The 4th of July is a day that many people celebrate with friends and family. If you are planning a huge cookout (or even just a small gathering) you want desserts that are not only delicious but patriotic as well, right? Well, do we have the dessert post for you! We’ve collected 40 of the most patriotic and palate pleasing desserts in the world to help you plan the perfect Independence Day get-together.
There is everything from cakes and pies to cookies and ice cream in this post and none of them take very long to make. Most use just a few ingredients and you can whip them up quickly so they won’t interfere with your other plans.
If you are planning to get together with family and friends for the 4th, this collection of desserts is perfect. Whether you are planning a party for 10 or 100, you are sure to find the perfect dessert for your get-together and some of these are so easy even the kids can make them. Go ahead and plan that big 4th of July party now. We’ve got the patriotic desserts to make it perfect.
Patriotic Shortbread Cookies with Almond Glaze
Small and bite sized, these little cookies are perfect for your get-togethers no matter what time of day. First, you bake the shortbread cookies which takes a little white but is definitely worth the time. When the cookies have cooled, you mix up the almond glaze and do it in two or three different batches so you can color them with blue and red. The glaze itself is white so you can leave one batch if you want to have red, white and blue. Once you have them glazed, just sprinkle the tops with sprinkles or even shredded coconut on the blue and red ones.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Bloomingonbainbridge
Raspberry Cheesecake Popsicles
Cheesecake ingredients give these popsicles creamy deliciousness while fresh fruit gives them color. If you wanted to make them in red, white and blue, you could just substitute blueberries for some of the raspberries. You can also use fat free milk and cream cheese to make them a bit healthier and lower in fat and calories. However you make them, they are sure to be a huge hit and they are very easy to create. You just layer fruit or fruit puree with the cheesecake substance in a popsicle mold and then add sticks.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Thenovicechefblog
Patriotic Stained Glass Jell-O
Remember Jell-O Jigglers? Well, this recipe is much like that except it has a great combination of red, white and blue colors. This is also a little easier than making jigglers. You just choose two flavors of Jell-O, one red and one blue. Make the two flavors and then cut them into small cubes. When they’re ready, just mix them in a bowl with sweetened condensed milk. Let set in the refrigerator for about an hour or so and then cut into squares. These are really cute and easy to make, plus they’re delicious.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Krissys-creations
Red White and Blue Dipped Strawberries
These dipped strawberries are gorgeous, delicious and very easy to create. With just a pound of strawberries, some white chocolate or almond bark and blue sanding sugar or sprinkles, you can have the perfect patriotic dessert for your 4th of July celebration. Just melt the chocolate and then dip the bottom half of your strawberries in it. Add the sprinkles or sanding sugar and you have a beautiful and yummy dessert. You may need a few more strawberries depending on the number of people that you are planning to serve. A pound will make about 16 dipped strawberries.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - The-girl-who-ate-everything
Red White and Blue Funfetti Cookies
These adorable little sandwich cookies are fun, easy to make and absolutely delicious. The cookies are filled with blue buttercream frosting and topped with patriotic sprinkles. You can do these in any number of ways and make them perfect for the 4th. You may want to color your buttercream in red and blue and then leave a bit white to make them really patriotic and you can add whatever flavors you want to the colored frosting to make different types of sandwich cookies. We love that these are so easy to customize.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Twopeasandtheirpod
Celebration Pretzel Sticks
Pretzels dipped in chocolate and white chocolate are perfect for outdoor gatherings. They can be prepared a few days ahead of time and there is no serving required. You just stick them in a vase or other tall container and let everyone help themselves. To make these, you just need large pretzel sticks, chocolate and almond bark or white chocolate for dipping and red, white and blue sprinkles of some sort. You can also embellish them with decorator icing or color some of the white chocolate in red and blue. The possibilities are endless!
