Besides all the cutesy, cupid-y stuff, another big holiday is coming up: the Super Bowl.
Most know it as the day where America’s best football teams duke it out for the official title of Super Bowl Champion. I know it as the day where it’s socially acceptable to eat snacks all day long and inhale chips & dip like my life depends on it. Also, for Puppy Bowl, which personally I find MUCH more amusing than a bunch of men in padded Spandex.
Because hello? Puppies win every day.
I usually cook up a bunch of appetizer-y stuff for my family to nosh on during the game, then have something sweet saved for last to balance all the hot wings, cheesy dips and salty cheese & cracker sandwiches. This year I know exactly what I’ll be making for that sweet something — this Caramel Apple Cheesecake Peanut Butter Cookie Pizza! I know it’s a mouthful figuratively and literally, but it is SO worth it. Here’s the play-by-play:
It starts with a peanut butter cookie base baked golden brown on a pizza stone (I don’t mess around with my cookie pizzas, y’all). Next, it’s topped with a scrumptious cheesecake mixture created from softened cream cheese, a little sugar and Musselman’s Apple Butter. If you didn’t know, Musselman’s is America’s Favorite apple butter — made, of course, with delicious apples simmered slowly to create that amazing flavor and texture we all love. Musselman’s can be spread on toast, baked in cakes & muffins, used as a marinade or used to jazz up other bottled sauces to create unique combinations & recipes. Plus, it’s gluten-free!
Next, I top the cheesecake mixture with a handful of crisp, tart green apples to create that mouthwatering crunch and provide a nice, fresh taste to this delectable dessert pizza. Following the apples comes a generous sprinkling of miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to add some texture and even more deliciousness. Finally, there’s a nice drizzling of caramel sauce just to punch this pizza up another notch or twelve. The result is one scrumptious, chewy, crunchy, unique dessert pizza that everyone will love no matter who wins the game, who loses, or how many salami & cheese cracker sandwiches you’ve eaten 🙂
- 1 roll prepared refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough (I like Pillsbury brand), room temperature
- 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup Musselman's Apple Butter
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 medium Granny Smith apple, chopped into thin, bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium Gala apple, chopped into thin, bite-sized pieces
- 1 pkg Miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- ½ cup prepared caramel sundae topping
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a pizza stone with cooking spray. If you do not have a pizza stone, grease a standard cookie sheet instead. Set aside.
- Unwrap the package of cookie dough and using the heels of your hands, gently knead the cookie dough into a round pizza shape. I rolled mine almost the entire size of the stone with about an inch margin all around. Pat into an even layer and bake for about 12-15 minutes or until the top is set and golden. Do not over bake. Cool completely on the stone/baking sheet.
- Meanwhile in a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, apple butter and sugar with an electric mixer for about a minute or until smooth & blended. Spread the mixture evenly on top of the cooled cookie pizza, leaving a small border around the edges for the "crust."
- Top the cheesecake mixture evenly with the apples and the Reese's candies. Lastly, drizzle the caramel onto the pizza. Cut into slices and serve immediately. To make this pizza EXTRA indulgent, top with ice cream!!
The texture of this pizza is absolutely amazing. I love the buttery, peanutty base of the chewy cookie topped with those crisp, fresh Granny Smith apples and the creamy, apple-y cheesecake layer. Of course, the peanut butter cups and caramel make this pizza extremely indulgent but totally delicious. If peanut butter cups aren’t your thing, consider subbing Rolos or M&M’s instead. And assuming you use gluten-free cookie dough, this entire dish could potentially be a gluten-free treat as well!
And hey, I did promise a giveaway, didn’t I? If you’d like to win a Musselman’s prize pack, including a jar of Musselman’s Apple Butter, a special Grillware Pizza Tray from Wilton Armetale and a recipe card for Caramelized Onion Bacon Pizza (YUM!), enter here! All you have to do is answer this: Who is going to win the Big Game? (And if you aren’t a football fan/don’t know, just list a team anyways) 🙂
Winner will be announced on Sunday, 2/2 right before the first kickoff. Winner will be immediately notified and must respond within 24 hours. Good luck!!
Be sure to connect with Musselman’s via Twitter & Facebook, and check out their YouTube video for more Game Day recipes! If you plan on making this or any of Musselman’s recipes, be sure to use #AppleButterSpin to share with Musselman’s!
Have a fantastical day!!
xo, Hayley
Musselman’s generously provided me with this same prize pack to review. I received no monetary compensation for this post. All opinions are exclusively my own. Musselman’s will be mailing the winner, who will be selected randomly, the same prize pack after 2/2/2014 when the contest ends.
Seahawks. Need to try this. Sounds yum.
I am so not a football fan lol. I only know one of the teams playing so I guess I’ll have to say them. Seattle Seahawks. The only reason I know that is because some of the nail blogs I follow have done manicures with their logo lol. Thank you for the opportunity and I wish the best of luck to everyone who enters as well as the teams playing in the Superbowl.
I think the weather will be a key factor in this Super Bowl. Manning has a way of pulling things out so I am picking the Broncos.
