Last year, we had Easter brunch with good friends of our family’s. We consider Tom & Amber and their relatives our Illinois family. Brunch included a bounty of quiches, deviled eggs, Bloody Marys, mimosas, an assortment of pies, and even more dishes that I was too full to eat after all the aforementioned food. We contributed a fruit tart which was a big enough hit with the group to earn us another invite this year! Conditional on bringing the tart again, of course.

And we are. I use Almond Sugar Cookie dough for the base, as it has long been popular with our family and friends, but any sugar cookie dough works. We chose to use kiwis, mandarin oranges, bananas, and grapes for the fruit topping, but strawberries and blueberries would also work. Or any combination of these fruits!

Fruit Pizza

Fruit Pizza (adapted from tasteofhome.com), Serves: 16 – 20, Prep time: 30 minutes, Bake time: 15 minutes, Chill time: at least 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces (1 batch) sugar cookie dough, homemade or purchased
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 2 kiwifruit, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 to 2 firm bananas, sliced
• 11 ounces mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 cup red grapes, halved
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• pinch salt

Directions:

Roll the cookie dough out into a 14-inch circle then transfer it to a greased 14-inch pizza pan. Bake it at 350°F for 15-18 minutes or until it is golden brown. Cool the cookie base.

Roll the cookie dough out into a 14-inch circle.

In the large bowl of stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and confectioners sugar together until the mixture is smooth. Add in the whipped topping and combine at the lowest speed until it is once again smooth.

Combine the cream cheese and confectioners sugar then add the whipped topping.

Spread the whipped mixture over the cooled crust.

Spread the whipped mixture over the cooled cookie crust.

Arrange the sliced fruit on top of the pizza in concentric rings.

Add the fruit to the pizza.

In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, orange juice, water, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt to a boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until the mixture is thickened.

Combine the glaze ingredients.

Cool the glaze and brush it over the fruit.

Glaze the fruit.

Chill the pizza until ready to serve and store it in the refrigerator.

It makes such a colorful presentation!

This fruit tart will get you invited back!  ~Linda

Fruit Pizza (adapted from tasteofhome.com), Serves: 16 – 20, Prep time: 30 minutes, Bake time: 15 minutes, Chill time: at least 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces (1 batch) sugar cookie dough, homemade or purchased
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 2 kiwifruit, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 to 2 firm bananas, sliced
• 11 ounces mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 cup red grapes, halved
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• pinch salt

Directions:

Pat the cookie dough into a greased 14-inch pizza pan. Bake it at 350°F for 15-18 minutes or until it is golden brown. Cool the cookie base.

In the large bowl of stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and confectioners sugar together until the mixture is smooth. Add in the whipped topping and combine at the lowest speed until it is once again smooth. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange the sliced fruit on top of the pizza in concentric rings.

In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, orange juice, water, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt to a boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until the mixture is thickened. Cool the glaze and brush it over the fruit. Chill the pizza until ready to serve and store it in the refrigerator.