Mini Fruit Pizza Sugar Cookies

I don't remember the first time I was introduced to fruit pizza but I do know that I loved it from that day forward! Seeing as its a fake out healthy treat (there is fruit on it after all!) and one that is devoured every time its made, I set my sights on recreating this masterpiece in individual size servings for the 1st annual Tidwell Cook-Off. At first I was going to buy the break and bake pre-made cookies, but decided at the last minute I would commit to making sugar cookies from scratch since I never had before. Believe me when I say, the homemade cookies are what put this dessert over the top!

Note: Seeing as I've never made sugar cookies before I combined a variety of recipes together based on what looked the easiest and the best. Martha Stewart's recipe for Ideal Sugar Cookies was the best basic recipe I could find so the cookies come from her web site with a few additions of my own.

Ingredients:

• assortment of fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, etc)
• sugar cookies (homemade or the unbaked kind)

For the cookies (makes about 2 dozen)

• all purpose flour (2 cups)
• salt (1/4 teaspoon)
• baking powder (1/2 teaspoon)
• unsalted butter (1 stick or 1/2 cup)
• egg (1 large, lightly beaten)
• brandy (1 tablespoon)
• almond milk (1 tablespoon) (or regular milk if you don't have)
• vanilla extract (1/2 teaspoon)

For the frosting

• unsalted butter (4 ounces, softened)
• cream cheese (4 ounces, softened)
• powdered sugar (2 cups)
• vanilla extract (2 teaspoons)
  

Directions:
For the cookies
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar and mix with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg, brandy, almond milk and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add flour, salt and baking powder and mix until just combined.

my secret ingredients to making the cookies beyond words delicious!

Transfer dough to a work surface and shape into 2 discs. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with cooking oil.
On a floured surface, roll out dough and cut into desired shapes. (I couldn't find a cookie cutter so I used a mug as a substitute cookie cutter!) Transfer to prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch or two between cookies. Sprinkle sugar on top of each cookie to ensure the cookie's sweetness!

Nothing wrong with a little extra sugar to ensure sweetness!

Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

For the frosting
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time and mix until smooth and creamy. Set aside if you will be using it shortly. If not, put it in the fridge.

Assembling the mini fruit pizzas
Once the cookies have cooled, top each cookie with the cream cheese frosting. Top each with a variety of fruit.

Serve and enjoy! and ps try eating just one!

Below are pictures of our two cook-off contest entries for dessert. Both were sooooo good - I wish I had some now!

My teams cookies vs. the cake (not yet fully assembled)

Mascarpone Cream Filled Cake with Fresh Berries in Amaretto Liquor