Gelatin Pizza

Here’s a dessert that gets kids grinning before they take a bite. It’s a ‘pizza’ made entirely of Jell-O, whipped topping, and fruit, cut into wedges and served just like the real thing.

The ‘crust’ is simply gelatin, any flavor you like, dissolved in boiling water and chilled in a pizza pan until firm.

A quick dip of the pan’s bottom in warm water loosens the gelatin so it releases cleanly, the one slightly tricky step.

Then the fun begins. Spread whipped topping over the surface like cheese, leaving a one-inch border so it looks like a real crust, then arrange cut-up fruit on top however you like, pepperoni-style rounds of strawberry, kiwi, banana, whatever you’ve got.

It’s a no-bake project that doubles as kitchen entertainment, the kind kids love to help build and then devour.

Kitchen Tips

• Dip only the bottom of the pan briefly in warm water to release the gelatin; too long and it’ll melt at the edges.
• Add the whipped topping and fruit just before serving so they stay fresh and the topping doesn’t weep.
• Use a firm-setting flavor and chill the full three hours so the ‘crust’ holds its shape when sliced.

Variations

• Use two contrasting Jell-O colors for a swirled or layered crust.
• Arrange the fruit to mimic real pizza toppings for extra fun.
• Pipe the whipped topping for a neater, more pizza-like look.