We are secretly in love with anything that involves pre-made cookie dough, soda, cream cheese, strawberries galore and potential for orange liqueur. This month's recipe combines all these things into a pizza-pie style cookie dish that you can slice up and serve to kids (sans hooch) or adults. If you like the recipe, then check out Louisiana Cookin' magazine. Subscribe with the promotion code wwoz2012, and they'll donate $5 to WWOZ.
Courtesy of Holly Clegg
1 roll refrigerated ready-to-slice sugar cookie dough (16.5-ounce)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup diet Sprite
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 quart fresh Louisiana strawberries, stemmed and sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
strawberry halves, for garnish (optional)
fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 1 12- to 14-inch or 2 small pizza pans with nonstick cooking spray. Press sugar cookie dough onto prepared pan. Bake about 12 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely.
Combine sugar, Sprite, cornstarch, and strawberries in small nonstick pot, and mix well. Bring to boil over medium heat, and boil about 3 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and vanilla, and set aside to cool.
Beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl, until creamy. Gradually add orange juice and mix well. Stir in orange rind. Spread cream cheese mixture over crust. Carefully spread cooled strawberry mixture evenly over cream cheese layer. If desired, garnish with strawberry halves and serve with whipped topping. Refrigerate until serving.
Terrific Tidbit: For a grown-up version, orange liqueur may be substituted for the orange juice.