Chocolate Chip Dessert Pizza is, in my humble opinion, the best kind of pizza ever made. With a simple thin crust, a cream cheese based “white pizza sauce”, lots of chocolate, and a crumbly streusel topping, I think you can see why this is such a favorite of mine!
So there’s this pizza place where Zach and I used to eat lunch together during college.
It wasn’t the best pizza place, but it was an all-you-can-eat deal where you paid about 5 bucks for unlimited pizza and soda and a mostly-wilted salad bar, and it was a college student’s dream. We ate so. much. pizza., but the best thing about this place was their variety of dessert pizzas.
They had a few varieties, cherry, apple, and other fruits, but I bypassed all of them for the Chocolate Chip Dessert pizza, and Zach and I piled our plates with as many slices as we could respectfully carry every single time.
Naturally, I wanted the recipe, but despite politely harassing at least three employees, nobody seemed to be able to tell me what was actually in this magical dessert pizza. Only that it was “Mostly dairy. I think.” Thank you, pizza-place guys.
Much, much taste-testing research ensued. I must have eaten a whole dessert pizza in a single sitting (for science, of course). Testing continued at home, and after many tasty, but not just quite right attempts, I finally got the recipe down. In fact, this dessert pizza was one of the first recipes I shared on the blog years ago (this was 4 years ago, even before the blog’s official “unbirthday”), and it has remained one of my most popular recipes ever since then.
The crust for this recipe is a very, very simple one (please don’t be intimidated by the yeast!). It’s thin and chewy and needs to bake only briefly, just long enough for the toppings to melt.
What Toppings Do You Put On A Dessert Pizza
For this dessert pizza, the only option here is chocolate. We first start by layering our base with a cream cheese “sauce”. this will help to hold the toppings in place and give the pizza a great creamy texture.
Next, we’ll add a cup of mini chocolate chips and press them into the sauce before topping everything off with a simple, crumbly, slightly crisp streusel topping.
And that’s it. Enjoy!
How to Make Dessert Pizza
Chocolate Chip Dessert Pizza
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (185g)
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup warm water (155ml)
“Sauce”
- 8 oz cream cheese (225g)
- ¼ cup sugar (50g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips (175g)
Streusel
- 3 Tablespoons butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour (50g)
- ⅓ cup sugar (66g)
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar tightly packed
Instructions
Crust
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Preheat oven to 500F (260C) and line a pizza pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt and stir well.
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Add water and stir until ingredients are mostly combined. Use your hands to continue to combine until the dough is cohesive enough to form a ball.
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Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes (until elastic). If needed, add additional flour 1 Tablespoon at a time if dough is too sticky and sticks stubbornly to your hands.
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Roll dough out into a 12” circle and transfer to prepared pizza pan. Pinch edges or gently fold over to form a crust.
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Prepare your cream cheese “sauce” by cutting your cream cheese into 8 pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 10 second intervals, stirring between each, until cream cheese is easy to stir.
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Add sugar and vanilla extract, stir well.
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Spread cream cheese “sauce” evenly over pizza dough.
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Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly overtop and press/spread into the “sauce”. Prepare your streusel.
Streusel
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Add vanilla extract to melted butter, stir, and set aside.
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In a separate bowl, use a fork to mix together flour and sugars.
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Add butter mixture and use a fork to combine until mixture resembles coarse crumbles.
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Sprinkle evenly over pizza
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Bake pizza in 500F (260C) oven for 7 minutes or until streusel turns a golden brown.
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Remove from oven, allow to cool for several minutes, then slice and serve.
Recipe Notes
This chocolate chip dessert recipe was originally published 04/29/2014. Photos and text have been updated on 04/16/2018, and recipe has been updated for clarity and to include metric measurements
Original Photo
Jean says
Where is the Crust recipe?
Sam says
Hi Jean! I used this Crust recipe (I didn’t write my own): http://www.fearlesshomemaker.com/2012/08/thin-crust-pizza/
Just be sure to omit the Italian seasonings and toppings, but follow the instructions otherwise to make the dough.
Hope this helps!
Debbie Reinhart says
Can’t seem to get the link to open for the crust recipie. Did the address change?
