These 75 Fourth Of July Desserts Will Get More Attention Than The Fireworks
Cakes, pies, bars, and s'more.
Start a revolution of your own this 4th of July—against boring desserts! These patriotic, star-spangled sweets will add some festive red, white, and blue to your spread... at least until they're devoured. From fruity cookies to spectacular cakes, all-American pies to summery popsicles, we've got something here for everyone, for every occasion Independence Day could throw at you.
Okay, admittedly, some of these desserts aren’t red, white, AND blue all at once, but we believe in your ability to either make it happen by getting creative with additional ingredients, being content with a more subtle patriotic vibe, or, our favorite, serving multiple of them at once for that full flag effect.
What do we mean by additional ingredients? Fruit, of course! Cherries, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries are the easiest, tastiest way to add color to your desserts. Start with a white or red base—like our red velvet cake or ice cream, our no-bake whipped ricotta cheesecake, or our white cake—add a variety of fruit, top the whole thing with some whipped cream, and there you have it: the perfect creative interpretation of America's flag. Check out our red velvet whoopie pies with blueberries, our flag cake, or our berries & cream charcuterie board for inspiration, then get creative with it.
Speaking of fruit, no one would be mad if you served up a variety of classic summer desserts instead of adhering to a colorful theme. Our fruit popsicles, our blueberry surprise, our raspberry tiramisu, or our strawberry crisp are always crowd-pleasers. Looking for something a little more casual? Our brookie ice cream sandwiches, our M&M cookie bars, or our cheesecake cupcakes are perfect for sharing at a 4th of July potluck or picnic.
Want to meet somewhere in the middle? A little food coloring, red and blue sanding sugars, and even edible glitter can go a long way in turning something subtle into a show-stopper—check out our lemon-blueberry firecracker Bundt cake or our July Fourth ice cream cake to see what we mean. We also aren't above topping our treats with actual sparklers, so be safe and have fun with it! 🎆
Chantilly Cake
There are cakes and then there’s Chantilly cake, an impressive dessert that marries the simplicity of a classic yellow cake with a delightful berries and cream combo for summer
Get the Chantilly Cake recipe.
Brookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Introducing the brookie ice cream sandwich: a trio of rich, fudgy brownies, crisp chocolate chip cookies, and creamy vanilla ice cream. Perfect for summer BBQs and gatherings, these sandwiches are equally delightful as a sweet treat stored in the freezer ready to enjoy.
Get the Brooke Ice Cream Sandwiches recipe.
Flag Cake
Hot dogs, fireworks, and flag cake—if your Fourth of July party doesn’t end with a this patriotic dessert, then you’re doing it wrong! With a simple frosting, boxed cake mix, and sweet fresh fruit, this cake is as easy to make as it is to devour.
Get the Flag Cake recipe.
Strawberry-Lemonade Bars
Bright pink strawberry lemon curd tops a crunchy shortbread crust in this dessert bar for a summertime twist on the classic citrus dessert.
Get the Strawberry-Lemonade Bars recipe.
Rice Krispies Cheesecake
No longer do you have to decide between a Rice Krispies treat or a slice of cheesecake. This incredible mashup has a crust made from Rice Krispies, which holds together perfectly and is filled with an easy no-bake filling.
Get the Rice Krispies Cheesecake recipe.
Lemon-Berry Firecracker Cake
Nothing says Fourth of July quite like a patriotic dessert, especially this eye-popping lemon-berry firecracker cake. Our spin on the classic firecracker cake is upgraded from white cake to a tangy lemon batter with blueberry- and strawberry-flavored swirls.
Get the Lemon-Berry Firecracker Cake recipe.
Strawberries & Cream Semifreddo
This no-bake, frozen stunner is like the creamiest ice cream you've ever had. It's shaped into a unique sliceable package that's perfect for sharing this summer.
Margarita Bars
If you love a margarita at happy hour or are simply looking for an easy treat to bring to your next potluck, these zesty bars won't disappoint. Ready in an hour with minimal effort, these dessert bars are the perfect way to shake up your summer.
Get the Margarita Bars recipe.
Blueberry Cheesecake Icebox Cake
Featuring layers of blueberry jam, whipped cream cheese, and graham crackers, this blueberry cheesecake icebox cake is cool and creamy for hot summer days. No oven required.
Strawberry Pie
Strawberry pie is a light summer dessert that is a tart, sweet blend of fruit and sugar that is perfect for any summer night. This recipe has something special going for it, thanks to a combination of cornstarch and pectin.
Get the Strawberry Pie recipe.
July 4th Ice Cream Cake
This festive ice cream cake is more impressive than any fireworks display you’ll see this year! Vanilla ice cream is sandwiched between two layers of soft and fluffy vanilla cake before the whole thing is topped with whipped cream frosting and patriotic sprinkles.
Get the July 4th Ice Cream Cake recipe.
Raspberry Cheesecake
This creamy, decadent cheesecake is swirled with a raspberry sauce to create a showstopper of a dessert. Our favorite part? Rather than a standard graham cracker crust, this cheesecake base is made from buttery shortbread.
Get the Raspberry Cheesecake recipe.
Red, White & Blue Tiramisu
This red, white & blue tiramisu is made up of blueberry- and strawberry layers for the perfect Fourth of July dessert. That said, we've got a feeling that you’ll be making it again and again, all summer long.
Get the Red, White & Blue Tiramisu recipe.
Blueberry Pie
Blueberry pie is the epitome of summer desserts. Fresh, sweet blueberries and a homemade flaky pie crust make the world's perfect slice of pie.
Get the Blueberry Pie recipe.
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake
This cake has everything you love about the Good Humor strawberry shortcake bars in the form of a homemade ice cream cake. Pro tip: To get clean slices of the cake, run a chef's knife under hot water before cutting each piece.
S'mores Cupcakes
Whether you’re sitting around a campfire or standing over your stove, making s’mores is a quintessential summer activity. The crunch of the graham cracker, the melty richness of the chocolate, and the toasty marshmallow all work together to create one of the best treats of all time.
Get the S'mores Cupcake recipe.
Watermelon Cake
If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert for your summer BBQ, this cake is it. Made from simple ingredients like boxed white cake mix, chocolate chips, and a simple frosting recipe, this cake is a simple dessert to bake.
Get the Watermelon Cake recipe.
American Pie
If you're looking for the perfect Fourth of July recipe, we've got you covered with this easy American pie. Refrigerated store-bought pie crust makes prepping this a total breeze.
Get the American Pie recipe.
Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Need a really simple ice cream sandwich? Use boxed brownie mix! Baking off a pan of brownies and sandwiching your favorite ice cream between them is the easiest way to have a frozen treat ready to go all summer long.
Get the Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches recipe.
No-Bake Strawberry-Lemon Swirl Tart
This no-bake strawberry lemon swirl tart is the dessert that we're planning to make all season long. It's evocative of a classic French tarte au citron (AKA lemon tart)—but with way less work.
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