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 takes 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.
Jump to:
- 1. Red, White, and Blue Shortbread Cookies
- 2. Raspberry Cheesecake Popsicles
- 3. Patriotic Stained Glass Jell-O
- 4. Red, White, and Blue Dipped Strawberries
- 5. Red, White, and Blue Funfetti Cookies
- 6. Celebration Pretzel Sticks
- 7. Patriotic Poke Cake
- 8. Crackling Patriotic Bark
- 9. Patriotic Ice Cream Cake
- 10. Patriotic Ice Cream Cones
- 11. No-Bake Flag Dessert
- 12. Red, White and Blue Candy Apples
- 13. Firecracker Bundt Cake
- 14. Star Spangled Pie
- 15. Strawberry Wonton Cups
- 16. Marshmallow Fireworks Pops
- 17. Patriotic Fudge Brownies
- 18. Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas
- 19. No-Bake Cheesecake Cups
- 20. Red, White & Blue Tie Dye S’mores
- 21. Coconut Berry Salad
- 22. Raspberry Dark Chocolate Frozen Yogurt
- 23. Uncle Sam Mustache Pops
- 24. Patriotic Donuts
- 25. Patriotic Puff Pastry Stars
- 26. Chocolate Firecrackers
- 27. Red, White and Blue Pops
- 28. Patriotic Parfait
- 29. Independence Day Rice Krispies Treats
- 30. Cake Pie with Chocolate Mousse and Berries
- 31. Patriotic Cookie Wreath
- 32. Red, White, and Blue Snow Cones
- 33. Patriotic Popcorn
- 34. Patriotic Oreo Pops
- 35. Patriotic Mini Star Cakes
- 36. Red, White, and Blue Cupcake Tops
- 37. Star Spangled Sandwich Pops
- 38. Patchwork Quilt Cake
- 39. Fun Patriotic Pinwheel Cupcakes
- 40. Uncle Sam Hat Surprise Cake
1. Red, White, and Blue Shortbread Cookies
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 while but is definitely worth the time. When the cookies have cooled, you mix up the vanilla glaze and divide it into a few batches so you can color some red and some blue, leaving one batch white for classic patriotic flair. Once glazed, sprinkle the tops with sprinkles or shredded coconut on the red and blue cookies for a festive touch.
2. 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.
3. 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 it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour or so, and then cut it into squares. These are really cute and easy to make, plus they’re delicious.
4. 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 bar,k 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.
5. 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.
6. 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!
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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?
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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 want 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.
16. 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 create.
17. Patriotic Fudge Brownies
Yummy fudge brownies are the base for this dessert, topped with buttercream frosting colored red, white, and blue. Blueberries filled with white frosting create the star areas of the flags, while the red and white stripes are made with red 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 stars and stripes.
18. 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 that 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 them in chocolate. Be sure that you freeze your bananas first and then dip them in chocolate. Then, while the chocolate is still wet, add red, white, and blue sprinkles, and you’re all set.
19. No-Bake Cheesecake Cups
For a light, patriotic, and adorable dessert idea, make these little cheesecake cups. Not only do they contain the deliciousness of creamy no-bake cheesecake and fresh berries, but they are also some of the cutest single-serving desserts you can make. You will need a simple no-bake cheesecake filling, strawberries, blueberries, and small glass jars. If you don’t have glass jars, small clear cups from party supply stores work just as well and are inexpensive. Mix up the cheesecake filling and spoon it into the jars. Sprinkle with crushed graham crackers if desired, then top with blueberries and strawberries
20. Red, White & Blue Tie Dye S’mores
So, s’mores are great, right? Well, these s’mores are even better. If you want a dessert idea that’s perfect for watching fireworks, these red, white, and blue tie-dye s’mores are just the thing. Each s’more is made with a small chocolate bar, two graham crackers, and a festive tie-dye marshmallow in patriotic colors. Simply assemble and enjoy around the fire or grill. Kids will love the bright colors, and everyone can make their own, so there’s very little prep involved for you
21. Coconut Berry Salad
In just 15 minutes, you can put together a delicious fruit salad that is chock-full of red, white, and blue goodness. You will need strawberries, blueberries, shredded coconut, and optional fresh mint. Simply combine the ingredients in a bowl, add a little honey and lemon juice, and you have a patriotic dessert that’s light and refreshing. The fresh berries are healthy and much lower in calories than cakes and cookies, making this a great option for those watching what they eat. Plus, you may even be able to use fresh berries from your garden if you have them.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. 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, white,s and blues. You can then layer a plate to adorn your outdoor table or serve these as a great holiday breakfast.
25. Patriotic Puff Pastry Stars
These light and fluffy pastries are in the shape 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.
26. 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.
27. 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 it, but if you want, you could add some small chunks of fresh berries as well. These are great because they don’t contain added sugar.
28. 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.
29. Independence Day Rice Krispies Treats
You pretty much know how to make Rice Krispies treats, right? You just need Rice Krispies 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.
30. 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.
31. 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.
32. 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.
33. Patriotic Popcorn
Okay, so popcorn is not technically a dessert, but it’s 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 too. Once you coat the popcorn with a sweet mixture and add candy toppings, it definitely counts as dessert. Red nonpareils, red and blue M&Ms, and festive sprinkles are mixed in to give it a patriotic look. Pour it into a decorative bucket, and you’ve got a salty-sweet treat that’s sure to be a hit. This also makes a wonderful gift, so if you’re heading to someone else’s July 4th celebration, take along a bucket of this popcorn for your hosts.
34. 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 it into the melted chocolate, and roll it 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.
35. 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.
36. 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.
37. 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.
38. Patchwork Quilt Cake
This gorgeous quilt cake is much easier to make than it looks. You bake a simple sheet cake and top it with creamy frosting, then arrange fresh berries in a patchwork quilt pattern for a stunning patriotic look. It’s perfect for 4th of July celebrations, and you’re sure to get compliments on your beautiful cake. The decorative quilt effect is easier than it seems, and it’s a fun way to make a festive, colorful dessert for your guests.
39. 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.
40. Uncle Sam Hat Surprise Cake
Once you’ve made this Uncle Sam Hat Surprise Cake, you’ll never look at layered cakes the same way again. This tall, festive cake is frosted with buttercream and shaped like Uncle Sam’s hat, and when you slice into it, red, white, and blue layers are revealed for a dramatic patriotic surprise. It’s easy enough for a home baker to tackle, and kids and adults alike will love it at your 4th of July celebration.
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