Watermelon Pizza – Super Healthy Kids

Fun, fresh, and juicy… this refreshing, delicious and healthy Watermelon Pizza is an easy and impressive treat that will wow your guests at any backyard party!

A Delicious, Fresh & Healthy Summer Dessert

Summer is right around the corner… and we couldn’t be happier about it! And besides the beautiful chaos of having the kids home, lots of sunshine, swimming, and late summer nights with friends and family, my very favorite thing is all the fresh seasonal produce. And between June and August, you can expect to find whole watermelons at the market that are heavy, sweet, bright red, and super juicy.

When it comes to this Watermelon Pizza, let’s be real. Watermelon pretty much tastes like candy without any embellishment at all. But if you’re looking for something even more fun and elegant to do with that juicy red melon this summer, try this Watermelon Pizza!

This colorful confection is light, refreshing, and filled with vitamins, fiber, and flavor. You can customize it to look and taste however you choose, but we love it with fluffy cream cheese icing and ripe summer berries. And it’s just so colorful and pretty. And delicious, fast, and easy. I mean… does it get any better than that? I don’t think so.

Ingredients for Watermelon Pizza:

• Watermelon– We used a seedless medium watermelon for this pizza. You can use whatever size suits your gathering.
• Fresh Berries– We chose strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. But really, you can use any fruit you want here!
• Cream Cheese– We used regular cream cheese, but light cream cheese (Neufchatel) works great too.
• Powdered Sugar– This is used to sweeten your cream cheese. You can also sweeten your cream cheese with honey, if you prefer. Add to taste.
• Lemon Juice– Fresh lemon juice adds a nice, bright flavor that really elevates the dish.
• Vanilla Extract– Vanilla is used to elevate the flavor of the cream cheese icing.
• Honey– Adds a bit of shine and flavor.
• Strawberry Glaze– While this really is an optional ingredient, it does make a beautiful and fun addition to the Watermelon Pizza! We used Marzetti Strawberry Glaze.
• Fresh Mint– Mint is a fun, colorful and aromatic garnish.

How To Make Watermelon Pizza:

1. Soften cream cheese. First things first- remove your cream cheese from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. This usually takes about 30 minutes depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
2. Prepare the fruit. Wash your berries, and slice the strawberries. Cut your watermelon into rounds. Blotting the extra moisture off the top of your watermelon slice will help the icing to adhere better.
3. Whip up the cream cheese icing. In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Beat until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, and continue mixing until well-combined, being careful not to over beat.
4. Top your Watermelon Pizza. Spread a nice thick layer of cream cheese icing on top of your watermelon rounds. Top with the berries, decorating as desired. Drizzle your finished pizzas with honey and strawberry glaze, and garnish with fresh mint.
5. Slice and serve. Carefully cut your pizza into 8 slices and serve immediately. Enjoy!

This recipe is perfect to make with your kids, because it’s all about the artistic assembly. And what kid isn’t a natural artist?

The main step that’s just for grownups is the slicing the watermelon “crust.” It’s not hard  do, but it does require a large knife, which can be unwieldy even for kids who have been practicing their knife skills.

Now it’s topping time. Be creative, and have fun! A sprinkle of shredded coconut looks convincingly like cheese and is a good addition before adding the fresh fruit slices.

Tips & Suggestions

How do you know if a watermelon is ripe?

The first thing you will want to look for is the yellow ground spot. This is the spot where the watermelon rested on the ground, and it will be white or yellow. This is a good sign that the watermelon is ripe. Next, give it a good thump. A ripe watermelon will have a deep, hollow sound when you thump on it. An unripe watermelon will produce a more high-pitched resonance. You’ll also want to look for a watermelon that feels heavy for its size, and has a dark green rind.

Can I make Watermelon Pizza ahead of time?

Watermelon Pizza is best served soon after it is prepared, otherwise the juice from the berries will start to pool on the cream cheese icing. It will still be tasty, but not nearly as pretty. Also, the moisture from the watermelon can cause the cream cheese icing to slide off. You can help prevent this by patting down the watermelon with paper towels to absorb extra moisture before spreading with the cream cheese icing. Store any leftover Watermelon Pizza in the fridge for 2-3 days.

What toppings are good for Watermelon Pizza?

You can really choose to top your watermelon pizza however you like. We stuck to fresh berries, but just like any fruit pizza, feel free to get creative! Here are some other options you might like to try:

• strawberries
• raspberries
• blackberries
• blueberries
• grapes
• cherries
• kiwi
• mango
• pineapple
• bananas
• peaches
• mandarin oranges
• pears
• shredded coconut
• mini chocolate chips

You can also try substituting a fresh whipped cream topping in place of the cream cheese icing.

More Delicious Watermelon Recipes: