…one of the best summer things ever. Seriously, if you haven’t made fruit pizza yet, you’re missing out.

Here’s the recipe. You could probably make a good-for-you hippy version somehow, but this is the quick and dirty version that’s full of calories and all non-organic food:

One 14 oz package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
One 8 oz package cream cheese, kind of softened
One 8 oz tub whipped cream (don’t use whup cream), thawed
Assorted fresh fruit, chopped or whatever

Sauce:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon orange peel or whatever (seriously, has anyone ever actually measured out a 1/4 teaspoon of orange zest? I haven’t.)

Use some flour and roll the cookie dough into one piece onto a sheet (with a lip works best) or shallow pan, and bake according to package directions.

Whatever you do, don’t turn the pan upside down over a sink full of dirty dishes thinking that the dough is stuck in place well enough to carefully shake the excess flour off that you used on the dough and the roller. Seriously. Don’t do it.

While the cookie is baking, make the sauce. Mix all the sauce ingredients together and bring to a boil for one minute (seriously?), stirring often. Really though, I’ve never actually watched the clock or set the timer while doing this part. Does anyone really do that? I’m almost positive it would taste exactly the same if it boiled for two minutes. You can’t screw this stuff up.

Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool. Once cooled, chill in the fridge. I like making this sauce because I get to use my miniature grater for the orange zest and my tiny measuring shot glass. (I don’t bake often, so these things are kind of exciting for me.)

Mix cool whip and cream cheese together until well blended.

Cut up the fruit and mix together (don’t mash – mashed fruit totally grosses me out).

Once all that is done and the cookie is fully cooled, put the pizza together by spreading the frosting mixture over the cookie evenly, covering with the fruit, and then drizzling with the sauce. Serve immediately. Leftovers will save okay for a day or so covered in the fridge.

Yum.

The best way to make this dessert is to bake the cookie and make the sauce the day before or at least a few hours in advance and put them both in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the whole thing.