This Fruit Pizza Recipe Is a Fan-Favorite at Family Gatherings — and Perfect for the Fourth of July

Not to be dramatic, but if I tried to sneak past the Fourth of July without serving my family my famous fruit pizza, they would probably disown me. 

For every holiday party, backyard barbecue, and any other occasion where I'm in charge of bringing dessert, everyone hangs by a thread waiting to bite into my fruit pizza. My dad and husband are so enthralled with it that I can recall one occasion when my husband ate the last slice, used his finger to write "F-U" in the remnants of whipped topping, then sent a picture to my dad to rub it in. We almost had to seek family counseling. 

To make this delicious dessert, I grab a couple rolls of Pillsbury sugar cookie dough and blanket a cookie sheet with them. I bake the dough according to the package instructions and let it cool. Then I whip up a batch of instant vanilla pudding, which I usually stick in the fridge until the crust reaches room temperature. Once that happens, I spread the pudding in one layer and then add a layer of Cool Whip. 

Side note: I've had other fruit pizzas that use a cream cheese frosting in place of my makeshift mixture, and while I have a lot of affection for cream cheese frosting, I find it a little too sweet and overpowering for this dessert. The combination of the pudding and Cool Whip is light and refreshing, and it carries the perfect amount of sweetness.

For toppings, I place strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries in whatever design the occasion calls for. Sometimes I just throw them on all willy-nilly, but if it's Independence Day, I shoot for a flag design. (Since I'm not psychotic and I like the fruit balanced, I still sprinkle the blueberries and blackberries in with the red stripes on the "flag.") I've done a football design for the Super Bowl, a heart for my anniversary, and have even gone in Santa-style for Christmas. Seriously: I make this pizza for every occasion.

Tips for Customizing Fruit Pizza

• Make sure you keep the pudding and whipped topping layers separate. Otherwise, the color will be more yellow and less appetizing.
• Remember that if you get too particular with the design, you might compromise the balance of the fruit.
• You can play around with different fruits — I've added bananas and kiwi before, too!

Fruit Pizza

Ingredients:

• 2 16.5-ounce rolls Pillsbury sugar cookie dough 
• 5.1-ounce package instant vanilla pudding
• 3 cups milk
• 8-ounce container of Cool Whip
• Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries 

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2. Spread both rolls of cookie dough in an even layer, covering the entire cookie sheet.
3. Bake according to package instructions. The package says 13-17 minutes, and in my oven, 16 minutes usually does the trick. Make sure your crust is ever-so-slightly golden on the edges, and stick a toothpick in the center to make sure the dough isn't raw.
4. Once your crust is done baking, take it out of the oven and let it cool.
5. While the crust cools, whisk together the pudding mix and milk according to the instructions on your pudding package.
6. After your crust has cooled, spread the pudding in an even layer. Then spread the container of Cool Whip on top of the pudding in a second layer.
7. Wash and cut your berries as needed and top your pizza to your heart's content.
8. Slice it up and try not to eat five slices in one sitting — you will have to engage in some serious willpower.