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Ladybehindthecurtain
Patriotic Poke Cake
This is a wonderful Jello-O cake that is as much fun to make as it is to eat. You need to bake a cake – yellow or white works best – and then use a straw to poke holes in it so that you can pour Jell-O through the holes. When it sets, it’s got great coloring inside and this is one of the moistest cakes you will ever eat. Use Cherry and Berry Blue flavored Jell-O to create a great red, white and blue look and then ice with vanilla or cream cheese frosting and top with your favorite 4th of July decorations.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Lilluna
Crackling Patriotic Bark
Forget about that peppermint bark that you make at Christmas. This crackling patriotic bark is the perfect sweet treat for Independence Day. You make it about the same way as peppermint bark, with almond bark but there is a neat twist to this one. Aside from the addition of red, white and blue sprinkles and M&Ms, this candy has strawberry flavored Pop Rocks so when you bite into it, it gives you a little fireworks sensation. Kids will love it and it has other yumminess like pretzels, macadamia nuts and crispy coconut cookies that make it extra special.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Tsgcookin
Patriotic Ice Cream Cake
This delicious ice cream cake couldn’t be more patriotic. It has red velvet cake, blue ice cream and a creamy and delicious coconut whipped frosting that gives it great flavor. You can add edible star glitter to give it a great sparkle and even top with sparklers or other types of decorations. It’s a delicious cake that is relatively easy to make considering it’s an ice cream cake. You will need to freeze your ice cream overnight to make it set firmly but when you put it together, it’s a breeze. Plus, who doesn’t love ice cream cake?
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Bittersweetblog
Patriotic Ice Cream Cones
Making a patriotic dessert doesn’t actually have to involve the kitchen and baking. Sometimes, you just have to alter your traditional desserts just a bit. Take this fabulous patriotic ice cream cone for instance. With just a few blueberries and some red sprinkles, a regular vanilla cone is turned into the perfect Independence Day treat. Just add the sprinkles under the ice cream or on top, whichever you prefer and then top with blueberries. If you aren’t a fan of blueberries, reverse the order. You can use strawberries for the red and blue sprinkles if you prefer.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Theprettybee
No Bake Flag Dessert
Sometimes you just want something really simple to make. This no bake flag dessert takes only about 15 minutes from start to finish and is delicious. It also makes several servings so it’s great for larger parties and gatherings. You need a box of sugar cookies or shortbread cookies. Note that the recipe looks better if your cookies are square shaped. You also need cream cheese, sugar and berries like blueberries and strawberries to create the flag colors. You just lay out the cookies, cover with cream cheese and then use the fruit to decorate and create a flag. It’s a really easy dessert to make and one that is sure to be a huge hit.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Thecountrychiccottage
Red White and Blue Candy Apples
What could be more delicious on the 4th of July than candy apples? This recipe takes traditional candy apples and gives them a great patriotic twist. They’re red, white and blue and since it’s summer, you can use fresh apples from your tree (if you have one) which makes it even better. You just use a blue candy mix or make your own with almond bark and blue food coloring. Then dip your apples and before the candy mix dries, add some 4th of July themed sprinkles. Wrap them in cellophane and they’ll keep for days in the fridge.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Tidymom
Firecracker Bundt Cake
A traditional bundt cake gets an Independence Day makeover with red and blue food coloring. To make this dessert, just color some of your cake batter with red and blue food coloring before you bake it. When it’s finished baking and has cooled, dripped whipped white frosting over the top and add some blue and red sprinkles. If you wanted, you could add flavorings to the colored portions of your cake batter to give it a completely new taste. This is a really easy dessert that is as patriotic on the inside as it is out.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Spicedblog
Star Spangled Pie
This delicious cheesecake pie gets a hint of red, white and blue to create a scrumptious dessert that will perfectly match your 4th of July celebration. You need a package of Keebler Chips Deluxe Rainbow Bite Sized Cookies to create the red and blue inside and the makings for a cheesecake. It’s got cream cheese and whipped topping to give it a wonderfully light texture and when you top it off with sprinkles, it’s gorgeous inside and out. This is the perfect summer dessert because it’s cool and light plus it’s got a great patriotic look to it as well.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Snackpicks
Strawberry Wonton Cups
Strawberry wonton cups are great for a light snack or a brunch dessert. You could also use them as a lighter dessert choice for 4th of July cookouts. You will need strawberries of course and if you wanted to add a bit of blue, you could add blueberries as well. You need wonton wrappers which you should be able to find at your local grocery store and the berries plus butter, cinnamon and a few other staples. Just form the wrappers inside a cupcake pan and bake for a few minutes to set them. Then just add your berries. You could add a touch of whipped cream as well if you want a red, white and blue dessert.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Tasteandtellblog
