Cookie Pizza? Fruit Pizza? Cookie Fruit Pizza!

So, the fiancé and I disagree slightly on what this creation is called. I originally referred to it as a Cookie Pizza. My fiancé thought a ‘cookie pizza’ was just a very large cookie the size of a pizza, like at Old Chicago’s or Papa Murphy’s. He said it should be called a Fruit Pizza. In my mind a fruit pizza is a normal pizza crust with a fruit filling topping and icing drizzled over the top, like the apple and cherry pizzas you sometimes see at Pizza Hut buffets.

I searched online to try and find some recipe titles that would prove me right, unfortunately, most of the recipe titles for this type of creation sided with him. However, in my mind a fruit pizza still has a true pizza crust. So I’m going with Cookie Fruit Pizza, it is much more reflective of what the end product actually is.

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Cookie Fruit Pizza

1 package refrigerated sugar cookie dough (or you could mix it up with whatever your favorite cookie dough is…chocolate chip walnut for example, chocolate and nuts go great with fruit)
8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
8 oz tub of frozen whipped topping, thawed (you could try some of the flavored frozen whipped topping options as well)
Variety of favorite fruits for the topping*
¼ cup white sugar
pinch of salt
½ tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 cup water
¼ teaspoon orange zest (optional)

*I like strawberries, kiwis, mandarin oranges, star fruit, blackberries, and raspberries…I tend not to use bananas unless I’m serving the pizza right away but that seldom happens so I usually leave them off (supposedly you can dip banana slices in lemon juice and they won’t darken, but I haven’t tried it),. You can use whatever your favorites are though…pineapple, peaches, oranges, etc.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out cookie dough and place onto pan (you can use a pizza pan or just make a rectangular Cookie Fruit Pizza with a normal cookie sheet pan). Don’t worry if you don’t get the dough perfect or it tears while placing into the pan, just cover up any holes or thin spots by smushing on some extra dough wherever needed.

Bake the cookie crust for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool.

In a large microwave safe bowl, soften the cream cheese with a couple of quick zaps in the microwave (there are usually time instructions for softening on the cream cheese package). Sir the cream cheese to make sure it is all the same consistency.

Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese. Spread mixture over cooled cookie crust. At this point you can place the crust into the fridge until you are ready to top it with the fruit (this can be done in advance if you want to save some time before a party).

Take your selected fruit toppings, slice and/or peel those that need to be sliced and/or peeled. Arrange the fruit on top of the pizza however you would like – in a circular pattern, in straight or diagonal lines, in shapes, in letters, etc. Place the Cookie Fruit Pizza back into the fridge.

In a small saucepan, mix the sugar, salt, corn starch, orange juice, lemon juice and water. Place over medium heat and stir regularly until it comes to a boil. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes after it comes to a boil or until the sauce has thickened a bit. Remove from heat. If you are using the orange zest mix it in at this point. Allow the mixture to cool, but don’t leave it for too long or it will set-up and you’ll have to start over. Take the Cookie Fruit Pizza out of the fridge and use a pastry brush and brush the sauce over all the fruit. (I usually don’t end up using all of the sauce, I like just enough to have a thin glaze over the fruit, but use as much as you like based on your preference.)

Place the Cookie Fruit Pizza back into the fridge and chill until ready to serve (can chill for as little or as long as you like…anywhere from 2 minutes to 2 hours).

Cut and serve.

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Enjoy!