Fun and festive, delicious and do-aheadable (I think I just made up that word), setting up a fruit pizza cookie bar is a great dessert option for pretty much any get-together--from 4th of July cookouts to bridal showers to brunch with friends. Make a batch of cookies and frosting, set out your favorite fruits, and let the creativity begin!
Cookie Dough (Yield: approximately 3 dozen 3" round cookies)
Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter, softened* (1 c)
1 c sugar
3 eggs
3 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar/angel cream (you can omit this, if you do not have it on-hand)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1/2 c butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 TBSP pure vanilla extract
1.5 c powdered sugar
optional but delicious: zest of either 1 lemon or 1 orange (around 1 tsp), depending on your preference
Fruit Toppings
Approximately 3 to 4 cups of assorted, colorful fruits cut into small, bite-sized pieces:
Such as:
- berries: strawberries, black or red raspberries, blueberries, blackberries
- grapes: red, green
- canned options: mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits (pat dry with paper towel)
- other: peaches, mango, kiwi
Directions:
For the cookies:
- Cream together the butter, sugar, and eggs (I use my Kitchen Aid stand mixer with the paddle attachment). Next, add in the remaining ingredients and mix until incorporated. Put the dough in a container with lid and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 to 4 hours (or overnight) so that the dough can be more easily handled (skipping the chilling step will result in sticky dough that will be difficult to roll out). Wash the mixer bowl so it will be ready to prepare the frosting.
- After the dough has chilled and you are ready to prepare the cookies, pre-heat oven to 350F, line baking sheets/baking stones with parchment paper. Lightly flour a pastry mat or counter top and roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a round 3" cookie cutter to cut the dough and place on the baking sheet, at least 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until just-set, being careful not to over-bake; remove from oven and let rest on the baking sheet for an additional 1-2 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Allow cookies to cool completely.
For the frosting:
- In the bowl for a stand mixer, add the butter and cream until it is smooth and completely lump-free (around 1 to 2 minutes). Use a rubber spatula and scrape down the bowl, and add the cream cheese, mixing until well combined. Scrape down again and add the vanilla extract and citrus zest (if using). After mixing, scrape the bowl and then add in the powdered sugar a little at a time. Once mixed, scrape down bowl one last time and mix for about 1 to 2 minutes more (avoid over-mixing, to keep the structure of the frosting).
For the set-up:
- Place the cooled cookies on a platter with the bowl of frosting nearby. Have an offset spatula with the frosting, so guests can easily spread the frosting onto their cookie. Use small bowls with spoons for each fruit. Placing these fruit bowls on a tray not only makes for a pretty display, but also catches any runaway fruit pieces.
Note: You can make the cookies and frosting 1 to 2 days in advance; store the frosting in a container with lid in the refrigerator. You can also prep the fruit 1 day in advance by washing and drying/draining and storing in air-tight individual containers.