21 4th of July Desserts
Fourth of July desserts need to look festive and taste amazing after a day of grilling. These recipes give you plenty of options whether you’re hosting a big backyard party or bringing something to a potluck. Most of these desserts feature the classic red, white, and blue color scheme that makes them perfect for patriotic celebrations.
Red, White, and Blue Berry Trifle
This looks super impressive in a clear glass bowl but isn’t hard to make. Layers of cake, whipped cream, and berries create the patriotic color scheme. The trick is letting it sit in the fridge for a few hours so the flavors meld together. Some recipes use pound cake, others use angel food cake which is lighter. Great make-ahead dessert that feeds a crowd and doesn’t need baking. Perfect for hot July days when you don’t wanna turn on the oven.
Classic American Flag Cake
This is the showstopper dessert that everyone expects at a 4th of July party. It’s usually a sheet cake with white frosting decorated to look like the American flag using blueberries and strawberries. Some recipes use a jelly roll cake that’s red and white striped inside too. It takes a little time to arrange all the berries in neat rows but it’s not actually hard. Kids love helping with this one. Worth the effort for the “wow” factor when you bring it out.
Star-Spangled Strawberry Shortcake
This is a twist on classic strawberry shortcake using star-shaped biscuits instead of rounds. You can use a star cookie cutter on the biscuit dough before baking. Add blueberries to the strawberries for the patriotic colors. The shortcakes are best made the same day, but you can prep the berries ahead of time. Such a good summer dessert that lets the fresh berries shine. Tastes like summer in dessert form.
Patriotic Fruit Pizza with Sugar Cookie Base
This is basically a giant sugar cookie topped with cream cheese frosting and arranged fruit. You can make it round or in a rectangle and decorate it like a flag with berries. The cookie base can be made a day ahead, and it holds up well for transport to picnics. Kids go crazy for this one and adults love it too. Great option when you need something that can sit out for a while during a long party.
Triple Berry Cheesecake Bars
These are easier than making a whole cheesecake but still have that creamy delicious flavor. The red and blue berries on top give the patriotic vibe. The graham cracker crust and creamy filling is so good with the fresh berries. These need to chill for several hours or overnight, so plan ahead. They cut into neat squares which makes serving easy. Great for feeding a crowd without much effort.
Star-Shaped Blueberry Hand Pies
These are individual pies shaped like stars using cookie cutters on the pie dough. The blueberry filling is sweet and jammy, and some recipes add a little lemon zest which makes the flavor pop. They’re portable and aren’t messy to eat which makes them great for picnics. You can make them a day ahead and they still taste fresh. Kids and adults both love these hand-held treats.
Red, White, and Blue Layered Jello Cups
These look super cool with distinct layers of red, white, and blue. The trick is letting each layer set before adding the next. The white layer is usually sweetened condensed milk mixed with gelatin. They take time to make but most of that is just waiting for jello to set. These are perfect for kids and look great served in clear plastic cups. Make sure to start these the day before your party to allow enough setting time.
All-American Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
Nothing says American dessert like apple pie! It’s not red, white, and blue, but nobody will complain when you serve warm apple pie with melty vanilla ice cream. The key to good apple pie is using a mix of apple types for best flavor and texture. Making the crust from scratch is worth it but store-bought works in a pinch. Adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes it more festive with the red-ish apples and white ice cream.
S’mores Brownies (for backyard BBQs)
These combine two things Americans love – brownies and s’mores. They have a graham cracker base, fudgy brownie middle, and toasted marshmallow top. Some recipes add chocolate chunks too for extra gooey goodness. They’re a bit messy to eat but that’s part of the fun. These are perfect for when you’ve already got the grill going for your BBQ – you can toast the marshmallow topping right at the end.
Strawberry Lemonade Bars
These are like lemon bars but with fresh strawberry puree mixed in, which gives them a pretty pink color and awesome flavor. The buttery shortbread crust is the perfect base for the tangy-sweet filling. They need to chill thoroughly to set properly before cutting. The bright flavor is really refreshing after a day in the sun. These are great make-ahead bars that keep well in the fridge.