Marshmallow Fireworks Pops
Kids will absolutely love these marshmallow pops with a wonderful 4th of July theme. You can make these with regular white jumbo marshmallows or use the star shaped ones if you want. Better yet, combine the two. Just pile them up on skewers and then decorate with decorator icing and a few red, white and blue sprinkles. You can do just about any combination of decorations that you want and you end up with great treats that look like roman candles and other fireworks. These are much easier than they look and a great dessert recipe that the kids can help you to create.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit -Hwtm
Fudgy Patriotic Brownies
Yummy fudge brownies are the base for this dessert and it’s topped off with buttercream frosting that is colored with fresh fruit. Raspberries are used to make red buttercream frosting so the brownies have a delicious raspberry taste as well as chocolate. You use blueberries filled with white frosting to create the star areas of the flags and the red and white stripes are raspberry and plain white buttercream. These take a bit of time to create but they are definitely worth the effort. Each brownie serving is a miniature flag complete with the stars and stripes.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Afarmgirlsdabbles
Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas
Frozen bananas on their own are a wonderful choice for your 4th of July desserts but when you dress them up in patriotic attire, they are even better. What’s great about this dessert is it’s so easy to make and everyone will love your chocolate frozen bananas. You just insert a popsicle stick or small dowel into each of the bananas and then dip in chocolate. Be sure that you freeze your bananas first and then dip in chocolate. Then, while the chocolate is still wet, add red, white and blue sprinkles and you’re all set.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Theculinarychronicles
No-Bake Cheesecake Shots
For a light, patriotic and adorable dessert idea, make these little cheesecake shots. Not only do they contain the deliciousness of cheesecake and berries, they are just the cutest little one serving desserts ever. You will need a box of no bake cheesecake mix, strawberries and blueberries and a few shot glasses. If you don’t have shot glasses, you can get several plastic ones in a package at most party supply stores and they’re really cheap. Just mix up your cheesecake mix and pour into the shot glasses. You can sprinkle with crushed graham crackers if you want and then just add the blueberries and strawberries.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Madiganmade
Nautical 4th of July S’mores Bags
So, S’mores are great, right? Well these S’mores are. If you want a dessert idea that is perfect for watching fireworks, these little S’mores bags will do the trick. Each little bag contains a small Hershey’s candy bar, two graham crackers and a white star shaped jumbo marshmallow. Just add a little printable to the top and you’re all set for a wonderful evening in front of the fire making your very own S’mores. The kids are really going to love these and everyone can make their own so there’s really no prep for you aside from filling the bags and passing them out.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Andersruff
Berry and Coconut Fruit Salad
In just 10 minutes, you can put together a delicious fruit salad that is chocked full of red, white and blue goodness. You will need strawberries, blueberries, shredded coconut and some fresh mint if you want it. Just combine the ingredients in a bowl, add a little honey and lemon juice and you have a patriotic dessert that is perfect for weight watchers. The fresh berries are healthy and much lower in calories than cakes and cookies. Plus, you may be able to use fresh berries from your garden if you have them.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Vegetablegohan
Raspberry Dark Chocolate Frozen Yogurt
This recipe is so easy to make and so delicious that you will want it long after the 4th. You will need an ice cream maker with this one and it only has 5 ingredients. To make it, you’ll need Greek yogurt, dark chocolate, raspberries, vanilla and sugar. Now, it doesn’t really look patriotic but you can add blueberries and top it off with just a touch of whipped cream which will give it that red, white and blue look. Plus, it’s an absolutely delicious dessert that is perfect for any summer celebration.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Twopeasandtheirpod
Uncle Sam Mustache Pops
Candy melts in red, white and blue along with lollipop sticks and a cute mustache candy mold will allow you to create these really cute mustache pops that kids and adults alike will love. Note that you can use white candy melts across the board and then add red and blue food coloring if you want. Once the candy melts are ready, fill decorator bags with your melted candies so that you can form the mustaches with different colors. These are really adorable and they’re easy to make. Plus, they double as decorations for your July 4th dinner table. Just throw them in a vase or mason jar and you have a great centerpiece.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Number-2-pencil
Patriotic Donuts
