💡 Tips and FAQs  

Make the most out of your homemade Strawberry Sauce with these helpful tips!

🧾What You’ll Need

Ingredients

The good news: this fruit pizza is made with common baking ingredients, so you probably already have most, if not all, of the ingredients you’ll need! Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you make this recipe. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

For the Cookie Crust

I love making fruit pizza with a homemade cookie crust. However, to save time feel free to use a premade storebought cookie dough in place of the ingredients below.

• Flour: Use all-purpose flour for the base of the cookie dough. Make sure to measure carefully, using a food scale if possible.
• Baking soda
• Unsalted butter and salt: Use unsalted butter that has been softened to room temperature. If you only have salted butter, omit the excess salt.
• Sugar: Use regular, white granulated sugar.
• Lemon zest: I love the fresh taste that a bit of lemon zest gives to the sugar cookie crust. If you don’t have 2 large lemons, you can swap in another citrus zest, like orange or grapefruit, or just omit it entirely.
• Eggs: It’s important to use large eggs (not extra large or medium). Bring them to room temperature before getting started.
• Cream: You can use either heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
• Lemon extract: To flavor the cookie crust, use a high-quality lemon extract.

For the Frosting

Looking for a quicker way to frost the crust? You can use a storebought cream cheese frosting, other canned frosting, or even storebought strawberry cream cheese spread instead of making your own.

• Cream cheese: Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese for the best flavor. Bring it to room temperature to make it easier to mix with the other ingredients.
• Strawberry jam: To flavor the frosting, you’ll need strawberry jam. Bring it to room temperature before mixing it into the frosting to prevent lumps. If desired, you can use other flavors of jam like raspberry or cherry.
• Powdered sugar: Helps to sweeten and thicken the frosting.

For the Toppings and Glaze

• Fresh fruit: You’ll want to gather ALL THE FRUIT — the more colorful and bountiful, the better! Feel free to use whatever is readily available to you, but my personal must-haves are lots of fresh berries, mangoes, clementine slices, and grapes. Combined, these have a lot of different colors and textures that make the fruit pizza look fresh and vibrant. If you have access to fun fruits like dragon fruit or star fruit (featured below!) that’s just the cherry on top…pardon the fruity pun. ;)You’ll need about 8 cups of assorted fresh fruit, washed and sliced. The only fruit I don’t recommend is bananas because of how quickly they brown.
• Apple jelly: To give the glaze a lovely shine, use apple jelly, or other light-colored jelly. It also prevents the fruit from wilting and drying out after it’s cut.
• Water: To thin the glaze.

Equipment

You’ll only need a few basic kitchen tools to make this Easter dessert. Here’s what you should know. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Microplane: Use a microplane to zest fresh lemons.
• Mixer: You’ll want a mixer to whip up the cookie dough and cream cheese frosting. I prefer using a stand mixer, but you can also use a hand mixer.
• Plastic wrap: It’s helpful to have some plastic wrap on hand to wrap the dough in before chilling it.
• Rolling pin: For easy rolling, place your dough between two sheets of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to smooth it out.
• Parchment paper: The easiest way to move a giant cookie crust around? Bake it on parchment so you can slide it right off the baking sheet, no awkward contortions required!
• Baking sheet: You’ll want to use a half-sheet pan (approx 13×18″) so you have enough room for the large cookie crust. Look for a sturdy one with a thick bottom so the bottom of the cookie doesn’t burn before it’s cooked through. I use and love these Nordic Ware baking sheets.
• Cookie cutters: If you want to cut shapes into some of the fruit slices, you can use small cookie cutters. You could use flowers, hearts, stars and more!
• Pastry brush: Use a pastry brush to glaze the top of the pizza.
• Pizza cutter: I like to use a pizza cutter for slicing up the fruit pizza. You can also use a large knife.

