American Flag Fruit Pizza

Ingredients

See recipe card for exact amounts.

Ingredient Notes

cookie dough – we use Pillsbury sugar cookie dough, the kind that comes in the roll. The kind that is already portioned out can also be used, just look for the package that is around 16 ounces. 

cream cheese – name brand, store brand, regular full fat or 1/3 less fat will all work well. 

whipped topping – again, name brand, store brand, regular, reduced fat or no sugar will all work. There is no reason this fourth of July fruit pizza can’t be made as inexpensively or as figure friendly as possible. 

sugar – we use regular granulated sugar, powdered sugar can also be used. 

vanilla – I like pure vanilla extract and not imitation vanilla flavoring. 

fresh berries – we chose to use fresh strawberries and blueberries, raspberries and blackberries can also be used to make a red, white and blue dessert.

How to make this easy dessert pizza

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and line a 9″ X 13″ pan with parchment paper. 
2. Slice the cookie dough and place in the pan. Using a piece of parchment paper on top of the sugar cookie dough start to gently push it so that it covers the bottom of the pan entirely. Push the dough down around the edge of the pan as much as you can. You will still end up with a border after it bakes and this is fine. 
3. Once the dough is spread evenly poke holes in it using a fork.
4. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until it starts to brown slightly. Cool completely.
5. In a large mixing bowl beat the softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together using an electric mixer, fold in the whipped cream. 
6. Spread a generous even layer of the cream cheese mixture over the prepared sugar cookie dough crust, decorate with fruit and pipe some of the remaining frosting onto the top of the cookie crust. 

How to decorate your American flag fruit pizza

See photos for visual aid. 

• Start by slicing the strawberries, you can do this however you want! For this particular version I chose to cut my strawberries into slices and then cut the slices in half. This may vary depending on the size and shape of your berries. 
• I make the border by piping a large star and alternating it with a large blueberry. 
• Then I place blueberries in the corner to make the stars. For this particular version I used 6 blueberries across and 5 down, this may vary depending on the size of your fruit and the look you want.
• I use the strawberries to make the red stripes and then pipe a couple of rows of small stars in between the rows of strawberries to make the white stripes pop. 

Tips

• Wash the fruit and make sure it is completely dry before cutting and placing onto the cream cheese layer.
• Slicing the cookie dough and putting it on the baking pan makes it easier (and faster) to get it into an even layer. 
• I use a piece of parchment paper on top of the cookie dough to spread it out. The warmth from my hands helps a lot and the paper doesn’t allow it to stick to my hands. 
• It is easier to spread the cookie dough a little at a time, so take your time to get it spread evenly. 
• The cookie dough puffs up during baking but will fall once it is done and you take it out of the oven, if not before. 
• Make sure the cream cheese is room temperature.
• You can take the cookie out of the baking pan after it has cooled some so it will cool faster, I leave it in at least 20 minutes or so before I take it out of the pan to cool the rest of the way. I do not move it off of the parchment until it is completely cool, I do this by placing it on the serving tray or dish and then sliding the paper out as I lift up the cookie crust just a bit.
• I always lay my flag pattern out onto something else that is the same size (usually the back of the pan I baked it in) before I put it on the frosted cookie crust to get an idea of how it will need to be laid out. It almost always ends up slightly different but at least I have an idea of where to start and how it should end up. 
• I use a Wilton 2D tip for the large stars on the  border and a Wilton 18 tip for the small stars that make up the stripes. 
• You will most likely have some frosting left over. 

Storage

Store in an airtight container for about 3 days. The fruit, especially what has been cut, may start to break down and become a little bit watery after a couple of days in the fridge.