Ok, so who says you can’t serve donuts as a dessert? You could certainly use these as a patriotic breakfast on the 4th but they also make wonderful desserts. To make them, you can buy or make your own donuts and then add melted white chocolate or almond bark that has been colored with food coloring. You could also just create a vanilla glaze to go on top of them and color that with blue or red food coloring. While the top glaze is still a bit wet, add sprinkles in reds, whites and blues. You can then layer a plate to adorn your outdoor table or serve these as a great holiday breakfast.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Apumpkinandaprincess
Patriotic Puff Pastry Stars
These light and fluffy pastries are in the shapes of stars and filled with a delicious cream cheese filling. If you don’t really want your dessert table done completely in red, white and blue, these are a great addition. They are relatively easy to make and take just a few ingredients. Add them to a parfait with fresh fruits or just leave them on a plate all their own. However you serve them, your guests are sure to adore the light and fluffy texture and the flavor is absolutely divine. If you want to mix it up, color the filling just a bit or cut them into other patriotic shapes before baking.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Thecakeblog
Chocolate Firecrackers
Imagine your dining table lit up with delicious chocolate firecrackers. You won’t believe how simple these little gems are to create and they are absolutely delicious. They have chocolate, you know. You will need a box of Hostess Ho-Hos, or you could use any other brand that you prefer. You’ll also need red and blue frostings and flame or firecracker wire confetti that you can pick up at your local Dollar Store. Just decorate them however you want to make them look like firecrackers (use the colored icing for this) and then add the wire confetti to the top.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Sixsistersstuff
Red White and Blue Pops
These delicious popsicles have red, white and blue colors to make them patriotic. They’re made from coconut and fresh berries which make them yummy. You will need a popsicle mold or you could use Dixie type cups and then just cut the paper cups away when they are frozen. They have a delicious white part that is made from coconut milk and the blue and red sections are made from fresh blueberries and strawberries. You need to puree your fruit before making but if you wanted, you could add some small chunks of fresh berries as well. These are great because they don’t contain added sugar.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Anediblemosaic
Patriotic Parfait
Take a few parfait dishes and layer in Greek yogurt or vanilla pudding, blueberry pie filling and cherry pie filling and you have the perfect patriotic dessert that is so simple to make. You can literally put this together in less than five minutes, depending of course on how many guests you have to serve. You can also layer this in a large bowl and then just serve it up when you are ready but it looks great in the individual dishes. If you don’t really like cherry pie filling, you could substitute strawberry and even add other flavors if you wanted.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Madincrafts
Independence Day Rice Krispies Treats
You pretty much know how to make Rice Krispies treats, right. You just need rice krispie cereal and this can be any brand, plus butter and marshmallows. To turn your Rice Krispies treats into the perfect patriotic dessert, you just need red and blue food coloring. Just divide your treats into 3 batches before forming and add blue to one batch and red to another. Then layer the batches to create these neat treats that are red, white and blue and perfect for your July 4th celebrations. You could also go all out and add red and blue M&Ms or top with decorative sprinkles before they set.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Lilluna
Cake Pie with Chocolate Mousse and Berries
This is a neat twist on traditional cake. If you want to serve something different and something that is filled with chocolatey goodness, this is the perfect dessert. The “pie” is made from cake and is topped with rich and creamy chocolate mousse. Note that you can use any flavor of cake that you want for this. Add some whipped cream to the top of the mousse and decorate with blueberries and strawberries to give it a wonderful patriotic look. Not only will you have covered your red, white and blue needs but you’ll have a rich and delicious dessert.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Foodiecrush
Patriotic Cookie Wreath
A cookie wreath is the perfect way to serve dessert and add a bit of decoration at the same time. This particular wreath is made from red, white and blue stars and you can actually hang it up or just lay it on the table. You will need to make your cookies in star shapes and you should use two or three different sizes to give the wreath a bit of dimension. Once the cookies have baked and cooled, just decorate them with red, white and blue frosting and add glitter or sprinkles if you want. Then, you just have to arrange them in a circle and you have a beautiful wreath that serves as decoration and dessert.er456
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Sweetopia
Red, White and Blue Snow Cones
