Cherry Pizza (Cherry Dessert Pizza)

Quick Summary: Cherry pizza is an Italian-style dessert pizza made with a thin pizza-dough base spread with almond cream, topped with fresh halved cherries and flaked almonds, then baked until golden. It comes together in about 25 minutes, serves 4, and is best eaten warm, on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

What is cherry pizza?

Cherry pizza (pizza aux cerises in French) is a sweet, dessert-style pizza rather than a savory one. Instead of tomato sauce and cheese, the pizza-dough base is spread with almond cream (a mix of butter, sugar, egg, and almond flour) and topped with fresh cherries and flaked almonds before baking.

The idea is inspired by Italian dessert pizzas and by pastry chef Christophe Michalak's sweet pizza. It turns a familiar pizza shape into a light summer dessert that lets cherries take center stage.

Why you'll love this recipe

• The cherry dessert pizza recipe is made with just minimal ingredients. It is straightforward and easy to assemble.

• It features a delicious almond cream and reveals toasted flaked almonds that perfectly complement the juicy cherries. Download the free Flavor Fruit Pairing Chart and get your creativity up by experimenting with flavors.

• Making pizza at home is a fun way to use up seasonal cherries.

• Finally, it is a perfect pizza for a family pizza or a Friday night.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Pizza dough: Use store-bought pizza dough or make your own dough. Follow this beer pizza dough recipe or make whole-wheat pizza dough. You can use a pizza crust if desired.

• Cherries: Use fresh cherries, pitted and halved. If they are out of season, use whole frozen cherries, well-drained. I haven't tried to make this recipe with cherry pie filling; you are free to experiment.

• Egg: You will need half of the whole large egg. Beat it with a fork and use half of the mixture.

• Butter: Use unsalted butter at room temperature. Take it out of the refrigerator 1 hour before you start.

• Icing sugar: Make it with a coffee grinder or use store-bought powdered sugar.

• Almond flour: The recipe calls for almond flour or ground almonds. Replace it with hazelnut flour/meal or ground hazelnuts if desired.

• Flour: Use a bit of all-purpose flour to make the pizza topping.

• Almonds: use flaked or chopped almonds (hazelnuts in case of hazelnut flour) on top of the pizza. If you desire, omit nuts on top.

Equipment

• A mixing bowl to prepare the almond cream
• A rubber spatula for mixing and spreading
• A baking sheet or pizza stone to bake the pizza
• Parchment paper to keep the dough from sticking
• A silicone brush to brush the crust with oil
• Oven mitts to safely handle the hot baking sheet

How to make cherry pizza

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C). Heat oven for an additional 10 to 15 minutes to ensure the baking sheet is well heated.

Step 2. Wash, pit, and cut cherries in half. In a mixing bowl, place the softened butter, icing sugar, half of the egg, almond flour, and all-purpose flour and mix with a rubber spatula (photo 1).

Step 3. To shape the pizza dough, dust a cutting board (with or without parchment) with flour.

Pro tip: The floured surface prevents the pizza dough from sticking and makes it easier to slide out.

Step 4. Using only your hands (don't use a rolling pin), press the dough down, spreading it out to the edges.

Step 5. It takes some time to stretch the dough, giving it an oval shape about 12 inches (30 cm) long. The dough should be thinner in the center and thicker on the edges.

Step 6. Spread the almond mixture on the top of the dough, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) around the edge (photo 2).

Step 7. Arrange cherries on top, slightly pressing them down. Sprinkle the pizza with the flaked almonds (photo 3)

Step 8. Take the baking sheet from the oven. Brush it with olive oil (or another type of oil) using a silicone brush. Transfer the pizza dough by sliding it to the oiled baking tray. You may use a metal pizza peel if desired.

Attention: Use the oven mitts to carefully remove the hot baking tray from the oven and bring it back to the oven with a pizza on.

Step 9. Cook in the center rack of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove the pizza from the oven (photo 4), and transfer it to a cutting board with parchment paper. Slice the pizza with a large knife or a pizza cutter.

Expert Tips

1. Leave cherries whole instead of cutting them in half if desired.
2. Serve warm pizza with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cherry syrup.

Recipe variations

The plain cherry pizza pie is at its best, but you can add some flavor.

• Replace almond cream with cream cheese mixture and add lemon zest.

• Make a streusel topping and sprinkle cherries before baking for an extra touch of crunchiness. Then drizzle your pizza with sugar icing for the extra sweetness.

• Top your pizza with crumbled feta or goat cheese and season it well using salt and black pepper before baking.

• Garnish your pizza by adding microgreens or fresh herbs for an extra kick while serving.

• Drizzle a bit of balsamic glaze (not balsamic vinegar) over everything just because everyone loves something extra.

• Cut your pizza into wedges, and serve it with whipped cream and mint leaves.

Storing & freezing

The pizza is best served fresh, straight from the oven. Store your cherry pizza in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap and aluminum foil in the refrigerator for two days.

To reheat the next day, bring it to the preheated oven to 350°F (177°C) for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Recipe FAQ

What crust do you use for cherry pizza?
Use your favorite pizza dough, homemade or store-bought. You can also try a soft sugar cookie crust, a pie crust, or a brioche dough.

Can I use store-bought pizza dough?
Yes. Store-bought pizza dough works well and saves time. Let it come to room temperature so it is easy to stretch.

Can I use frozen cherries?
If fresh cherries are out of season, use frozen ones, but thaw and drain them first so they do not make the pizza soggy.

Can I use a different fruit?
Yes. Try apricots, plums, peaches, or berries in place of cherries, or mix a few together.

Can I make it without a pizza stone?
Yes. Use an inverted baking sheet or a large cast-iron skillet turned upside down, and preheat it the same way you would a pizza stone.

How many calories are in cherry pizza?
One serving of this cherry pizza has about 456 calories.

Love cherry recipes? Try these next!

• Cherry Crumb Pie
• French Cherry Clafoutis
• Chocolate Cherry Financiers
• Homemade Apricot Pizza
• Browse all the tart recipes

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was originally published on June 16, 2021. It has been updated and may differ from what was initially published.