Easy Sourdough Fruit Pizza Recipe (With Super Soft Crust)
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What would happen if a sugar cookie dough and a cheesecake had a fruity little baby? This easy Sourdough Fruit Pizza Recipe would be the result. The sourdough sugar cookie crust is ultra-soft and buttery, with golden brown, crisp edges that hold their shape, perfect for piling on creamy cream cheese frosting and fresh fruit.
Whether I am using up sourdough discard or planning ahead with a long ferment, this colorful fruit pizza comes together fast. I can bake it on a 12-inch pizza pan, a regular baking sheet, or even a cast iron skillet. It is the perfect dessert that everyone will be requesting all summer long.
Quick Look: Sourdough Fruit Pizza
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chill Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 47 minutes
- Servings: 12 slices
- Calories: ~293 kcals per slice (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Baked
- Flavor Profile: Soft, buttery sourdough sugar cookie crust topped with a sweet honey cream cheese frosting and fresh, colorful fruit. A beautiful and refreshing summer dessert!
- Difficulty: Easy — Simple to mix and shape, no special skills needed, and ready in under an hour!
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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Fruit Pizza Recipe
- Irresistibly soft, buttery crust: The sourdough sugar cookie crust is super tender with crisp, golden brown edges that hold up perfectly under creamy frosting and fresh fruit toppings. I use a paddle attachment to cream the butter and sugar, then mix in the dry ingredients with all-purpose flour and cornstarch for the softest cookie base. If you love sourdough desserts, try my Chocolate Sourdough Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe.
- Quick and flexible prep: I can throw this recipe together quickly using sourdough discard, or I can go for a long ferment for those gut-friendly benefits. No pizza pan? No problem. It bakes beautifully on a regular baking sheet or even a cast iron skillet, making it super accessible for the first time or any time. For another versatile sourdough bake, check out my Best Sourdough Peach Cobbler from Scratch.
- Customizable and vibrant flavors: The honey-sweetened cream cheese frosting strikes a perfect tangy-sweet balance, and I can top it with my favorite fruits like different kinds of berries, kiwis, or fresh peaches. It is a stunning, crowd-pleasing dessert that is as fun to decorate as it is to eat at dinner parties. For another fruity sourdough treat, try my Easy Sourdough Skillet Mixed Berry Cobbler Recipe.
Ingredients & Substitutions
*To find precise measurements and the full list of ingredients, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
Sourdough Sugar Cookie Crust
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour for the sugar cookie dough.
- Unsalted butter: Before creaming, the butter should be soft so that a fingerprint can easily be left when pressed into the butter. If the butter is too hard or too soft, this will affect the texture of the cookie. Aim for 67°F. If using salted butter, subtract 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Sourdough discard: For sweet recipes, like this fruit pizza recipe, I prefer to use fresh sourdough discard that is no older than 1-2 days old. You can use active sourdough starter, just be sure to use the same amount in grams.
- Baking powder: Make sure your baking powder hasn’t expired. Replace it every 6 months after opening, or your cookie won’t rise properly.
- Cornstarch: Adding a touch of cornstarch to this cookie dough helps prevent gluten development in the cookie dough, which means an extra soft cookie crust.
- Egg yolk: A typical cookie recipe doesn’t call for extra liquids like water or milk. Since the sourdough starter adds water, removing the egg white (which adds more moisture since it’s mostly water content) helps create the balance for the perfect cookie texture.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese: I used full-fat cream cheese. Be sure to use softened cream cheese for easy mixing.
- Sweetener: I used a combination of honey and powdered sugar for the perfect sweetness. If you prefer less, omit the powdered sugar and just add the honey. You can also substitute the honey for maple syrup.
Favorite Fruit Options:
- Fresh berries: Different kinds of berries work: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
- Kiwis
- Oranges or mandarin oranges
- Mangos
- Pineapple
- Grapes – green or purple!
- Peaches/Nectarines – brush with lemon juice to prevent browning
Fruits to avoid:
- Watermelon – too watery
- Banana – browns quickly, can brush with lemon juice
- Apples – brown quickly, can brush with lemon juice
McKenna’s Tip
Cut everything thinly and in small bite-sized pieces; that way, every slice gets a variety of delicious fruit, and you’ll get a colorful fruit pizza.
