"Sweet land of liberty" is about to take on a whole new meaning. Honor America's favorite colors for the 4th of July with any of these delicious red, white, and blue desserts. There's something here for just about every taste, whether you want something on the healthier side, an extra indulgent bite, or a dessert that hits sweet & salty notes.
America's Birthday Cake
How else would you celebrate America's birthday than with a patriotic cake? All you need is white cake batter (you can make it from a mix), red and blue food coloring, white frosting (go ahead and used canned - we won't tell), and red and blue sprinkles.
You'll Need:
- White cake mix
- White frosting
- Red & blue food coloring
- Red, white & blue sprinkles
Instructions:
- Make enough white cake batter to separate into three parts.
- Use food coloring to dye one part blue, one red, and leave the other white.
- Bake them in three separate cake pans.
- After baking, let them cool all the way, then stack them on top of each other.
- Decorate the outside with festive frosting and sprinkles.
When it comes time to cut into your cake, you'll reveal the majestic colors of the U.S. flag. It doesn't get much more American than that!
Dipped Ice Cream Cones
In most U.S. states, 4th of July is one of the hotter times of year, so in the words of Forrest Gump, "Lieutenant Dan, ice cream!" But let's make it a little more festive with some dipped cones!
You'll Need
- Your favorite type of ice cream cones, like waffle, sugar, or cake
- Red, white, and blue sprinkles
- Milk chocolate pieces (or white chocolate if you want)
Instructions
- Pour sprinkles into separate bowls and set them aside.
- Melt a bowl of chocolate, either regular or white (or do several bowls with different colors like red or blue).
- Take an ice cream cone and dip the top rim into the chocolate about ¼ way down the cone. Give the chocolate a few seconds to set on the cone, but don't let it fully dry.
- Roll it into your chosen sprinkle variety.
Now you have an adorably decorated cone that's just waiting for a hefty scoop of ice cream! Get as creative as you want with your cones - this is a fun activity for kids to get in on, too!
Helpful Hack
Forrest Gump is a great movie for the 4th of July.
Grand Old Flag Fruit Pizza
Fruit pizza is a summer delight that's simple to make and addicting to eat. For the 4th, let's make it look like the American flag.
You'll Need
- Sugar cookie dough (you can make it or buy it)
- White or cream cheese frosting
- Blueberries & sliced strawberries
Instructions
- Bake the sugar cookie crust in a rectangular sheet pan - store-bought cookie dough is just fine.
- Once it's baked, let it cool, then top it with white or cream cheese frosting.
- Use blueberries in the upper left corner to symbolize the stars of the flag, then arrange sliced strawberries to create the red stripes. Ta-da!
This is another fun one for kids to help with, like an edible art project.
Red, White & Blue Blondies
Is it wrong of me to prefer blondies to regular brownies? If it is, I don't want to be right.
This year, I'm planning to make a batch of blondies decorated with red, white, and blue sprinkles and M'n'Ms. Just to be safe, I'll probably have to bake a few test batches ahead of time to make sure I get them right.
Liberty & Jello for All
Let freedom ring this year with a patriotic Jello. What's great about Jello is its versatility - you can prepare and serve it however you want, and it comes in pretty much every color.
One of the easiest options is to make individual batches of Jello in red, white, and blue colors, then scoop them into a dish together, topped with whipped cream. You can also make a more intricate dish that layers the colors on top of each other. For the adults in the crowd, maybe you'll want to add some booze and make 4th of July Jello shots. I'm just saying, with Jello, you've got options.
Three Cheers for This Marble Cake
I love the simple beauty of a good marble cake, and Independence Day is the perfect time to put a red, white and blue spin on it.
Like the layered cake, you'll make three separate batches of dyed batter, but instead of baking them separately, you'll carefully add the red batter to the white, then the blue. You won't fully mix the colors together (otherwise you'd end up with purple), but drag a knife carefully through the batter to create a marbled look, letting each color shine through on its own. So gorgeous, and so tasty.
Festive Fruity Shortcake
Strawberry shortcake is one of those classic desserts that takes me back to summers when I was a kid. You usually use shortcake or biscuits for the base, topped with macerated strawberries and whipped cream. To add that 4th of July spark, just add blueberries or blackberries to the mix. Now you've got yourself an extra festive treat!
Helpful Hack
Buy a can of pre-made refrigerated biscuits. Before baking, brush them with a little butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake according to instructions on the can, and then split lengthwise for the perfect strawberry shortcake base.
Revolutionary Red Velvet Cake Roll
Maybe you've heard of Merry Berry's yule log recipe for Christmas, but what about a patriotic red velvet cake roll to ring in the 4th of July? The bright red pop of the cake will definitely impress your guests. Top the cake with red and blue berries for extra flair - or you could even drizzle some blue and white frosting over the top. Yum!
4th of July Bark
4th of July bark is a sugary-sweet treat that's best kept slightly cool on a hot day - but it tastes so good!
Melt white or regular chocolate into about a ⅓-inch layer in a sheet pan, then add whatever red, white, and blue fixings sound good to you. Try dried cranberries, chunky blue sprinkles, M'n'Ms, and even some broken up pretzel pieces to add a little salty crunch. Or keep it simple and swirl blue or red colored white chocolate throughout.