Sam says
Hi Debbie,
You can go ahead and use this crust recipe that I have here: http://sugarspunrun.com/raspberry-white-chocolate-dessert-pizza/
I’m not sure what’s going on with the link, I’ll have to look into it when I get back to my computer (I’m out now), but I might just have to add the crust recipe I just sent you to this recipe.
Have a great weekend, and I hope you love this pizza, it’s so good! 🙂
nlt says
Do you think Pillsbury crescent roll dough would work for the crust?
Sam says
I think it would work, it would be a different flavor than using a regular pizza crust and you’ll have a flakier crust but you could definitely do it!
HOWEVER, I would definitely decrease the oven temperature and probably cook a bit longer, use the crescent roll package for guidelines but my instinct would be to cook somewhere around 375 F for around 15 minutes.
Melody says
How would you change the recipe if I used a pre-cooked pizza crust?
Sam says
Hi Melody,
I haven’t tried it with a pre-cooked crust so I can’t be certain, but since the crust is already baked your primary concern will be making sure that the “sauce” and chocolate chips reach that ideal melt-y stage (you can’t judge the chocolate chips by looking at them — they will retain their shape) and the streusel topping is browned just enough to be slightly crisped (as in the pictures).
I think that 5-7 minutes is a brief enough time that it *shouldn’t* burn the crust but should do the trick of getting the toppings just right, just make sure you keep an eye on the crust!
I hope this helps!!
Melody says
I’ll give it a try. Thank you!
Sam says
No problem! 🙂
Melissa says
I can’t believe I have FINALLY found a recipe for this dessert pizza! I LOVED going to Sicily’s pizza and this dessert pizza was ALWAYS my favorite. Thank you for posting this. I can’t wait to try it!
Sam says
I really hope you love it as much as my family and I love it, Melissa!! 🙂
Mishelle Herrmann. says
Hey! Is this pizza place in Tyler Texas? I’ve been looking for this recipe for years, my home town of Tyler is the only ace I can find it!
Sam says
It’s actually based off a place called Infinitos in PA, but it seems that a lot of these pizza places have the same chocolate chip dessert pizza. 🙂
Heidi Eckert says
Wow, you absolutely nailed it! It’s been 10 years since I have had my favorite dessert pizza and I’ve been craving forever. I am so glad I found your recipe. I was a little lazy and used a Pilsbury crust and it still tasted wonderful. You got the toppings just right! The pizza place I went to in Louisiana called Sicily’s had a cherry and blueberry variety that I want to experiment with next. Thank you so much for the recipe!!
Sam says
That’s awesome to hear! This place also has a cherry and blueberry (and apple), I’m sure it wouldn’t be too difficult to do fruit variations. Thanks for commenting, Heidi! 🙂
Sommer Paul says
Omg!! That’s the recipe I was hoping this was!! Have you tried to make with blueberries or cherries? The blueberry is my favorite!! I’ve gotta try it out!! How crazy!!! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!!
Sam says
I’m so glad you like it! I haven’t tried it with blueberries or cherries yet, but definitely something to try in the future! Thanks for commenting!
Deborah says
I would never have thought to make something like this, but it looks so incredible I think I may *have to* make it tonight. You are a genius–thank you for the inspiration (and recipe)!
Sam says
I hope you love it, Deborah! One of my favorite desserts!
palak bhatti says
wow looks yummy thanks for sharing i love your all recipes
Amanda says
I am excited to try this recipe soon! Do you think that I can make this ahead of time? It was requested by a coworker, but I won’t have time to make it.
Sam says
Yes, you can make it ahead! I’d say up to 2-3 days in advance. I hope you love it, this is one of my family’s favorites!
Amanda says
How would you recommend storing it?
Sam says
Once it’s baked I usually just slice it up and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Some of my family members like eating it cold, but I always prefer heating it up before enjoying!
Sam says
If you don’t have an airtight container that’s large enough, allow it to cool and then wrap the slices in plastic wrap or foil, that also works!
Sam says
Sorry, I’m just now realizing you’re probably asking how to store BEFORE baking. I would place it on the pizza pan and wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap and then refrigerate. Yes it will take up a fair bit of space in your fridge but that’s how I would do it.