Cookie Pizzas - Two Options

I was asked to bring dessert to Clark's baptism celebration, so I checked my list of his favorite foods to see what would be a good choice. His favorite dessert is Hot Cocoa; that didn't seem like the best choice for a hot summer day. However, his favorite lunch is pizza. Doesn't a Hot Cocoa Cookie Pizza sound like a fabulous dessert for a crowd? I guess we'll find out soon enough. I decided to combine the crust from tried-and-true recipe (making one with regular flour and one gluten-free) with the toppings from one of Wayne's creations. And since there may be a lot of people, I decided to make Mel's Fruit Cookie Pizza as well; I suspect there will be a few guests who would prefer fruit over chocolate. (Note: Both versions were a hit!)

Hot Cocoa Pizza Cookie

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour (regular or gluten-free)
• about 1/2 recipe Special Fudge Topping (see below)
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• about 1/2 cup M&M's (regular or mini)
• about 1/2 cup chocolate chips (regular or mini)

Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour. Spread dough onto a greased 12-inch pizza pan. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Spread the Fudge Topping over the cookie. Sprinkle with marshmallows, M&M's and chocolate chips. Bake 2-3 minutes longer until lightly browned. Cool before cutting and serving.

Note: This recipe is best eaten the same day it's prepared.

Special Fudge Topping

• 1/2 cup hot water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup dry milk powder
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Pour hot water into a blender. Add sugar and milk powder and blend on low, scraping as necessary. Add the chocolate chips and blend until melted.

Mel's Fruit Cookie Pizza

• Sugar Cookie Crust (see below)
• Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)
• Assorted cut fruit (dry thoroughly): grapes, strawberries, blueberries, kiwi triangles, mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, whatever you'd like!

Spread the frosting on the cooled cookie crust. Top with fruit. Cut and serve (the sooner the better).

Sugar Cookie Crust

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, optional (but delicious)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet (11x17") with parchment paper and lightly grease. Cream butter and sugar together; mix in egg, egg yolk, vanilla and lemon zest. Combine dry ingredients and add to the mixture. Spread as evenly as possible on the prepared pan (about 10x14". Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Cream together the butter, cream cheese and sour cream. Still in the vanilla and salt. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.