1. Beat cream cheese: Use a handmixer to beat 8 oz cream cheese until smooth and free of lumps.
2. Mix in jam and sugar: Add 1/3 cup strawberry jam and 6 oz (1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar, beat until well-mixed.
3. Prep the fruit: Time to get slicing! Prep your fruit right before you are ready to use it. Cut up any large fruit (strawberries, mangoes, star fruit, etc) into slices. For larger grapes and berries, you might want to cut them in half so it’s easier to decorate with them. Small berries can be left whole. If desired, use small cutters on some of the slices to make pretty shapes.

💭Variations

There are a million and one ways to make a fruit pizza! Consider some of these twists:

• Use another flavor in your cream cheese: Lemon, orange, and raspberry would all be delicious.
• Decorate for another holiday: Try a Fourth of July variation in the shape of a flag with red and blue berries. Halloween time? Make the base in the shape of a pumpkin, use pumpkin spice cream cheese, and fill the top with citrus fruits to keep the orange theme.
• Make the pizzas personal-sized: Mini fruit pizzas are the cutest! Make palm-sized cookie crusts so everyone gets their own. Use an egg cutter to make the mini pizzas look like Easter eggs!

💗Pastel Rainbow Jello Recipe

Rainbow gelatin is a great way to make a somewhat boring dessert exciting. (Sorry, gelatin, but it’s true!) Plain gelatin cups are a snooze. But rainbow gelatin cups? Rainbow gelatin cups are a party!

These Pastel Rainbow Gelatin Cups are as delicious as they are beautiful. They feature five—FIVE!!—creamy, fruity layers, all stacked together in single-serving cups and topped with lots of whipped cream and sprinkles.

This recipe is inspired by our immensely popular Easter No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes. They’re always one of SugarHero’s top spring recipes, and many people love them and request similar recipes. We also get requests from people who don’t like cheesecake, but still want to get in on the springtime rainbow fun. So here we go—a pretty striped pastel treat, no cream cheese required!

📸Photo Tutorial: How to Make Gorgeous Pastel Rainbow Gelatin Cups

Assembling these rainbow cups couldn’t be simpler. The only tricky part is budgeting enough time, because you will need to briefly chill the cups in between each color. Full instructions are included in the recipe card above.

3. Mix gelatin with boiling water: Pour each 3-oz package of gelatin into its own medium bowl. Add ¾ cup boiling water to the first bowl, whisk well for about 30-60 seconds to make sure all of the gelatin granules are dissolved. Repeat until all 5 bowls of gelatin have been mixed with boiling water and fully dissolved.
4. Cool gelatin, add dairy: The gelatin will be hot and must come to room temperature before adding the yogurt and milk. To speed the cooling time for the first color of gelatin, place it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, until it feels neutral to the touch — not warm. It should not be starting to set, but if you notice setting around the edges, microwave it for 10 seconds and whisk well until completely fluid. (Note: the other 4 bowls of gelatin can cool to room temperature on the counter.)
5. Add dairy to first bowl of gelatin: Add ½ cup vanilla yogurt and ¼ cup milk to the bowl of cooled gelatin.

6. Blend: Whisk well until smooth and creamy, then divide the mixture evenly between your glasses, about 2 TBSP per glass. If you are using a large pan, pour the entire mixture into the bottom of the pan.
7. Chill the first gelatin layer: Place the tray of glasses or cake pan into the refrigerator to set for about 15 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, place it in the freezer for about 8 minutes, but don’t let it freeze completely! (Note: the timing might be slightly different if you are using a baking dish or bundt pan. When you touch the top of the gelatin with your finger, it should feel mostly set, but it’s okay if your finger leaves a slight mark in the top.)
8. Add dairy to next bowl of gelatin, layer, and chill: Once the first layer is set, make sure the second bowl of gelatin is room temperature. Whisk in the yogurt and milk until creamy. Pour the second color on top of the first, and chill for another 15 minutes, until mostly set.

