CiCi’s Cherry Dessert Pizza

I first tasted CiCi’s Cherry Dessert Pizza at my friend’s birthday party in college. Everyone enjoyed the savory pizza buffet when the staff brought out this curious-looking cherry-topped creation. I was initially skeptical—cherry pie filling on pizza dough?—but one bite hooked me. The combination of crispy crust, sweet-tart cherry filling, buttery streusel, and vanilla glaze was magical.

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Why You Need This Cherry Dessert Pizza in Your Life

This isn’t just any dessert—it’s a show-stopping sweet pizza that offers something different from the usual cookies, cakes, and pies:

• Customizable – Works with homemade or store-bought dough for convenience
• Nostalgic treat – Perfect recreation of a beloved CiCi’s buffet favorite
• Conversation starter – Unique dessert that combines pizza and pie elements
• Crowd-pleaser – Appeals to both pizza lovers and dessert enthusiasts
• Versatile – Great for pizza nights, summer gatherings, or holiday celebrations
• Make-ahead friendly – Components can be prepared in advance

CiCi’s also has a chocolate pizza on the dessert buffet.

Cherry Pie Pizza Ingredients

For the Pizza Base:

• Pizza dough – Forms the foundation of your dessert pizza with its crispy, chewy texture
• Cherry pie filling – Provides sweet-tart flavor and juicy texture as the “sauce” layer
• Neutral oil – Used for greasing the work surface to prevent sticking when rolling dough

For the Streusel Topping:

• All-purpose flour – Creates the structure for the crumbly topping
• White granulated sugar – Provides sweetness and helps the topping crisp up
• Light brown sugar – Adds caramel notes and moisture to the streusel
• Salt – Enhances all flavors and balances sweetness
• Unsalted butter – Creates rich, crisp, buttery crumbs when baked

For the Sweet Icing Drizzle:

• Powdered sugar – Forms the base of the smooth, sweet glaze
• Vanilla extract – Adds warm, aromatic flavor to the icing
• Whole milk – Provides creaminess and adjusts the consistency of the drizzle

How to Make a Cherry Dessert Pizza

To prepare the cherry pie pizza:

Prepare the pizza dough:

1. Let the pizza dough come up to room temperature for at least 30 minutes. If the dough is too cold, it won’t roll out as well. 
2. Lightly grease the work surface with a neutral oil. Using oil instead of a floured surface will prevent sticking, and you won’t have to worry about adding too much flour to the dough. 
3. Press the dough ball into a disk and roll it into a thin round. If the dough springs back when you roll it out, wait about ten minutes and then try again. 
4. Use the tines of a fork to prick the dough several times to prevent it from puffing up when you blind-bake it. 

To prepare the crumb topping:

1. Allow the butter to soften on the countertop. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, white granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and salt.
3. Use a pastry cutter or a serving fork to incorporate the butter until the mixture resembles cornmeal. 
4. Cover the bowl and set aside. 

To make the sweet drizzle:

1. Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and whole milk.
2. Cover the bowl and keep it for later. 

To make the pizza:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. If you plan to use a pizza stone, make sure it’s in the oven when you are preheating. Also, use a pizza peel to transfer the pizza to and from the pizza stone in the oven.
2. Place the rolled-out and docked pizza crust on the center rack of the oven and cook for five minutes. This is just to help dry out the dough before adding the toppings. 

3. Take the crust out of the oven and spread the cherry pie filling on top of it like it was pizza sauce. Sprinkle the Crumb Topping over the cherry pie filling. 

4. Return the pizza to the oven and bake until the crust is golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. 
5. Transfer pizza to a wire rack to cool slightly.
6. Slice the pizza on a cutting board and pour the Sweet Drizzle in thin lines over the top of the pizza before serving. If the Sweet Drizzle is too thick to pour easily, whisk in a bit more whole milk. 

CiCi’s Cherry Dessert Pizza

A perfect copycat of the famous CiCi's dessert – crispy pizza crust topped with sweet cherry filling, buttery streusel, and vanilla icing.

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cherry Pizza, Cici’s

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 323kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons white granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter softened

Pizza

• 1 pound pizza dough
• 20 ounces cherry pie filling

Sweet Drizzle

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450°F and grease a large pizza pan.
• To make the crumb topping, mix the flour, sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Add the butter and use a pastry blender or fork to combine until the mixture resembles cornmeal.
• To make the pizza, spread the dough on the prepared pizza pan and prick with a fork 8 to 10 times. Place in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, spread the cherry pie filling over the crust, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of crumb topping. Return to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
• While the pizza is cooking, make the sweet drizzle by combining the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of milk. Mix well. You may need to add an additional tiny splash of milk so the consistency is runny enough to drizzle.
• When the crust is golden brown, remove the pizza from the oven and top with the sweet drizzle.

Equipment

Pizza Pan

Pizza Stone

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 510mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 2.1mg

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Room Temperature Storage:

For a same-day serving, you can leave the dessert pizza at room temperature for up to 4 hours. This method keeps the crust crispest.

Refrigerator Storage:

Leftover pizza can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped loosely in plastic wrap for up to 3 days. The crust will soften somewhat, but it will still be delicious.

Freezer Storage:

1. Label with the date and contents
2. Allow the pizza to cool completely
3. Wrap individual slices or the whole pizza in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil
4. Freeze for up to 2 months

What Is the Best Way to Warm Up the Cherry Pizza?

You can eat a slice of cold Cherry Pizza straight from the fridge or try heating it in the oven:

1. Preheat the oven to 365°F.
2. Place the pizza on a baking tray and cover with aluminum foil. 
3. Heat for 6 to 8 minutes until the cherry filling is hot. 

Favorite Cherry Recipes

• Cherry Coffee Cake
• Cherry Cream Cheese Pie
• Cherry Garcia Ice Cream
• Cherry Limeade
• Cherry Mash Candy
• Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
• Cherry Turnovers
• Chocolate Cherry Cobbler

Popular Fruity Pie Recipes

• Banana Cream Pie
• Blueberry Cream Pie
• Coconut Custard Pie
• Fresh Strawberry Pie
• Pineapple Pie

Check out my easy pie recipes and the best copycat restaurant recipes on CopyKat!