How to Make Sourdough Fruit Pizza
Sourdough Sugar Cookie Crust
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (not a whisk attachment), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- While mixing on low speed, add the egg yolk, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until the flour is just combined.
- Place the cookie dough on a 12-inch pizza pan (without the crisper holes) and shape into a 9-10 inch circle, about ¼ inch thick. Cover and place the dough into the freezer for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- After chilling, bake the cookie for 17-19 minutes or until the edges are just lightly golden.
- Leave the cookie to cool completely on the pizza pan.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, butter, honey, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until combined.
- Spread a thick layer of the cream cheese frosting over the cooled sourdough cookie crust and decorate with fruit.
- Slice and enjoy!
Alternative Baking Suggestions:
You can press this crust into a 9–10-inch circle or square (about ¼ inch thick) on a greased, regular baking sheet or press into a 9×13-inch baking sheet or baking pan.
You can also double the recipe for a giant 12×17-inch fruit pizza. If you are pressing the cookie dough into a square baking sheet, you can skip the chill time and bake right away.
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Make sure your butter is at the right temperature before creaming. It should be soft enough that a fingerprint can easily be left when pressed into it, around 67 degrees F. If the butter is too cold or too melted, the sugar cookie dough will not cream properly and the crust texture will suffer. I follow the same butter rule for my Best Sourdough Sugar Cookies Recipe.
- Cut all your fresh fruit thinly and in small bite-sized pieces so every slice gets a variety of colorful fruit pizza toppings. Stick to firm options like berries, kiwis, grapes, pineapple, or citrus. Brush fresh peaches and apples with lemon juice to prevent browning. I use the same approach when decorating my Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake Recipe.
- Always let the sourdough sugar cookie crust cool completely on the cookie sheet before adding the cream cheese frosting. If the crust is even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and slide off. I follow the same rule when frosting my Sourdough Carrot Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting.
- If you do not have a 12-inch pizza pan, press the dough into a 9 to 10 inch circle on a greased baking sheet or use a cast iron skillet. The crust bakes beautifully either way. For best results, chill the shaped dough in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. I use a similar flexible baking method for my Blueberry Pie Recipe with a Sourdough Pie Crust.
- Do not add the fresh fruit toppings until just before serving. Fruit releases moisture over time, which can make the cream cheese frosting layer soggy. If I am making this for a party, I frost the cooled crust and refrigerate it, then arrange the fruit right before guests arrive. I take the same approach with my Easy Sourdough Blueberry Scones when adding fresh toppings.
How to Store
Store leftover fruit pizza in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s best eaten within 2–3 days.
The cookie crust freezes well. Wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 1 month.
Thaw at room temperature, then frost and top with fresh fruit. Don’t freeze assembled pizza, as fresh fruit doesn’t thaw well.
Sourdough Fruit Pizza FAQs
Yes, a cast iron skillet works well. I press the dough evenly across the bottom and start checking for doneness once the edges look lightly golden and the center feels set. Let it cool completely before adding the frosting and fruit. For more skillet baking tips, check out my Easy Sourdough Skillet Mixed Berry Cobbler Recipe
Yes, I can make the sourdough crust in advance and refrigerate it for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 1 month. If chilled, I let the dough rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before pressing it into the pan. Thaw frozen dough completely before shaping and baking. I wait to frost and add the fruit until just before serving. I use a similar method for my Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls.
Yes, you can use salted butter instead of unsalted in the cookie crust. Just make sure to reduce the added salt by ¼ teaspoon. In the frosting, you can omit the powdered sugar and use only maple syrup if you prefer less sweetness. You can also swap the maple syrup for honey.
For the fresh fruit toppings, my favorite fruits may not always be the best bet. I stick to firm options like berries, kiwi, grapes, pineapple, or citrus. I avoid watermelon and brush fresh peaches, apples, and bananas with lemon juice to prevent browning.
I bake the cookie for 17 to 19 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the edges are just lightly golden. The center may look slightly underdone, but it will firm up as it cools. I make sure my baking powder is fresh and I do not skip the 15-minute freezer chill before baking, as this helps the crust hold its shape and bake evenly. For another recipe where I rely on the same baking technique, check out my Blueberry Pie Recipe with a Sourdough Pie Crust.
