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A sugar cookie crust topped with whipped cream cheese frosting and decorated with fresh fruit, this gluten free fruit pizza will look beautiful on your table, and delight your guests with the fresh tastes and tender texture.
What makes this gluten free fruit pizza a special dessert
This gf fruit pizza keeps its shape in the oven, holds a beautiful whipped frosting perfectly without ever getting soggy, and makes the best canvas for the season's best fruit. It's similar to our gluten free fruit tart, but instead of a gluten free shortcrust pastry shell, its base is a big gluten free sugar cookie.
You know those days when it almost feels like spring? When nearly all the snow from a long, long winter has melted and your kids could even play basketball outside for a while. Shrieks and screams that can drive me to near-madness when the children are inside are downright adorable when they're outside.
Good strawberries, the kind that are actually red inside and not a million dollars a pound, are even showing up in the grocery store. Hooray! Time to celebrate with an impressive-looking-but-super-easy gluten free fruit pizza.
Tips for making a beautiful gluten free fruit pizza that slices cleanly
The cookie crust of this fruit pizza does bake quickly, but be careful not to under bake it. If the “pizza” crust is under-baked, it will be flimsy and may crack as you handle it. For the cleanest slice, chill the filled and decorated pizza before serving and serve it chilled.
To avoid even a slightly fallen strawberry or crushed blueberry completely, focus on each slice individually. Simply bake and fill the crust, then decorate each slice with fruit after slicing the whole pizza with the bare filling alone.
Finally, don't go overboard on the fruit decorations. If you crowd the filling with too much fruit, slicing becomes much more difficult and the effect is ruined. Plus, you'll want to decorate with slicing in mind, leaving room for your pizza wheel to do its work.
Gluten free fruit pizza: Ingredients and substitutions
Gluten free dairy free fruit pizza
It is certainly possible to make the cookie “pizza” crust in this recipe without dairy by replacing the butter. My favorite nondairy butter replacement is Melt or Miyoko's Kitchen brand vegan butter.
The filling contains quite a bit of dairy that is harder to replace: cream cheese and heavy whipping cream. You may be able to replace the heavy whipping cream with coconut cream, but I haven't tried a dairy-free alternative cream cheese that tastes authentic to me.
I'd be more inclined to try one of the newer dairy-free frozen alternative whipped toppings like So Delicious brand and others make as a filling. It will need to be kept very cold, though, for serving.
Gluten free egg free fruit pizza
Since there's only one egg in the crust recipe, one “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel) should work well in its place.
Gluten free corn free fruit pizza
If you're avoiding corn, just make sure that your confectioners' sugar is corn-free. Cornstarch is often added to help prevent clumping.
Gluten free fruit pizza recipe
Gluten Free Fruit Pizza | Simple, Delicious, Beautiful
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
For the cookie crust
- 1 ¾ cups (245 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend, (I used Better Batter; please click thru for appropriate blends)
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (58 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 7 tablespoons (98 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg, at room temperature, beaten
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Lukewarm water by the half-teaspoonful, as necessary
For the whipped cream cheese filling
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) heavy whipping cream, chilled
- ½ cup (58 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
For the fruit topping
- 8 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced about 1/4-inch thick
- 2 fresh kiwis, peeled and sliced about 1/4-inch thick
- 4 ounces fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 12-inch pizza pan (or large baking sheet) with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.
Make the cookie dough.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, egg and vanilla, mixing to combine after each addition.
- The dough should come together and be thick but not stiff. If it is stiff, add water by the quarter teaspoonful, mixing to combine after each addition, until the dough reaches the proper consistency.
Shape and bake the crust.
- Place the cookie dough between two sheets of unbleached parchment paper and roll it out into a round about 3/8-inch thick and about 11-inches in diameter. If your pizza pan is smaller, trim the circle to fit the pan.
- Place the shaped dough on the prepared pizza pan or baking sheet, and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or the freezer for less than 10 minutes to chill until firm.
- Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and place the pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is very lightly golden brown on the underside and set all the way to the center.
- Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool completely on the pan.
- The cookie crust can be made days (or even weeks) ahead of time, cooled, and then wrapped tightly and frozen. Defrost at room temperature and continue with the recipe.
Make the filling.
- Transfer 2 tablespoons of the cream to a small bowl and set it aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, place the remaining cream and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar, and continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a separate, large bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill.
- In the same bowl, place the cream cheese, vanilla, salt and reserved 2 tablespoons cream. With the whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese mixture on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Remove the whipped cream from the refrigerator and add half of the whipped cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture, and whisk to combine. Add the remaining whipped cream, and fold it into the filling carefully until combined.
Assemble the pizza.
- Place the filling on top of the cooled cookie crust, and spread into an even layer. Decorate the top with the fruit in whatever pattern you like.
- Slice and serve immediately, or, for a cleaner slice, place the assembled fruit pizza in the refrigerator for about an hour to allow the filling to set.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can i substitute applesauce for the egg?
I don’t think that would work out well. have you tried the egg replacers out there?
This wonderful pizza and my book just arrived . Savannahs, oyster crackers, multi grain town house crackers, pecan sandies ,oh I’m going to be very busy.
Me too Carole – isn’t it lovely??? :)
That’s my favorite kind of busy, Carole!
I think that you deserve a NOBEL PRIZE! I have missed Fruit Pizza and you have provided a super recipe!
LOL Kathy.
I adore fruit pizza. I’m pretty sure I always use our favorite sugar cookie dough recipe to make mine. I used to freak out and make the day of and then realized I always thought the left over pieces were more yummy so now I make it the night before and it’s freakin’ awesome!!! :)
Good point, Jennifer!
I also got my cook book yesterday!!!!!! The pics are beautiful and the recipes are just to die for. cannot wait to make something yummy today!
Hooray, Jennifer!!
I have a recipe for fruit pizza BUT I have been waiting for a GFOAS version b/c I know it will be better! It snowed in my part of NY last night so I will be waiting to make this yummy spring recipe! Classic snacks will be here tomorrow!!!!
It snowed in my part of NY too last night, Laura! It seems mostly to have melted by now, but it was enough to make me a little sad. :/ But I’m thrilled you received Classic Snacks, and I can’t wait to hear how you like it!!!
This looks positively scrumptious! It’s on the list to make this week. On a related note – Amazon says my copy of Classic Snacks is going to be delivered today! WOO HOO!! Can’t wait. :-)
That’s awesome, Brenda! I can’t wait to hear how you like the book!! :)
Before the days of no gluten, our family used to make this on an 11 by 14 cookie sheet, and cut it into squares. Would that work for this recipe or must it be in a circle? Thanks for all you do, Nicole!! Planning on this for an Easter party later this week!!
I’m sure that would be fine, Kayla! Just be sure that the thickness is as directed in the recipe and you won’t have any problem. The cooking time may vary slightly, so just keep an eye on it. You’re so welcome. :)
Thanks! Can’t wait to try it!! Love your recipes and make them whenever I can—I’m 15 and love to bake and cook!! :) You make having Celiac so much easier!!
I’m adding this to my Easter menu. Looks so pretty and delicious AND Spring-y. Which after this winter, we all need to be reminded of spring time.
I insist upon enjoying this spring, however brief it is, Kim! It’s so often gone before I even take note. Can’t let that happen this time. :)
So pretty, you made me smile :)
We had a warmer than usual winter, spring came early for us. The tree frogs were out and about in February which was unbelievable! As sign that spring was going to stay.
Have a wonderful day Nicole :)
Wow, Lucy, that’s incredible. We had an awful winter! Glad you got off easy. Someone should! :)
I haven’t had fruit pizza in years. What a good idea! It would be perfect for Easter. Thanks!
You bet, Michelle! :)