Way back when I was a teenager, growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, life was pretty simple. We didn’t really have a mall close by where I lived to go hang out with my friends, but we did have a pizza buffet that rocked our world! You know the type, basically every kind of pizza under the sun on one buffet line, even dessert pizza! These days, I don’t frequent the pizza buffet anymore – not because I wouldn’t, just because my gluten intolerance won’t let me. I do, however, take inspiration from it, like with this gluten-free, Easy Apple Dessert Pizza!
I have such fond memories of that pizza buffet line.
It was where I was first introduced to mac and cheese on a pizza and it was definitely the first time I ever had dessert in the form of a pizza! My favorite was a Cinnamon Apple Pizza drizzled with icing. It was warm and flaky and downright decadent! Everything a girl could ask for in a dessert, right?!
Let’s talk about what makes this Easy Apple Dessert Pizza so special, shall we?!
The crust | This is no ordinary pizza pie my friend, this crust is made of sugar cookie dough. (In my case gluten-free sugar cookie dough, but hey- you do you!) Store bought cookie mixes, pre-made tubes of dough, or even from scratch recipes are all welcome at this pizza party, just form it into a big circle the shape of a pizza pie then bake it to perfection!
The “sauce” | Obviously, you wouldn’t use tomato sauce on a dessert pizza, that would just be gross! But, you know what you can use?! A whipped brown sugar and cream cheese spread! Oh yes, friend- this little dessert dipper is just heavenly! Creamy, luscious, and rich. Just like a dessert pizza should be!
The “toppings” | This Easy Apple Dessert Pizza has a sweet-tart combo of thinly sliced Stemilt Piñata® apples and Granny Smith apples. I sliced the apples paper-thin on a mandoline to ensure easy eating, but you could just chop them up very finely too.
What are you waiting for?
Up your dessert game with a little food fusion of sorts and make your family this Easy Apple Dessert Pizza, they are totally going to be singing your praises for it!!
Sugar cookie dough; 1 tube, 1 box/bag mix, or 1 batch of homemade dough, use gluten free if necessary
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 Stemilt Piñata® apple, cored
1 Stemilt Granny Smith apple , cored
3-4 tablespoon prepared caramel sauce, either store bought or homemade
Powdered sugar, if desired
Up your dessert game with a little food fusion of sorts and make your family this Easy Apple Dessert Pizza, they are totally going to be singing your praises for it!
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Yield
8-12 Slices servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Cuisine
American
In Category
dessert
Instructions
Shape the prepared cookie dough into a 10-12-inch round, like a pizza crust, on a piece of parchment and bake according to the directions on your package or recipe. Cool completely.
Beat the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla together.
Spread the "sauce" on top of the cooled cookie crust. Set aside.
When you are ready to serve, use a mandoline or a very sharp knife to thinly slice the apples.
Then arrange them on top of the prepared pizza crust.
Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired, serve immediately.
Meg van der Kruik is the creative spirit behind This Mess Is Ours, and on a mission to creating recipes that her whole family will love. Split between three meat-eaters and one vegetarian (plus dairy and gluten sensitivities), Meg has developed every day recipes that even the pickiest eaters will love and that’s just what she shares on The Stem blog. Meg’s favorite Stemilt fruit is yellow peaches!