When people think of pizza, they often imagine a full Italian meal. While that can be true (and delicious!), there are many desserts that go well with pizza, both traditional Italian options like tiramisu, cannolis, and gelato, and unique choices like brownies and cookies.
In this article, we’ll discuss what dessert goes with pizza, including classic Italian dessert with pizza as well as the best desserts to change things up.
Classic Italian Dessert with Pizza
If you’re looking for classic Italian desserts that pair best with pizza, here are a few of our favorites.
Cannoli
When looking at what dessert goes with pizza, the cannoli is a classic option. Cannoli are Italian pastries made of fried pastry shells filled with sweet ricotta cheese. Usually, cannoli come flavored with vanilla, chocolate, or citrus zest and are dusted with powdered sugar or garnished with pistachios or chocolate chips.
Zeppole
Zeppole are traditional Italian pastries often enjoyed during festivals like St. Joseph’s Day. These deep-fried dough balls are light and airy, sprinkled with powdered sugar and sometimes filled with custard, jelly, or sweet ricotta cheese. They are crispy on the outside and soft inside. If you’d like to try zeppole made with a hazelnut spread, come on in to Rosati’s Pizza!
What Other Dessert Goes with Pizza?
Classic Italian desserts are always a hit, but sometimes you just want something different. When choosing what non-Italian dessert goes with pizza, there are so many options to pick from! From refreshing fruit sorbet to rich and creamy chocolate brownies, here are a few of our favorites.
Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate mousse is an airy dessert made from whipped cream or egg whites mixed with melted chocolate. It has a smooth, creamy texture and rich chocolate flavor. At Rosati’s Pizza, we love chocolate mousse both on its own and garnished with fruits, whipped cream, or chocolate shavings.
Fruit Sorbet
Fruit sorbet is a frozen dessert made from puréed fruit, sugar, and water. It’s dairy-free, making it a great alternative to ice cream. Sorbets come in various fruit flavors from sweet strawberry to tangy lemon and is the best dessert with pizza if you want something lighter.
Chocolate Lava Cake
At Rosati’s Pizza, we think chocolate lava cake is one of the best desserts with pizza. Chocolate lava cake has a soft outside and a warm, gooey chocolate center that flows out like lava when cut. Made from chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, it’s baked just long enough to form a solid outer layer while keeping the interior molten and is a decadent dessert to pair with pizza.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Who doesn’t love a classic chocolate chip cookie? Whether you like them soft or crunchy, there’s just no beating those warm, gooey chocolate chips that melt in your mouth with each bite. At Rosati’s Pizza, we enjoy chocolate chip cookies with ice cream on the side, and occasionally with add-ins like nuts or sea salt.
Brownies
Here at Rosati’s Pizza, we love brownies for their dense, fudgy texture and rich chocolate flavor, as well as their versatility. Classic brownies can be studded with chocolate chips or nuts for added crunch, while those seeking something unique can add caramel or peanut butter swirls to their brownies. For an extra twist, try espresso brownies to get a little coffee flavor in the mix, or mint brownies for a cool addition.
Pairing Tips When Choosing What Goes With Pizza
Need some help figuring out what dessert goes with pizza? To start, consider the type of pizza you’re eating. If you’re going for a heavy, meat-filled pizza, you may want to stick with a lighter dessert such as a chocolate mousse or fruit sorbet. On the other hand, if you’re choosing a simple pizza, you may have room for something heavier like brownies or gelato.
When choosing what goes with pizza, it’s also helpful to think about the flavors of your pizza. If it is salty or spicy, a sweeter dessert like tiramisu can give you a nice balance. Also, don’t forget to consider texture! A mix of creamy and crunchy elements in your dessert can be the perfect way to end a meal.
Pair Your Pizza with the Best Dessert at Rosati’s Pizza
At Rosati’s Pizza, we’re committed to creating authentic Chicago-style pizza and traditional Italian fare. We still do many things the old-fashioned way, like sourcing fresh ingredients from farms we can name. Stop by our Chicago locations including Downtown Chicago to try our wings, salads, calzones, pastas, and sandwiches, which can be eaten on their own or paired with a sweet and classic Italian dessert.
