Apple Dessert Pizza is a delightful and unique treat that combines the flavors of a classic apple pie with the fun and convenience of a pizza. It starts with a soft focaccia bread crust topped with cinnamon butter spread, apple pie filling, and crumble topping for a little crunch. And then, a simple glaze is drizzled over the top. It will satisfy your sweet tooth with its cinnamon apple flavor and sweet glaze! Enjoy it as a scrumptious after-dinner treat, a special dessert for a gathering, or even as a sweet breakfast option for a cozy weekend morning. If this sounds delicious, I also have Cactus Bread, another spiced dessert pizza, you will love!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Crust: After finally perfecting the crust on my Cactus Bread copycat recipe, I had to also use it for this apple dessert pizza. It is a modified version of my focaccia bread (which you will have to try separately, it’s so good)! I just left out the garlic and Italian seasoning, and it is the most delicious way to enjoy this dessert pizza!
Cinnamon Butter Topping: The cinnamon butter spread is so simple, but packs so much flavor! When spreading it over the crust, you may think that the layer looks a little thin, but it’s enough.
Apple Pie Filling: To make this dessert pizza stand out in flavor, make homemade apple pie filling! It’s better than any filling you can buy at the store and you will use it in pies, desserts, or even as a topping for ice cream! If using canned pie filling, you will need a 21-ounce can.
Crumble: This might be my favorite part of the dessert pizza! It is the same crumble recipe that I use for my Blueberry Lemon Loaf. It is perfect and goes perfectly with this recipe.
Glaze: The glaze is simply confectioners’ sugar and milk. Take a cup of confectioners’ sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of milk. (I prefer whole milk.) Start with 1 tablespoon then add more milk as needed to reach a loosed consistency. Pour the glaze over the warm cactus bread.
Can I use Store-Bought Pizza Dough?
Yes! If you have pizza dough to use, that would work. Bake the dough for 6 minutes at the oven temperature suggested on the pizza dough packaging. Next, remove it from the oven and add the toppings. Put the baking dish back in the oven to bake for an additional 12 minutes (or until the pizza crust is cooked). Let the bread sit for a few minutes before drizzling the glaze.
Can I Use A Different Pan?
Certainly! While a pizza pan is a conventional choice for making dessert pizza, don’t worry if you don’t have one. This dessert can still turn out just as delicious when prepared in an alternative pan. For best results, I suggest using a 9×13-inch baking dish, which works perfectly for the standard crust thickness. If you prefer a thicker crust, a 9×11-inch baking dish would also be suitable. Another option is to use an oven-safe skillet, such as cast iron, for a unique presentation. However, keep in mind that baking times may need to be adjusted when using a different pan.
How To Store Apple Dessert Pizza
Although best served on the day the dessert pizza is baked, don’t let any leftovers go to waste! Once cooled to room temperature, store slices of the pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last up to 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven or the microwave.
Apple Dessert Pizza
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup (237 g) water, warmed (about 105°-110°F)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- ⅓ cup (75 g) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 2 ½ cups (312.5 g) all-purpose flour
Cinnamon Butter Topping
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Apple Topping
- 1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling, about 1 ½ cups homemade
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour*
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
Glaze
- 1 cup (125 g) confectioners' sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
Crust
- In a large bowl, combine the water, sugar, and yeast. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes, or until the yeast begins to bloom.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Pour half of the oil mixture into the yeast mixture. Set the remaining mixture aside.
- Add the flour and remaining ½ teaspoon salt to the yeast mixture. Stir to combine.
- Add the dough to a greased bowl and cover. Let it rise for 1 hour in a warm place, or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a 12-inch pizza pan with parchment paper.
- Pour the remaining oil mixture onto the lined pizza pan.
- Transfer the risen dough to the pizza pan. Work the dough to the edges and use your fingers to create dimples in the dough.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the crust is baking for the first time, make the cinnamon butter and crumble.
Cinnamon Butter Topping
- To a microwave-safe bowl, add butter, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Heat for about 30 seconds. Stir to combine.
Crumble Topping
- To make the crumble topping, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter in a small bowl.
Assembly
- After the dough has been removed from the oven, brush the cinnamon butter over the crust in a thin layer, covering the entire surface.
- Spread the apple pie filling over the cinnamon butter layer.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping over the apple pie filling, covering the entire surface to the outer edge.
- Place back into the oven for 13-15 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. While the bread is cooling, make the glaze.
Glaze
- In a separate bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar and 1 tablespoon milk until smooth and creamy. If the glaze is too thick, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze over the warm pizza. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
Apple desserts rank pretty high on my list, so throwing it on a dessert pizza was a complete home run for me! The crust is crispy on the edges and soft on the inside, and the apple mixture combined with that crumble is something you might just want to write home about. So good!
Elizabeth
This might be my new favorite dessert, seriously! I usually have a l little self-control with sweets, but I could not stop eating this apple dessert pizza! This is the best way to enjoy the flavors of an apple pie in a fun-to-eat pizza!
Bella
The flavors remind me of an apple pie! The crust is actually quite thick and fluffy. This dessert is a bit sweet for me because of the glaze and topping but it still remains appetizing. Perfect for apple-dessert lovers!
Selena
This is amazing! I absolutely love this! I was surprised how yummy it was. Just hit the sweet tooth just right!
Hi i will love to have some of ur recipes thank for ur time
Very informative
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It’s a great recipe, I just think I didn’t do a good job. The trouble is the crust, it came out about 1/2 inch thick (baked). I rolled it out to the instructions, but once baked it was quite thick, the huz complained. A lot of work went into making this and he’s letting it sit after having one “large” piece. I made it 12-4-2020. What did I do wrong!!!
You didn’t do anything wrong! That is a risk we take with the 2-ingredient pizza crust. If it was not to his liking, you can use a traditional pizza crust or even use a pre-made pizza crust from the grocery store.
Looks yummy, I’ve trued to print the recipe, but it won’t let me.
HI Marlyn – if you went to my page from Facebook, that is why it won’t print. It is a known Facebook glitch. If you open the recipe in your browser, like Chrome or Firefox, you can print just fine.
could you use a sugar cookie base instead
I would love to have your recipe for apple pie filling!! If you can email it to me, I would very much appreciate it!!!!!
Going to try this today. I have 5 apple trees screaming to be picked so the apple pie topping will be homemade instead of canned.
Can you make the crust the day before?
This looks so delicious! I cannot wait to make this! I would like to substitute a caramel glaze instead of the one you have in the recipe. What do you think? I could even do a half/half pizza to see which one I like better. Thank you
Sure
I used some leftover pizza dough I’d already made. You might want to mention chopping up the apple pie filling so you can spread it on the crust. Another thing is that crumble was very wet because you said melt the butter the butter should be Frozen and grated or cut up with a pastry blender so it will actually resemble crumbs and not be so wet. Otherwise it’s a good recipe the kids like it.
Hi Deborah – So glad you liked it. 🙂
When you add melted (and slightly cooled) butter to these ingredients:
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour*
▢⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
▢6 tablespoons light brown sugar
▢½ teaspoon kosher salt
it acts as a binder of sorts (in addition to adding flavor!).
There isn’t enough butter to saturate all of those ingredients so it clumps and forms the crumble that is added to the apple pizza.
It could be that your butter was still too hot when you added it and melted the ingredients instead of helping to bind them?