No, these aren’t your traditional snow cones. These patriotic treats are actually cupcakes but they look like real snow cones. You just put your cake batter into pastry bags (after you’ve added red and blue food coloring to 2 batches) and then pipe into your cake cups. When they finish baking and have cooled enough, ice them with different colors of icing. When you finish frosting them, add edible glitter which is what makes them look just like real snow cones. Kids are really going to love these and unlike real snow cones, they aren’t going to melt and cause a mess.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Bakerella
Patriotic Popcorn
Okay, so popcorn is not technically a dessert but it is a great addition to your 4th of July celebration. Plus, it looks great on the table so you can count on it for a bit of decoration. Incidentally, if you sweeten it a bit or use candies to decorate it, it does count as a dessert. You use red nonpareils, red and blue M&Ms and sprinkles to make it patriotic. Then just pour it into a decorative bucket and you’ve got a salty and sweet dessert that is sure to be a hit. This also makes a wonderful gift so if you are heading to someone else’s July 4th celebration, take along a bucket of this to present to your hosts.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Bloomdesignsonline
Patriotic Oreo Pops
Oreo cookies turned into lollipops are a great idea for your July 4th dessert. These are so simple to make and are a bit fancier than simply putting out cookies. You will need Oreos (or your favorite cheap knock-off version), lollipop sticks, melted white chocolate or almond bark and sprinkles. Just put the stick inside the cookie, dip into the melted chocolate and roll in sprinkles or nonpareils. You can also color the chocolate with red and/or blue food coloring to make different colored cookies if you want. These take very little time and are sure to be everyone’s favorite dessert.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Makoodle
Patriotic Mini Star Cakes
These little cakes are stacked with goodness and contain whipped cream, strawberries and a wonderfully delicious glaze. Like a traditional strawberry shortcake, the cakes are light and fluffy. The main difference is in how they are presented. The star shapes are perfect for the 4th of July and the cake can be colored with food coloring to make a really patriotic dessert. Just layer your cakes and add strawberries and homemade whipped cream between the layers. Top off with glaze. If you want, you can use blueberries as well to make it really colorful.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Birdonacake
Red White and Blue Cupcake Tops
You can use a whoopee pie pan to create these great cupcake tops that you can then turn into a wonderfully patriotic dessert. Bake whatever flavor of cake you want or if you are using white or yellow, color the batter with red or blue food coloring to make them even more patriotic. Once the cakes are cooled, top with buttercream frosting that you have colored blue and add whipped cream and strawberries to complete them. They are red, white and blue and are a wonderful twist on traditional cupcakes.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Crazyforcrust
Star Spangled Sandwich Pops
Give your celebration guests a wonderfully cool treat with these sandwich pops. You just need mini ice cream sandwiches, nonpareils or sprinkles and some cupcake liners and popsicle sticks. First, add a stick to all of your ice cream sandwiches so that they are more like popsicles. Then just press the sides (where the ice cream is showing) onto a plate of sprinkles or nonpareils to give them a great red, white and blue look. The cupcake liners are used to serve so that there is less of a mess to clean up afterwards.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Spoonful
Easy Independence Day Quilt Cake
This gorgeous quilt cake is much easier to make than it looks. You use pound cake, vanilla frosting, candy melts and a few other ingredients to create it and you are sure to get compliments on your beautiful cake when you make this for your 4th of July get-togethers. You can actually decorate this any way you want but the quilt look is great and really does have a patriotic look to it. Use cookie cutters and other decorative supplies to get the look which again, is much easier than you think and takes much less time than you may believe.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Delish
Fun Patriotic Pinwheel Cupcakes
Your regular cupcakes will look so much more patriotic when you add pinwheels to them. The pinwheels are made from fondant and you can buy the fondant in the colors you need or color it yourself from plain white. Once you have the colors you need, just begin rolling out and cutting the fondant to make the pieces for the pinwheels. When the pinwheels are complete, you just lay them on top of your cupcakes. This is a project that really looks more complicated than it actually is. Once you get the hang of working with fondant, these will be a breeze to make.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Thetomkatstudio
Uncle Sam’s Krispie Treat Cake
Once you’ve made this krispie treat cake, you will never look at Rice Krispies treats the same way again. The cake is actually made and formed out of Rice Krispies treats. You just make them as you normally would but when it comes time to form them, use a 9 inch round cake plate for the hat’s rim and 5 inch high cylinder pan for the top of the hat. Once you have the krispie treats in place, you cover the entire thing with buttercream frosting and then decorate it to make it look like Uncle Sam’s hat. It’s easy and kids and adults alike will love it.
Recipe Instructions and Project Credit - Tasteofhome
