This Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza recipe yields a brown butter sugar cookie base covered in a citrusy cream cheese frosting and a rainbow of fresh fruit. This rainbow dessert is a perfect pride party idea or picnic offering.
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The inspiration for this cookie is nostalgic. One of the first things I baked with my granny growing up was fruit pizza. I remember having so much fun laying out all of the fruit on top with her. My passion for plating and food styling started very young. I used to get nagged for taking too long building my plate in the humble buffet line. The cookie base is adapted from Half Baked Harvest.
There is nothing happier than a rainbow dessert for pride. I also love a more meticulous bake and building a rainbow lends itself to that. Last year I made one of my signature tall sprinkle cakes in rainbow for my Rainbow Pride Cake, which is time consuming but absolutely festive. The year before last I also used fruit for a rainbow in my Rainbow Fruit Tart.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- The browned butter adds flavor depth to the sugar cookie.
- Zest in the cream cheese frosting adds a citrusy note.
- The decoration is completely customizable.
- This is the perfect shareable dessert! Each person can choose the slice with their favorite fruit.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter gets cooked until the milk solids brown for a nutty flavor.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the cookie base.
- All-purpose flour is the base of the cookie.
- Eggs bind the cookies.
- Kosher salt and vanilla balance the overall flavor profile.
- Cream cheese is the base of the frosting.
- Lemon, lime and orange zest adds a citrusy note to the frosting.
- Baking soda gives rise to the cookie base.
- Powdered sugar sweetens the frosting.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here’s how to customize this fruit pizza to your liking:
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- No citrus — omit the lemon, lime and orange zest.
- Round — bake in a 10 or 12-inch round cake pan for a traditional round fruit pizza look.
- Dairy free — substitute dairy-free butter and cream cheese.
- Flag pattern — line up the fruit in a flag pattern.
- Another frosting — if you don’t like cream cheese, make a traditional American buttercream or an ermine frosting instead.
This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to make a fruit pizza
Step 1: Add the butter to a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the milk solids brown. This can take 5-8 minutes. Keep a close eye as it can go from brown to burnt quickly. Promptly remove from the heat and transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Let cool for five minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between. In a separate medium bowl thoroughly whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add this mixture to the butter mixture. Beat just until combined and a dough forms. Press the dough into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Then, let cool completely in the pan before removing it to a serving tray.
Step 2: Beat the cream cheese on low just until smooth and there are no lumps. Add the softened butter and beat just until combined. Add powdered sugar, zests and vanilla. Beat until combined.
Step 3: Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cookie.
Step 4: Decorate with assorted fresh fruits and herbs. Slice into bars and serve.
Hot tips
- Use a light colored pot so you can see when the milk solids change color. It will be harder to tell in a dark/nonstick pan.
- Avoid overbeating the cream cheese.
- Make sure the cookie is cooled completely before removing carefully from the tin.
Recipe FAQs
I have not tested this. I would recommend using a recipe for a regular sugar cookie base like this one.
Yes, use dairy-free butter and plant-based cream cheese.
You could bake portions of dough in the bottom of a muffin tin to make individual cookies. I have not tested this as a drop cookie or cutout cookie. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
More recipes you'll love
Lastly, if you make this Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza
Ingredients
Brown butter sugar cookie
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, 226g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (312g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Citrus cream cheese frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened (226g)
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature (40g)
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar (150g)
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ½ teaspoon lime zest
Toppings and garnishes
- Assorted fresh fruit Strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, mango, pineapple etc.
- Assorted herbs mint, rosemary etc.
Instructions
Do ahead
- Grease and line a 9x13 metal baking pan with parchment paper with overhang on the sides. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Make the cookie
- Add the butter to a medium pot* over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the milk solids brown. This can take 5-8 minutes. Keep a close eye as it can go from brown to burnt quickly. Promptly remove from the heat and transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Let cool for five minutes.
- Add the sugar and vanilla and beat to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between.
- In a separate medium bowl thoroughly whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add this mixture to the butter mixture. Beat just until combined and a dough forms.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Then, let cool completely in the pan before removing it to a serving tray.
Make the frosting
- Beat the cream cheese on low just until smooth and there are no lumps. Add the softened butter and beat just until combined.
- Add powdered sugar, zests and vanilla. Beat until combined.
Decorate
- Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cookie. Decorate with assorted fresh fruits and herbs. Slice into bars and serve.