Put the sheet pan in the freezer when you're finished and let it fully harden. Remove it from the freezer and smash it into various sized pieces to turn it into edible bark.
Red, White & Blue Fruit Skewers
Put together some fruity skewers for a truly easy dessert that requires no baking!
Add blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, and marshmallows to wooden skewers and display them on a 4th of July tray. These are a sweet but healthy snack perfect to take to the beach or serve with dinner, and they'll probably take about 10 minutes to complete. You're welcome!
Independence Day Sundae
I don't come across enough ice cream sundaes as an adult, and maybe 4th of July is the time to do something about that!
Set up a sundae station with waffle cone pieces, red, white, and blue sprinkles, maraschino cherries, a variety of syrups, and whipped cream. And ice cream, of course. This one's definitely going to be a hit in your crowd!
'Merican Mini Tarts
It's never a bad time for mini tarts, especially on a holiday where you want something that's easy for folks to grab and devour. There are plenty of easy tart recipes that call for some store-bought ingredients to simplify the process, or you can go totally homemade if that's your jam. Keep with the 4th of July theme by topping them with your favorite red and blue berries.
Declaration Doughnuts
When our Founding Fathers gathered around to sign the Declaration of Independence, do you think anyone thought to bring celebratory doughnuts?
Well, just in case they didn't, let's help them celebrate a few hundred years later with some modern-day declaration doughnuts. Pick up some plain doughnuts from the bakery or store (or you can even make your own doughnuts). Then decorate them with red, white, and blue frostings and, of course, top with festive sprinkles. John Hancock would certainly approve!
Patriotic Cake Pops
Cake pops are always a hit for kids and adults, and they'll disappear fast once you put them out.
Make patriotic cake pops by using whatever flavor cake you want - vanilla, red-velvet, lemon, or chocolate would all be good options. Add food coloring to the batter to make them extra vibrant. Once you've prepared the cake balls, you'll dip them in red, white, and blue frostings and decorate with more drizzled frosting and sprinkles.
Quick Tip
Get creative with your cake pops, but take your time. Plan for how you'll stand them upright to dry so they'll look their absolute best when it comes time to serve them.
White Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
Strawberries are amazing on a hot July day. Seeing as they're already red, all you need is some white chocolate (or dye some of it blue!) and sprinkles to make a dessert that guests of all ages will devour one-by-one.
Red & Blue Cheesecake
No, I didn't forget about cheesecake! It's a star in the dessert world, and easily transformed into a 4th of July speciality when you top it with blueberries and strawberries. If you want, you can even make it look like the American flag.
Firecracker Bundt Cake
Firecrackers are an essential piece to pretty much everyone's 4th of July celebrations, so of course it makes sense to pay homage with a firecracker bundt cake! This cake shows off vibrant red, white, and blue colors from the inside out, making it a feast for the eyes and tastebuds.
An Ice Cream Sandwich Celebration
Ice cream sandwiches might be one of the more underrated ice cream formats. Portable, customizable, and more like a double-dessert with the added cookie component.
You'll Need:
- Your favorite flavored cookies (homemade or store-bought), like chocolate chip, peanut butter, sugar, or double chocolate
- Vanilla ice cream
- Red, white & blue sprinkles
Instructions:
- Gather two cookies of any flavor. You can mix-and-match, because like I said, this is customizable.
- Add vanilla ice cream between them to form a sandwich
- Roll the edges in red, white, and blue sprinkles.
- Make these ahead of time and keep them in your freezer until they're ready to be eaten.
Quick Tip
If you really want some color, you can even use 4th of July cookies for your sandwiches
Mini Muffin Brownie Bites
Okay, I confess: I think I do like brownies just as much as blondies. They're just so delightfully fudgey! Make mini brownie bites with your favorite brownie recipe baked in the form of mini muffins. Let them fully cool after baking, then drizzle with red and blue frosting and 4th of July embellishments. A perfectly grabbable dessert you can eat in one bite.
Classic Chocolate-Covered Pretzels
If you like a little salty with your sweet, don't slouch on chocolate-covered pretzels!
You'll Need:
- Pretzel rods (large or small) or pretzel twists
- White or regular chocolate that can be melted down
- Red & blue frosting, thin enough to drizzle
- Red, white & blue sprinkles
Instructions:
- Melt your choice of chocolate in a pan or microwave.
- Get out flat cookie sheets and cover them with wax or parchment paper.
- When your chocolate is melted, dip the pretzels into it. Use a skewer for twists to totally cover them and fish them out, or dip rods about 2/3 the way down.
- Once dipped, lay the pretzels flat in a sheet pan.
- Before the chocolate dries, decorate pretzels by drizzling with red, white & blue frosting and 4th of July sprinkles.
- Put in fridge or freezer to let them cool, for about an hour.
- When chocolate is hardened, remove from pans and add to a bowl for everyone to snack on in between or after meals.
Bring Everybody Together With the Power of Dessert
True to the American spirit, dessert is one thing that unites almost all of us. Best be safe and make a few sweet-treat options this Independence Day to keep everybody happy. Though, it's hard to be upset on a day as great as the 4th of July.