I think the Denver Broncos!!!!
I think Denver will win the Super Bowl.
The Broncos
Seattle Seahawks!!
This pizza looks so good and I love apple butter! As for the Super Bowl, I’ve got to go with the Broncos!
Denver
I’m picking the Broncos!
I think I might just skip everything else I was going to make for the game and eat this entire pizza. That sounds like a much better plan.
Broncos, because a horse is bigger than a bird.
Oh my that looks delicious! Superbowl = Seahawks all the way!
Dessert pizza HELL yeah! And it looks soooo easy! Yummmmm!
Bronocs I hope!
I am going to go with the broncos but who cares when you have this pizza around!
It’s Denver and Seattle– I had to ask my husband– LOL I did know they were playing in New Jersey though because I remember thinking that was crazy since it’s winter:)
Cool recipe– I’ll bet it would be really good with Rolo candy too. YUM.
THE BRONCOS!! My husband is a HUGE Peyton Manning fan… Hince the name of our youngest.. Peyton 🙂
Well… I can’t say I am a football fan, but my husband was SO stinkin’ excited that his team made it to the super bowl this year! So I am rooting for the Bronco’s (or I think I might be exiled from the house! ;D )
i think it’s going to be the broncos.
Denver. Although I just watch for the commercials.
There is only one right answer… Denver Broncos! 😉
While I want the Broncos to win, what I really want is to have a piece of this pizza in front of me right now!
Broncos have it covered just like Musselman’s Applebutter!! I can’t wait to make this amazing creation!!
Frankly, I kinda just want to devour this pizza and forgot all about who’s playing the super bowl.
I think the game will be close, but the Seahawk.s will take the win
Broncos baby!!!
Seattle!!!!!
I’m going with Denver!
The Broncos.
Denver Broncos, thanks for the opportunity.
I really don’t care either way, but I think the Broncos are gonna win it.
Don’t much care since I’m a Chicago Bears fan, but I’m pretty sure Denver’s gonna win.
I dont watch Football but I’m going to go with the Bronco’s just because all of my friends are going for them 🙂 thanks for the great giveaway!
Broncos linadanna at aol dot com
Denver for the win! Oh my goodness that to-die-for pizza looks amazing!!! Thanks for the great giveaway.
Erin
fairyfractal at gmail dot com
Broncos
Broncos
Broncos!!
Broncos all the way!!!
I’m gonna go with the Broncos. but I’m pretty sure the real winner will be me, surrounded by obscene amounts of game day food.
Broncos
Seahawks baby!!!
Hoping the Seahawks pull it out!
If Peyton can handle the cold outdoor weather and hookup with his receivers, the Broncos should win with a score of 38 to 14 over the Seahawks! I wish the Vikings were there, but I will settle for a Bronco’s win!
Not a fan of either, but I would rather that the Broncos won instead of the Seahawaks.
The Seattle Seahawks
Yum!! And let’s go Seahawks!’
yummm Dessert pizza 🙂 the Seahawks all the way !
I think the seahawks will probably win? Maybe?
I’m a fairly new follower of your blog! I just LOVE everything you do here and just from reading your posts I feel that you are the exact same way in person! Reading your blog has made me believe I know you and we have been best buds since the age of 5!!!!!!! LOL!!! I guess the point of all that blabbing was to let you know how comforting it is to sit down with my feet up, relax and escape reality of this crazy world by connecting through our love and passion for baking/cooking, plus I get to do all of that and still be on the computer for the reason intended, to find new recipe’s and to see what delicious creations are being made as well as getting inspiration/ideas for my recipe’s!!! By the time I have “researched” any and all ideas I realize my “research” was so very intense because 4 hours have come and gone!!!!!
ummm, seahawks
the broncos thanks for the giveaway
Broncos!!
I’ll have to go with Seattle.
The Denver Broncos!
ramblesahm at yahoo dot com
Are there teams in the puppy bowl? I mostly watch for the kitty halftime show…. This pizza looks killer, Hayley. Plus there’s fruit on it, so it’s definitely healthy.
Seahawks! Can’t wait to make this dessert!
I’m not much of a football fan, but I know enough about it to know that this could be Peyton Manning’s last Super Bowl, so I think I’ll be rooting for him and the Denver Broncos.
Denver
Broncos! I love Wilton Armetale!
Not a football follower….Seahawks. Thanks for the giveaway
I think the broncos are playying
Denver Denver Their Our Team
If they can’t do it NOBODY can!
Denver!! This pizza looks amazing! I have a stone, but can’t wait to upgrade to a steel.
Denver ….this recipe looks so delish
the seahawks
I want the Brancos 🙂 That’s what my hubby said I should want 😉
I’m going with the Bronco’s
Denver! Awesome recipe..Def have to make for the hubby!
The Broncos all the way! Have got to try this cookie pizza. Looks so delicious! Thank you. I’m sure all the kids will love it too.
seahawks omg that desert pizza looks sooo yummy!!!
Well seems like majority of comments say Seattle so I am with them