If you tried this Sourdough Fruit Pizza recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough Fruit Pizza
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Equipment
Ingredients
Sourdough Sugar Cookie Crust
- 175 grams all-purpose flour about 1 1/4 cups
- 4 grams baking powder 1 teaspoon
- 5 grams cornstarch 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 1 grams salt 1/4 teaspoon
- 113 grams unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup
- 150 grams sugar 3/4 cup
- 100 grams sourdough discard, room temperature 1/3 cup
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature about 25 grams
- 4 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 226 grams cream cheese, softened 8 oz
- 42 grams unsalted butter, room temperature 3 Tablespoons
- 75 grams honey 3 Tablespoons
- 65 grams confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup
- 4 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
- pinch salt
Fruit Topping
- 400 grams sliced fuit about 3 cups
- apricot jam (optional)
Instructions
Sourdough Sugar Cookie Crust
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.175 grams all-purpose flour, 4 grams baking powder, 5 grams cornstarch, 1 grams salt
- To a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until lighter in color and fluffy. (about 3-4 minutes)113 grams unsalted butter, softened, 150 grams sugar
- While mixing on low, add the room-temperature sourdough discard, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.100 grams sourdough discard, room temperature, 1 egg yolk, room temperature, 4 grams vanilla extract
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl before adding the flour mixture and mixing on low until the flour is just combined.
- Grease a 12 inch pizza pan (without the crisper holes) with cooking spray and shape the cookie dough into a 9-10 inch circle, about ¼ inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and place the dough into the freezer for 15 minutes. Chilling the dough prevents the cookie from over spreading while baking. See Alternative Baking Options BelowLong Ferment: Instead of placing the shaped dough in the freezer, store in the fridge overnight and bake the following day.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake the sourdough cookie for 17-19 minutes or until the edges are just lightly golden brown. Be sure not to over bake. While the cookie is still hot, use the back of a spoon to smooth the edges of the cookie. Leave the cookie to cool completely on the cookie sheet.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the cookie cools, prepare the cream cheese topping. In a bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, butter, honey, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt until combined and smooth.226 grams cream cheese, softened, 42 grams unsalted butter, room temperature, 75 grams honey, 65 grams confectioners' sugar, 4 grams vanilla extract, pinch salt
- Spread a thick layer of the cream cheese frosting over the cooled sourdough cookie crust, then decorate with the fruit.400 grams sliced fuit
- For an extra shiny finish, add 20g (1 Tablespoon) of apricot jam with a splash of water to a small bowl. Warm it up shortly in a microwave. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the sliced fruit. This step is optional.apricot jam
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
*To find precise measurements and the full list of ingredients, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*Sourdough Sugar Cookie Crust
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour for the sugar cookie dough.
- Unsalted butter: Before creaming, the butter should be soft so that a fingerprint can easily be left when pressed into the butter. If the butter is too hard or too soft, this will affect the texture of the cookie. Aim for 67°F. If using salted butter, subtract 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Sourdough discard: For sweet recipes, like this fruit pizza recipe, I prefer to use fresh sourdough discard that is no older than 1-2 days old. You can use active sourdough starter, just be sure to use the same amount in grams.
- Baking powder: Make sure your baking powder hasn’t expired. Replace it every 6 months after opening, or your cookie won’t rise properly.
- Cornstarch: Adding a touch of cornstarch to this cookie dough helps prevent gluten development in the cookie dough, which means an extra soft cookie crust.
- Egg yolk: A typical cookie recipe doesn’t call for extra liquids like water or milk. Since the sourdough starter adds water, removing the egg white (which adds more moisture since it’s mostly water content) helps create the balance for the perfect cookie texture.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese: I used full-fat cream cheese. Be sure to use softened cream cheese for easy mixing.
- Sweetener: I used a combination of honey and powdered sugar for the perfect sweetness. If you prefer less, omit the powdered sugar and just add the honey. You can also substitute the honey for maple syrup.
Favorite Fruit Options:
- Fresh berries: Different kinds of berries work: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
- Kiwis
- Oranges or mandarin oranges
- Mangos
- Pineapple
- Grapes – green or purple!
- Peaches/Nectarines – brush with lemon juice to prevent browning
Favorite Fruit Options:
- Watermelon – too watery
- Banana – browns quickly, can brush with lemon juice
- Apples – brown quickly, can brush with lemon juice
This dessert will be on repeat all summer long! It’s equally stunning as it is delicious.