9. Finish layering the gelatin: Proceed to mix, layer, and set the remaining colors of gelatin. (Note: the bowls of gelatin should still be fine sitting at room temperature, but if you notice setting around the edges, microwave the bowl for 10 seconds and whisk well to make sure it’s fluid before adding the dairy.)
10. Refrigerate until fully set: After all 5 colors have been layered, refrigerate the cups or pan for at least 4 hours to fully set the layers before decorating and serving.
11. Cover until ready to decorate: This dessert keeps very well in the refrigerator, so you can prepare the cups or cake several days in advance. Before beginning the extended setting period in the fridge, cover the top(s) with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
12. Finish: A few hours before you want to serve the gelatin, top each cup with a swirl of whipped cream, and whatever sprinkles or other decorations you’d like! If you are making a gelatin cake, whipped cream can be spread evenly over the set layers and decorated as desired. Enjoy!

💡Tips and FAQs for Success

Pastel Rainbow Gelatin Cups is a SugarHero fan favorite! Through the years, readers have had a few questions, and I’ve compiled the answers below to make sure everyone can be successful. Check out these tips and tricks before getting started, and your cups are sure to turn out beautifully!

💗Rosewater Cookies with Painted Fondant

These Rose Sugar Cookies are a fun floral twist on the standard sugar cookie recipe.

They’re flavored with rose water and have bits of real rose petals baked right into them. The pink petal-flecked dough and delicate rose flavor gives these cookies a touch of romance, and makes them perfect for Valentine’s Day, or any special occasion.

🧾What You’ll Need

Equipment

• Parchment paper: You’ll need parchment paper to line your baking sheets and for rolling out the cookie dough. It’s also a good idea to cover your work surface with parchment or waxed paper to protect it while decorating.
• Cookie sheets: For even baking and perfect cookies, use light-colored, heavy baking sheets that are not insulated.
• Mixer: You’ll need a stand mixer or hand mixer to combining the ingredients.
• Plastic wrap: It’s helpful to wrap the cookie dough discs in plastic wrap while they chill in the refrigerator so that they don’t dry out.
• Food-safe gloves: Mixing fondant by hand can get very sticky. I like to wear food-safe gloves to make the process easier.
• Rolling pin: Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough and fondant evenly.
• Heart cookie cutter: I used a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, and I thought it was the perfect size.
• Pastry brush: To adhere the fondant to the top of the cookies, you’ll brush a light layer of corn syrup on top of the cookies. I find it easiest to use a pastry brush to paint the corn syrup on.
• Food-safe paint brushes: To create the watercolor effect on the fondant you’ll want to have a variety of different food-dedicated paint brushes. Make sure you only use these brushes for food preparation, never with paint or non-edible materials.
• Clear alcohol: To achieve more vibrant colors, use vodka, another clear alcohol, or clear extract to paint on the gel food coloring. The alcohol evaporates and won’t leave an unpleasant taste, so they’re safe to eat, even for kids. You can use water if you prefer to avoid alcohol.

📸 Photo Tutorial: How to Make WAtercolor rose sugar cookies

Don’t let a new recipe intimidate you – I’m here to walk you through every step with this photo tutorial! Full instructions are included in the recipe card above.

6. Chill: Divide dough in half and press each into a thin disc. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firmer but not hard, about 30 minutes.
7. Heat oven, roll dough: When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a disc of dough between two sheets of parchment or waxed paper, and roll out until it is 1/4-inch thick. 

🍪 Storing Fondant-Topped Sugar Cookies

• Store at room temperature: Once the cookies are completely dry, stack and store them in an airtight container between sheets of waxed paper or parchment. Store the cookies at room temperature for up to a week – do not refrigerate them, as the humidity can cause the fondant to soften and bleed. 
• Freeze: You can freeze decorated cookies for up to 3 months. For the best results, I recommend packaging the cookies individually in plastic wrap or bags and then placing them in a plastic container in the freezer. Let them defrost at room temperature while still in the plastic container – this can help cut down on colors bleeding or other moisture issues. 

Equipment

• Loaf pans: You’ll need two 8.5-inch loaf pans to make this recipe. If yours are slightly larger or smaller that’s fine – just keep an eye on them in the oven, as the baking time might be slightly different. If you prefer to make mini lemon loaves, you’ll need 6 mini loaf pans.
• Citrus juicer: Any kind of juicer will work, but I like the speed and convenience of a simple countertop juicer.
• Microplane:A microplane is the easiest way to get very fine citrus zest.

