on both rolls. Next, lay another piece of parchment on top of the dough, and press down again. Take a rolling pin and start rolling - to even out the dough into one large piece that covers the baking sheet. You can use your fingers to get into the corners. The dough will be ½-inch thick, and it doesn’t have to be perfectly rectangular. [Optional to use a large round pizza stone if you’re wanting a round dessert.]
- Remove the top parchment paper and bake the dough at 325 degrees for 25 minutes, or until it’s golden brown. Make sure the middle is cooked and not soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before you do the next step, for about 20 minutes. You can even pop the pan into the fridge to speed up the cooling process.
- When the crust is cooled, you can remove it (with the parchment paper) to a cutting board, or just leave it in the pan.
- Next, add both containers of cream cheese to a bowl with the powdered sugar. With a hand mixer, mix until combined and smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture on the cookie dough crust, edge to edge.
- Add the sliced strawberries first in rows, then sprinkle the blueberries in between the rows of strawberries. Pop the fruit pizza back into the fridge to chill until you’re ready to serve.
- Set out the baking pan and serve, or you can cut into squares and serve.
- Refrigerate overnight or enjoy it right away.
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Storage: This 4th of July fruit pizza can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 day. Keep in mind that the fresh berries will continue to release juice which will make the fruit pizza slightly soggy if kept much longer than that. For best texture and freshness, I recommend serving this immediately.
- Freeze: You can freeze the baked, cooled crust (without topping) for up to 1 month. Thaw, then add cream cheese and fruit when ready to serve.
- Make ahead: You can prepare this 4th of July fruit pizza and refrigerate it up to the night before.
- Soften the dough: If your cookie dough doesn’t roll out easily, it probably is still too cold. Give it another 10-15 minutes on the counter to warm up.
- Fresh berries: Always use in-season strawberries and blueberries, bought from your local grocery store or farmer’s market for the best flavor. Frozen is not advised as it will make the dessert soggy.
- Pat the berries completely dry: Any moisture on fresh berries can bleed onto the strawberry cream cheese topping. Gently blot them with a paper towel first.
- Even thickness is key: Aim for an even ½-inch thickness so the crust bakes uniformly. Thicker spots may stay doughy while thinner edges burn.
- Poke holes: Use a fork to gently prick the dough all over before baking (like you would for a pie crust). This helps prevent large air bubbles from forming.
- Speed up cooling: Pop the cookie base on the baking sheet into the fridge to speed up the cooling process.
- Chill at least 1 hour before serving: This sets the cream cheese and makes slicing much cleaner.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 246kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 152mg, Potassium: 146mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 33IU, Vitamin C: 24mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 1mg