Ingredients
1 12-inch pre-made pizza crust
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 tablespoons granulated sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) mascarpone
2 tablespoons lemon juice
About 2 cups of whatever berries are available
Tiny mint sprigs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Brush pizza crust with melted butter and sprinkle with about half the sugar and cinnamon mixture
Bake in preheated oven anywhere from 5-7 minutes, or just until the butter starts to sizzle, and the crust begins to turn light brown. You don’t want to overdo it, or you’ll wind up with a 12-inch cracker.
Remove from oven and let cool
Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir lemon juice into mascarpone. If mixture seems a little too thick, you can thin it with a tiny bit of milk.
Spread mascarpone evenly over cooled pie crust. Strew the berries artfully about, and sprinkle with remaining sugar and cinnamon. Serve in wedges like pizza, garnished with a mint sprig.
Key Points About Ingredients:
- Mascarpone is an ultra-rich Italian cream cheese with a mild, slightly sweet flavor that makes it perfect for sweet applications — its high fat content gives it a luxuriously smooth texture that spreads beautifully over the warm crust.
- Using a pre-made 12-inch pizza crust dramatically cuts prep time while still delivering a satisfying, slightly crispy base that holds up under the creamy mascarpone topping.
- Fresh berries such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries provide a bright, antioxidant-rich contrast to the rich mascarpone and sweet cinnamon-sugar crust.
- Lemon juice stirred into the mascarpone adds an essential brightness and acidity that balances the richness of the cheese and the sweetness of the sugar and fruit.
- Cinnamon not only adds warm spice flavor but also contains antioxidants and has been studied for potential blood-sugar-regulating properties, making it a flavorful and functional ingredient.
Key Nutritional Insights:
- Mascarpone is very high in saturated fat, so this dish is best enjoyed as an occasional treat rather than an everyday breakfast option.
- Fresh berries are an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, and anthocyanins — powerful antioxidants linked to heart and brain health — providing nutritional brightness to an otherwise indulgent dish.
- This recipe is relatively high in added sugars from the cinnamon-sugar mixture, so consider reducing the sugar by half if you prefer a less sweet result.
- The lemon juice contributes a small but meaningful dose of vitamin C and helps preserve the vibrant color of the fresh berries on top of the pizza.
- Mascarpone provides a modest amount of calcium and fat-soluble vitamins A and E, though it is considerably lower in protein than ricotta or Greek yogurt alternatives.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size1
- Amount per serving
- Calories1,820
- Standard DV% Daily Value*
- Total Fat112 g72 g155.56%
- Saturated Fat68 g20 g340%
- Trans Fat0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat22 g
- Cholesterol290 mg300 mg96.67%
- Sodium1240 mg2300 mg53.91%
- Total Carbohydrate185 g275 g67.27%
- Dietary Fiber8 g28 g28.57%
- Total Sugars72 g
- Added Sugars52 g50 g104%
- Sugar Alcohal0 g
- Protein28 g50 g56%
- Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol)40 mcg20 mcg200%
- Calcium320 mg1300 mg24.62%
- Iron6 mg18 mg33.33%
- Potassium620 mg4700 mg13.19%
- Vitamin A3800 mcg900 mcg422.22%
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)48 mg90 mg53.33%
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol)3 mg15 mg20%
- Vitamin K18 mcg120 mcg15%
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)0.6 mg1.2 mg50%
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)0.5 mg1.3 mg38.46%
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin)5 mg16 mg31.25%
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)0.2 mg1.7 mg11.76%
- Folate90 mcg400 mcg22.5%
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamine)0.6 mcg2.4 mcg25%
- Biotin8 mcg30 mcg26.67%
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)1.2 mg5 mg24%
- Choline55 mg550 mg10%
- Phosphorus420 mg1250 mg33.6%
- Iodine18 mcg150 mcg12%
- Magnesium48 mg420 mg11.43%
- Zinc2 mg11 mg18.18%
- Selenium22 mcg55 mcg40%
- Copper0.3 mg0.9 mg33.33%
- Manganese1.4 mg2.3 mg60.87%
- Chromium4 mcg35 mcg11.43%
- Molybdenum12 mcg45 mcg26.67%
- Chloride380 mg2300 mg16.52%