🤫 The Secret to Moist Lemon Bread

The secret to the ultra-moist texture of this lemon bread? The soaking syrup!

Don’t let the name dissuade you – “soaking syrup” is just a fancy name for a combination of fresh lemon juice and sugar. While the bread is baking, combine granulated sugar and juice in a small saucepan, and heat it until the sugar dissolves and it start simmering.

After the bread is baked, poke the tops with a toothpick, and pour the syrup over the loaves in the pan. The lemon syrup soaks into the bread as it cools, infusing it with potent lemon flavor and creating the most delicious, moist, melt-in-your mouth texture that stays soft for days.

Mason jars aren’t just for canning and Pinterest-inspired home decor: they’re also a fantastic tool for the home baker! They’re endlessly versatile. You can:

• Bake directly in them, like this Pear Pie in a Jar
• Fill them with mousse, pudding or custard, like with these Dirt Pudding Cups
• Assemble layered trifles in them, like these Red Velvet Jar Cakes and Doughnut Trifles
• …and so much more!

Best of all, Mason jar desserts are portable, single-serving, and–need I mention?–extremely cute! So as berry season approaches, I’m sharing a wonderful spring and summertime dessert: Mixed Berry Shortcakes in Jars!

Ingredients

Fittingly, the ingredient list for these shortcakes is blessedly short. You’ll need…

• Crescent dough: This recipe makes use of crescent dough as a shortcut to creating buttery, crisp shortbread rounds. Crescent dough is typically found in the refrigerated section near canned cinnamon rolls and biscuits.
• Berries: You’ll want about 3 cups of berries. Feel free to swap in whatever is available and fresh where you are. For a more tropical fruit jar, consider adding in kiwi, mango, or dragon fruit.
• Lime juice: Lime juice adds a little bit of tartness to the fruit mixture, and also helps them release their juices. (This release of juices is also known as maceration. See the tip section for more info.) Lemon juice will also work, and you can use either fresh or concentrated juice.
• Whipped cream: Nothing beats homemade whipped cream, but swapping in a tub of whipped topping is also perfectly acceptable!

🥄 Equipment

You’ll only need a few tools to make these little cuties. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Mason jars: This one is pretty obvious! You’ll want to use 8-ounce wide-mouth mason jars. You could also use smaller jars for mini desserts, just make sure the top opening isn’t too small to easily work with.
• Round cutters: You can use either a 2-inch or 3-inch round cutter. I recommend using a 2-inch cutter because the shortcakes will fit more easily in the jars. If you use a 3-inch cutter, you might need to cut a little excess off to make the cakes fit.
• Baking sheets: Heavy-duty baking sheets will keep the bottoms of the shortcakes from burning and help them bake evenly.
• Parchment paper: I never bake directly on my baking sheets–it’s all about the parchment, baby! Save time and cleanup by using silicone liners or parchment paper when baking.

📸 Photo Tutorial: How to Make Berry Shortcakes in Jars

Learn how to make Berry Shortcake in a Jar with this helpful photo tutorial! Full instructions are included in the recipe card above.

Assemble the Shortcake Jars

8. Get your jars. Place 3 8-oz wide mouth mason jars in front of you and assemble layer by layer.
9. Add first set of layers to the jars. For the first layer, place a shortcake followed by a little berry mixture followed by whipped cream inside of each jar.
10. Continue adding layer sets. Repeat this set of layers until the mason jars are full (about 3 sets).
11. Decorate the top. Finish the berry shortcakes with a little more cream, a few fresh berries and mint (optional). Repeat until you’ve assembled all the jars.
12. Enjoy!

💡 Tips and FAQs

Before you start assembling your shortcakes, make sure to check out these helpful tips and FAQs!

💜 How to make homemade lavender sugar

This homemade Lavender Sugar adds a little “flower power” to just about any dessert. Adding a pinch of fragrant lavender to simple granulated sugar transforms even the plainest dessert into something more sophisticated and intriguing.

