Mini Fruit Pizzas

I'm torn about this one.  A big part of me doesn't want to tell you about this recipe.  Because I like you.  I care about you.  I want to save you from these.

But they are so delicious and so dang addictive that I just can't do it.

You HAVE to make these.  Just don't hold it against me, ok?  Ok.

Mini Fruit Pizzas
Recipe from Cooking Ala Mel

Cookie Base:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

2 1/2 cups flour

Sweetened Cream Cheese:

1 (8oz.) pkg cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

2 peeled, sliced kiwis (halved)

6-8 sliced strawberries

blueberries (about 2 or 3 per cookie base)

1.  For the cookie base: Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  

2.  Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the pecans and vanilla until fully incorporated.  Add in the flour and mix until just combined - don't overmix!  

You want this a little crumbly.

3.  Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.  This will make pulling the cookies out later SO MUCH EASIER.  Using a small cookie scoop, drop one scoop into each well of the pan.  Press the dough down firmly so it covers the bottom of each well evenly.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden.

Just use your fingers to smush it down.  Be firm.

 GET AHEAD MOMENT: Keep these in the freezer until you're ready to assemble the pizzas!

4.  For the cream cheese mixture: Blend all ingredients together until light and fluffy.  Store in a resealable plastic bag in the fridge until ready to use.  Pull out of the fridge about an hour before assembly.

Smooth. Creamy. Fluffy.  Where's my spoon?

5.  Assemble the pizzas: Snip the corner off the bag containing the cream cheese.  Squirt a dollup of cream cheese onto the cooled cookies; use the back of a spoon or a knife to spread it around.  Top each with a slice of strawberry, kiwi slice and a few blueberries. 

Whether you start making the cookies and cream cheese mixture a few days ahead of time, or the day of, you don't want to put the pizzas together until the last minute.  You want the cookie to stay nice and crisp.  Because I really packed down the cookie dough into the muffin tin, my cookies actually held up for a couple days, although toward the end the cookies were really getting soft.  

These make the most adorable addition to any party table.  I made them for Kieran's first birthday party, just to have a non-chocolate dessert alternative, and I think Gavin didn't even try the cupcakes.  He just kept going back for more fruit pizza!  And he wasn't the only one either... These were such a big hit!

Ok so I am totally going to reiterate the original poster's disclaimer about this recipe... Just because this dessert involves fruit, it should IN NO WAY be considered a healthy alternative.  Go back up to the list of ingredients for the cookie base.  That first item there is BUTTER.  An entire cup of BUTTER.  There's also CREAM CHEESE (I wouldn't recommend using lowfat or Neufchatel here; you want that fat for creaminess).  And SUGAR.  A couple blueberries and a quarter slice of kiwi will not combat the effects of the more fattening ingredients here.