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
The red color makes these perfect for patriotic holidays. You can add blue sprinkles or berries on top of the white cream cheese frosting for the full color scheme. Red velvet has that slight cocoa flavor that’s not too chocolatey. The tanginess of the cream cheese frosting balances the sweet cake perfectly. These are always a hit and look festive on any dessert table.
Watermelon Slice Cookies
These sugar cookies are decorated to look like watermelon slices, which is super cute for summer parties. You need to make the dough ahead and chill it well before baking. The decorating takes a little time but isn’t complicated – usually just colored frosting and mini chocolate chips for “seeds”. These are adorable on a dessert table and kids get excited about the fun shape.
Patriotic Rice Krispie Treat Stars
Regular Rice Krispie treats cut into star shapes with cookie cutters, sometimes with red and blue food coloring or sprinkles added. These are so easy to make but always disappear fast. They’re chewy, crispy, and sweet – what’s not to love? Kids can help make these since there’s no baking involved. They’re great for when you need a last-minute dessert that still looks themed for the holiday.
Classic Banana Pudding (Southern tradition)
This Southern classic is a crowd-pleaser at any American celebration. Layers of vanilla pudding, sliced bananas, and vanilla wafer cookies that get soft and cake-like. The traditional version has a meringue topping but many recipes now use whipped cream which is easier. This tastes better the next day after the cookies have softened, so it’s perfect to make ahead. Not red, white, and blue but nobody ever complains about banana pudding!
Star-Spangled Sugar Cookies
Basic sugar cookies cut into star shapes and decorated with red, white, and blue icing or sprinkles. The dough needs to chill before rolling out which helps the cookies keep their shape. Royal icing makes them look professional but takes practice – buttercream is more forgiving for beginners. These keep well for several days in an airtight container. Great activity to do with kids before the holiday.
Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake
A white cake with red and blue Jello poked and poured in to create colorful streaks, topped with whipped cream. When you cut into it, you see the patriotic colors throughout the cake. It needs to chill for several hours so the Jello can set, which makes it a good make-ahead option. This is super moist and always a hit with kids. One of the easiest ways to get the patriotic color scheme in a dessert.
Fresh Cherry Pie (early cherry season)
July is cherry season in many parts of the country, making fresh cherry pie perfect for 4th of July. The deep red filling bubbles up through the lattice crust and looks so good. Pitting the cherries takes time but is worth it for the flavor – you can find cherry pitters that make the job easier. Serve with vanilla ice cream for the red and white color combo. This is for when you want something seasonal and special.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad (Midwestern picnic classic)
This isn’t really a salad – it’s a layered dessert with a salty pretzel crust, cream cheese middle, and strawberry Jello top with fresh strawberries. The sweet-salty combo is surprisingly good. It needs to chill between layers and set up in the fridge, so start it the day before. This is always one of the first things to disappear at potlucks. The red top and white middle fit the patriotic theme perfectly.
Blueberry Cobbler with Cornmeal Biscuit Topping
The cornmeal in the biscuit topping adds great texture and a slight crunch. The blueberries get all bubbly and jammy during baking. It’s best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that melts into all the blueberry goodness. You can make this with frozen blueberries if fresh ones are too expensive. This tastes like summer in a bowl and feeds a crowd without much effort.
Memorial Day Mason Jar Parfaits
These work just as well for 4th of July as Memorial Day! Layers of cake or cookies, whipped cream, and berries in individual mason jars. They look cute and are easy for guests to grab. You can make them the morning of your party and keep them chilled until serving. The portion control is built in which is nice. Perfect for parties where people will be walking around rather than sitting at a table.
Grilled Peach Sundaes with Bourbon Caramel
Using the grill for dessert is so smart in summer! The heat caramelizes the peaches’ natural sugars and gets those pretty grill marks. The bourbon caramel sauce sounds fancy but isn’t hard to make – just be careful when adding the alcohol to the hot sugar. The cold vanilla ice cream with the warm peaches is such a good contrast. This is my favorite one on hot nights when I’m already grilling dinner anyway.
All-American Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
Nothing says American dessert like apple pie! It’s not red, white, and blue, but nobody will complain when you serve warm apple pie with melty vanilla ice cream. The key to good apple pie is using a mix of apple types for best flavor and texture. Making the crust from scratch is worth it but store-bought works in a pinch. Adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes it more festive with the red-ish apples and white ice cream.