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Have warm, sunny days been on your mind lately? Are you dreaming of fresh, bright flavors and lovely picnics with your family and friends?

Me too.

That is why I created this perfect sunny-day dessert, a Fresh-Milled Fruit Pizza with Shortbread Crust. My fruit pizza ticks all the right boxes: a delicious, buttery crust, a slight cream cheese tang, and a generous topping of seasonal fresh fruit.

Whether for a crowd or a few, this Fresh-Milled Fruit Pizza is the perfect summer treat.

Why You’ll Love Fresh-Milled Fruit Pizza with Shortbread Crust

• Buttery, crisp shortbread crust with fresh-milled flour. This fruit pizza offers all the health benefits of freshly milled flour without sacrificing flavor or texture.
• Light, creamy topping balanced with naturally sweet fruit. The slight tang of cream cheese beautifully accentuates the bright flavors of seasonal fruit.
• Simple to make with basic sheet pans—no special equipment needed. No special baking equipment is required. Just follow the recipe closely to achieve the recommended thickness for a sturdy crust.
• Perfect for spring and summer gatherings. With the beautiful balance of fresh fruit, a creamy topping, and a buttery crust, this fruit pizza is sure to be the showstopper of any spring or summer get-together.
• Make-ahead friendly (prep components in advance for best texture). While I do not recommend fully assembling the fruit pizza, prepping the components ahead makes assembly a cinch.

What Is Fruit Pizza?

Fruit pizza consists of a crust base topped with a sweet layer and fruit of your choice.

After testing, I’ve found that a shortbread crust provides sturdy support for fruit pizza. A shortbread crust is also excellent for beginner bakers. It is one of the easiest pastries to make: just mix, rest, shape, and bake.

Fruit pizza requires a barrier to keep the crust from getting soggy quickly. In my recipe, I call for cream cheese mixed with vanilla, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and maple syrup. Then simply top with your favorite seasonal fruit.

If baking a freshly milled fruit pizza sounds wonderful to you, continue reading below about the benefits of baking with fresh-milled flour.

Why Bake with Fresh-Milled Flour?

Simply put, it is much more nutrient-rich.

When wheat is milled, and the bran and germ are removed to create all-purpose flour, most of the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats are lost. What remains is mostly starch and some protein. Because starch is rapidly broken down into glucose, baked goods made with white flour can cause a much sharper rise in blood sugar compared to whole-grain versions.

Below is a chart listing all of the nutrients contained in the simple, whole wheat berry. It’s amazing!

✨Check out my blog post here for a more thorough breakdown of the benefits of fresh-milled flours. 

Now that we understand the benefits of freshly milled flour, let’s take a look at which wheat berries work best for fruit pizza.

Best Grains to Use (and How to Swap Them)

Different wheat berries contain varying amounts of protein, and two key proteins are essential for creating a strong gluten network: glutenin and gliadin.

• Glutenin – Gives dough strength and elasticity, helping bread hold its shape and rise.
• Gliadin – Makes dough stretchy and extensible, allowing it to expand during fermentation and baking.

When these two proteins work together, you get a strong, resilient gluten network that produces a perfect rise.

For fruit pizza, I recommend using a soft white or red wheat. These wheat berries have a low enough protein content to create a crisp, not tough, shortbread crust.

If you enjoy experimenting with ancient grains, feel free to mix them with your soft wheat or use them in place of it. A perfect way to introduce ancient grains into your diet is with a quick baked good, like fruit pizza. Ancient grains have different hydration needs. If you’re not familiar with one, try using just a small portion of it in place of the regular flour in your recipe.

✨Check out my blog post that gives more information on wheat berries and their uses.

Now that you’ve selected your wheat, let’s prepare the simple tools needed for success.

Tools You’ll Need

• Grain Mill
• Kitchen scale or measuring utensils
• Mixing bowl
• Mixing utensil
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheet

✨Explore my favorite baking tools here.

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

• Soft white wheat
• Confectioners’ sugar (or granulated sugar)
• Salt
• Vanilla extract
• Egg
• Unsalted, melted butter

Topping

• 1 block, room-temperature cream cheese
• Salt
• Lemon juice
• Maple syrup (or honey)
• Fruit

Step-by-Step: How to Make Fresh-Milled Fruit Pizza

Step 1: Mill your Grains

Mill your soft white wheat. Melt your unsalted butter.

Step 2: Mix your Ingredients

Mix your flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt together. Pour the vanilla extract, egg, and butter into your flour. Mix until no dry flour remains.

