America’s Dessert Pizza

6.28.16

A week of red, white and blue begins! I haven’t focused as much on holidays through the past year.  Some recipes here and there, but most of the time, I realize I should’ve created something a week before the holiday actually happened to get people excited about it.  So I shirk it off and bake whatever I want. But this time around, I really wanted to make some fun recipes that could actually be made for the 4th of July weekend.  All things delicious, and at varying levels of intensity.  So whether you want something quick, or  something that can be made the night before, or if you don’t want to bake at all, I think I’ve got you covered.  

I started with the easiest and least involved recipe of the three for this week. I love pizza in a way that’s hard to describe, I could live off it.  Everyday. So I flipped my normal love on its head and baked a dessert pizza.  The longest step of this recipe is waiting for the giant sugar cookie to cool.  If you have the patience for that, this is NO SWEAT.

If you want to see a picture of my sugar cookie recipe ingredients go here.

For the Frosting

This is a terrible picture.  I’m over it.  Lightroom was acting up so I was having a hard time editing.  Let move on.  The final product is so pretty anyway.

Giant sugar cookie for a dessert pizza ‘crust.’ I wanted to try it and make sure it was perfect but I refrained. Don’t worry, it was perfect. Cream cheese frosting for ‘sauce’……it just keeps getting better and better.

A friend at work gave me the whole idea for this dessert.  And I am so happy how it turned out.  It’s easy and delicious.  Trying to get it out of the pan is a little tricky, if you can travel by car or don’t have to walk far, I’d recommend just bringing it in the skillet.  

I am a berry fiend, and as I need to work on putting more veggies in my life, I could eat fruit, specifically berries, all day long. I was more satisfied than I expected for how the flag on top turned out. I saved myself two huge pieces before bringing it to a picnic for some friends to devour.

A thin layer of cream cheese frosting gives this dessert a sweetness without being overwhelming. And you can talk yourself into being a little healthy because there’s fruit involved!!! So celebrate our Independence Day with a giant dessert pizza!

There are two more desserts coming your way this week, all perfect for a beautiful 4th of July weekend.

Patriotic Skillet Cookie

Ingredients

For the Cookie

• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Topping

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 oz blackberries
• 7 oz strawberries, diced

Instructions

For the Cookie

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a cast iron skillet with butter
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside
• Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together on medium speed
• Add in vanilla, and then eggs one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next, scrape down bowl
• On low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients, about 1/2 cup at a time
• Once just combined, scrape down side of the bowl and mix on medium speed for about 10 seconds
• Take dough and bringing together into one big ball, place in the center of greased skilled and pat out until it covers the entire bottom
• Sprinkle with sugar if desired and bake for 12-15 minutes, until thoroughly baked and the cookie doesn’t have a wet dough look anymore
• Allow to cool completely before frosting and topping with fruit

For the Topping

• In a electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar
• Once beginning to smooth out, add in vanilla and allow frosting to reach desired consistency
• Spread a thin layer of frosting on top of giant sugar cookie
• Arrange blackberries and diced strawberries (make sure to strain them for less juicy mess on frosting) into American flag
• Enjoy immediate by slicing into 1/8’s as you would a pizza, or refrigerate
• This dessert can be refrigerated and covered for 24-48 hours but allow to reach room temperature before serving, and if making for later in the day, don’t top with berries until ready to serve

P.S.

*Use blueberries instead of blackberries if that’s your thing, I’m more partial to blackberries myself