One way I’ve gotten my kid’s excited about fruit is by making fruit creations like this Bert and Ernie Z and I made out of mostly an orange and banana when he was 5.

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I also have a tradition of making a theme fruit pizza for birthday parties. Here are just a few that I have created over the years.

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*Updated to add this “E” fruit pizza for Ezie’s 7th birthday

And here is the recipe in case you want to make your own. It’s so simple and you don’t have to do a fancy design. Any pattern of fruit can work. 

Fruit Pizza

 
Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. Cool Whip (1 3/4 c.)
1/4 c. powdered sugar
16.5 oz. package of refrigerator sugar cookie dough
1 lg. pizza pan
Fruit of choice: kiwi, blueberries, strawberries, bananas
*For the optional simple syrup coating recipe see below
Directions:
rolling the cookie dough into one giant cookie that fills the pizza pan. Bake according to directions (mine was 16-20 min. at 350 degrees). Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. For the topping you will combine sugar, cream cheese and Cool Whip. Spread over cookie crust. Arrange fruit on top.

Cooking Tip: Simple Syrup

You can help keep cut up fruits from turning brown by coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon or orange. Also, a simple syrup mixture, which is made by boiling equal parts of sugar and water. Citrus flavored simple syrup helps keep the fruit fresh. Here is an example recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 quart filtered or distilled water
  • ½ lb granulated sugar
  • 2 oz freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3 medium oranges)
  • 2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 medium lemons

Directions:

  1. Boil the water and sugar, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool the syrup.
  1. Add the lemon and orange juices, then chill the syrup.

The fruit pizza is sure to be a hit at almost any occasion, but let me add one final tip. Make sure you try a piece shortly after serving because this pizza goes FAST!

Today’s post is a part of a 31 day series called Captain of the Kitchen. To catch up on all the other posts you can find the table of contents HERE.

 

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