Fourth of July Star-Spangled Fruit Pizza Recipe

This patriotic 4th of July Fruit Pizza looks like the American flag: a fudgy brownie crust topped with whipped cream cheese frosting, blueberries for the star field, and raspberries for the red stripes. It’s a festive, crowd-pleasing red-white-and-blue dessert.

Festive 4th of July Fruit Pizza

This brownie fruit pizza is simple to assemble using a boxed brownie mix, though you can substitute a homemade fudgy brownie recipe if you prefer. You can also swap the brownie crust for a sugar cookie crust for a different flavor and texture.

The whipped cream cheese frosting is quick to make and far better in flavor and texture than tubbed frostings. It’s light, creamy, and whipped to a spreadable consistency so you’ll have plenty to both cover the brownies and pipe the white stripes.

Finish the dessert with fresh blueberries for the star field and raspberries for the red stripes. The bright, tart fruit balances the rich chocolate base and the creamy frosting for a refreshing summer treat.

Why We Love this Recipe

• Easy: Using a boxed brownie mix keeps prep quick—you only make the frosting and arrange the fruit, yet the finished dessert looks impressive.
• Fresh Fruit: Summer fruit makes this bright and seasonal. Swap raspberries for strawberries or use banana slices for the white stripes if you want an all-fruit topping.
• Feeds a Crowd: Baked in a 9×13-inch (quarter sheet) pan, this recipe yields about 15 servings. Cut smaller pieces to serve more people or double for a half-sheet pan.
• Visual Impact: The flag design is a show-stopper at cookouts, potlucks, and Memorial Day or 4th of July gatherings.

Ingredients You’ll Need

*Full ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions are included in the recipe card below.

• Boxed brownie mix suitable for a 13×9-inch pan (I used a dark chocolate fudge mix).
• Egg(s), water, and oil – use the quantities called for on the brownie mix box.
• Cream cheese (block form, not the tub).
• Powdered sugar, a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract for the frosting.
• Heavy whipping cream to whip into the frosting.
• Raspberries (about a 12 oz container) for the red stripes.
• Blueberries (about 1 pint) for the star field.

How to Make 4th of July Fruit Pizza

The process is straightforward, broken into three main steps:

1. Prepare and bake the brownie crust, then cool completely.
2. Make the whipped cream cheese frosting and spread most of it over the cooled brownies.
3. Decorate with blueberries and raspberries to resemble the American flag, piping remaining frosting for the white stripes.

Below are the concise steps to assemble the dessert.

Make the Brownie Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch or quarter sheet pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the boxed brownie mix with the egg(s), water, and oil according to the box instructions. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
3. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Make the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a mixer, beat cold cream cheese briefly to soften, then add powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
2. Switch to the whisk attachment and gradually add cold heavy cream while whipping on medium-high until the frosting becomes light, fluffy, and thick.
3. Spread about two-thirds of the frosting over the cooled brownie. Reserve the rest for piping the white stripes and any decorative touches.

Decorate the 4th of July Brownies

1. Rinse the fruit and pat dry. Arrange blueberries in a rectangular block in the top-left corner to form the star field.
2. Lay rows of raspberries across the brownie to create the red stripes, leaving gaps between rows for the white stripes.
3. Pipe the reserved frosting between the raspberry rows to form the white stripes. Use a piping tip to make small drop flowers or shells, or simply pipe straight lines with a plastic bag for a smoother look.

Serving and Storing

• Cut into 15 pieces (3 rows by 5 columns) with a sharp knife for clean edges; rinse and dry the knife between cuts.
• Lift bars out with a serving spatula and serve immediately for best presentation. Cutting right before serving preserves the flag design.
• Refrigerate covered lightly with plastic wrap. Because of the whipped cream cheese frosting, store in the fridge for up to 5 days, though shelf life depends on the fruit used.

Alternatives

• Round pizza pan: Bake in a 12-inch round pizza pan if you prefer that shape. Adjust decoration to fit the round surface.
• Sugar cookie crust: Substitute a sugar cookie base instead of brownies for a different texture and flavor.
• All-fruit white stripes: Use banana slices for the white stripes if you want an all-fruit topping; toss in lemon juice to reduce browning and serve right away.
• Strawberries for red: Replace raspberries with sliced strawberries for broader red stripes.

Helpful Tools

• 9×13-inch or quarter sheet pan for the brownie crust.
• Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachments to make the frosting easily.
• Silicone spatula for scraping and spreading.
• Piping bag and tip (or a zip-top bag with the corner cut) for piping the white stripes.

If you make this recipe, please leave a rating or comment about how it turned out.

4th of July Fruit Pizza

This patriotic fruit pizza pairs a fudgy brownie crust with whipped cream cheese frosting, blueberries, and raspberries to create a festive American flag dessert.

15 Servings

Ingredients

Brownies (Crust)

• 18.2 oz (515 g) box brownie mix (13×9 family size)
• 1 large egg (or amount listed on the box)
• 1/3 cup (78 ml) water (or amount listed on the box)
• 1/2 cup (118 ml) oil (or amount listed on the box)

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (355 g) heavy whipping cream, cold

Fruit for Topping

• About 1/3 cup (50 g) blueberries (1 pint is plenty)
• About 2 cups (280 g) raspberries (12 oz container)

Instructions

Brownie (Crust)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch or quarter sheet pan.
2. Mix brownie mix, egg, water, and oil according to box directions. Spread batter in prepared pan.
3. Bake about 20 minutes at 350°F. Cool completely before frosting.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Beat cream cheese briefly in a mixer, then add powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
2. Switch to the whisk attachment and whip while slowly adding cold heavy cream until frosting is light and fluffy.
3. Spread two-thirds of the frosting over the cooled brownies; reserve the rest for piping.

Topping

1. Rinse and dry the fruit. Arrange blueberries in a rectangle in the top-left corner.
2. Place rows of raspberries across the surface to form red stripes, leaving gaps for white stripes.
3. Pipe frosting into the gaps to form the white stripes. Cut into 15 pieces and serve immediately.

Notes

• Storage: Refrigerate covered for up to 5 days. Freshness depends on the fruit used.
• Pan options: A 12-inch round pizza pan or disposable foil pizza pans work; decorate accordingly.
• Substitutions: Use a sugar cookie crust instead of brownies, banana slices for white stripes, or strawberries for red stripes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 piece | Calories: 262 kcal | Carbohydrates: 16 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 22 g

Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates.

*Originally published 6/16/2013. Post updated April 2024.