Step 3: Rest and Mix Topping

Cover your shortbread crust and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Use a handheld mixer to beat your room-temperature cream cheese, a pinch of salt, lemon juice, and maple syrup together. It is best to start on a low speed and then gradually move to a high speed for a smooth texture.

Cover and place in the fridge until ready to use.

Step 4: Preheat Oven, Shape, and Bake

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Lay a piece of parchment paper on your counter. Your dough will be very stiff, so use a spoon to scrape out the dough onto your paper. Use your hands to form the dough into a disc. Place another piece of parchment paper on top of the disc and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into roughly a 9″-10″ circle. Be sure to rotate the dough around to have an even thickness.

Place the shaped crust onto a baking sheet. Bake for 22-25 minutes. You are looking for a slight golden color at the edges of your crust.

Let cool fully.

Step 5: Cut Your Fruit and Top Your Pizza

Wash, dry, and cut your fruit.

Spread the cream cheese topping on your pizza and top it with fruit. Be creative and design it however you’d like! This is a great time to let the kids help out.

Enjoy!

Fresh-Milled Fruit Pizza with Shortbread Crust

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Rest Time: 1 hour
• Bake Time: 22–25 minutes
• Yield: 1 (10") fruit pizza

Important: Use a kitchen scale for best results with fresh-milled flour. Gram measurements are most accurate. Volume estimates are provided only as a convenience.

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

• 162 g fresh-milled soft white wheat (about 1¼ cups)
• 47 g confectioners’ sugar (about ⅓ cup)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Topping

• 1 (8 oz) block full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (or honey)

Fruit

• Fresh fruit, washed, sliced, and patted dry (berries, grapes, kiwi, oranges, etc.)

Step 1 – Prep Ingredients

Mill soft white wheat and melt butter. Let butter cool slightly.

Step 2 – Mix Dough

Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Add vanilla, egg, and butter. Stir until no dry flour remains.

Step 3 – Chill & Make Topping

Cover dough and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Beat cream cheese, salt, lemon juice, and maple syrup until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

Step 4 – Shape & Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into a disc between parchment and roll to a 9"–10" circle (about 3/8" thick). Transfer to a baking sheet and bake 22–25 minutes until lightly golden at the edges. Cool completely.

Step 5 – Assemble

Spread cream cheese topping evenly over cooled crust. Top with prepared fruit. Slice and serve.

Tips for the Best Fruit Pizza

• It is imperative that your shortbread crust rest, covered, for at least 1 hour in the fridge. You need plenty of time for the bran and germ to absorb the butter and for the dough to be very firm.
• To shape easily, I recommend warming the dough with your hand to form a disc once removed from the fridge. Place on a piece of parchment paper, and then lay another layer of parchment paper on top of the dough to keep your shortbread crust from sticking to the rolling pin.
• Roll your crust into a circle that is 9″-10″ for the correct thickness.
• Be sure to let your baked crust fully cool before topping.
• Pat your fruit dry before topping your pizza.
• For an extra sturdy crust, with a slightly crunchier texture, swap the confectioners’ sugar for granulated sugar.

Best Fruit for Fruit Pizza

You have many, many options here. I do recommend, though, avoiding a few excessively watery fruits like watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew.

Fruits that brown quickly, like bananas, apples, peaches, and pears, should be brushed with lemon juice to prevent browning.

My favorite fruits for topping fruit pizza are:

• Kiwi
• Strawberries
• Grapes
• Cherries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Mandarin Oranges

If you use any canned fruit, be sure to drain it very well and pat it dry.

How to Store

This fruit pizza stores well in the fridge for 1-2 days. Be sure to place it in an airtight container. If you use any fruit with excess water, you will have less time before the crust becomes soggy.

FAQ

Can I make fruit pizza ahead of time?

Absolutely! I recommend making the components ahead of time. The crust and cream cheese topping can be made the day before you plan to serve. Keep the cream cheese covered in the fridge and wrap the crust in plastic wrap once fully cooled. I also like to pre-slice the fruit and place it in a container lined with paper towels in the fridge.

How do I keep the crust from getting soggy?

First, your crust should be totally cool before topping. Second, be sure to pat your fruit dry and use less watery fruit.

What size pan should I use for fruit pizza?

This recipe is totally flexible. I like to just use a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Can I use frozen or canned fruit instead of fresh?

You can use canned fruit, as long as it is drained and patted dry. I do not recommend using frozen fruit.

Our family loves this special, sunny-day treat. I hope you enjoy it on a warm, summer day!

What’s your favorite fruit to top your Fresh-Milled Fruit Pizza?

Blessings,

Payton