Here are just a few reasons you need to give lavender sugar a try:

• It’s made from real lavender, so the floral flavor is authentic and not overpowering.
• It’s fast, easy, and inexpensive to make: just 2 ingredients and 5 minutes!
• It keeps well, so you can make a big batch and then enjoy lavender desserts for months to come.
• Put it in a pretty jar with a gift tag, and it’s the perfect edible gift for the holiday season.

Give it a try and before you know it, you’ll be adding its subtle lavender flavor to all your favorite cheesecakes, cookies, muffins, cakes, pies, and more! You’ll also want to try Lavender Simple Syrup recipe; it’s is an easy way to add lavender flavor to all of your favorite drinks.

Looking for more ways to lavender your life? You’ll love my all inclusive Guide to Baking with Lavender where I explain everything you need to know about culinary lavender.

🧾 What You’ll Need

Ingredients

The ingredient list is in the recipe name (ha!), but here are a few things to know as you gather your supplies: (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Granulated sugar: I recommend using standard granulated sugar. I have not tested this recipe with any alternative sugars, but I imagine it would work with something like Splenda, which is a cup-to-cup replacement for sugar.
• Culinary lavender: The lavender you use should be dried, “culinary grade” lavender. (Learn more about what culinary lavender is here!) Make sure the label specifies that it is intended for food use, as opposed to fragrance or decoration. You might fine it at specialty herb stores, upscale kitchen shops, and even the spice section of large supermarkets, and it can also be purchased online. If you have fresh lavender, check out the Tips section below for advice on using it in this recipe.

Equipment

• Food processor or spice grinder: you’ll need either a food processor or a coffee and spice grinder to prepare the lavender for this recipe.
• Glass jars: Glass jars are my preferred way to store this sugar. If you are making this for gifts, I’d recommend using mid-sized jars like these 8 oz mason jars.
• Gift tags:This is optional, but if you are making this for gifting, don’t forget the tag! You could use a simple plain white gift tag, or try a colored gift tag.

📋 Instructions

There are actually two ways to make Lavender Sugar. Here’s an overview of both methods, and you can find full printable instructions in the recipe card down below.

Chop the lavender

• Place the dried lavender in the bowl of a food processor and blend it for 10-15 seconds to chop it into smaller pieces.

Blend the sugar

• Add half a cup of granulated sugar to the processor and blend well, for 15-20 seconds, until the lavender is finely ground and mixed into the sugar.

Add remaining sugar

• Add the remaining sugar to the processor and pulse briefly until it’s well-mixed.

Grind and mix

• A coffee/spice grinder is my preferred tool for this recipe, because it does a better job of grinding the lavender buds into small pieces. If you have used your grinder for potent spices or coffee beans in the past, make sure it’s well-washed so the lavender doesn’t take on any other odors.
• Add the dried lavender to the spice grinder and run it until they’re in very fine pieces – it will almost be lavender “dust.”
• Whisk or sift the ground lavender into a bowl of granulated sugar, so that the lavender is evenly distributed. 

💭 Where to use lavender sugar

You can replace regular sugar with Lavender Sugar in most recipes. To get the most out of it, choose recipes with soft, subtle flavors (think vanilla instead of intense chocolate) so the lavender can really shine.

• Some of our favorite uses for lavender sugar are in sugar cookies, shortbread cookies, and pie crusts.
• It also pairs nicely with lemon desserts, like Lemon Madeleines and our Lavender Lemon Bars, a long-time reader favorite.
• Stir a spoonful into your iced tea, lemonade, or coffee.

💡 Tips and FAQs  

💜 Try Lavender Sugar in these recipes

• Lavender Lemon Bars
• Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
• Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
• Lemon Madeleines

💜 Lavender dessert recipes

Try one of our favorite lavender dessert recipes:

• Lavender Lemon Bars
• Lavender Latte
• Earl Grey Lavender Cupcakes
• Lavender Hot Chocolate
• Chocolate-Lavender Pie
• Lavender Rose Ice Cream