4th Of July Desserts
No 4th of July gathering is complete without a dessert table loaded with red, white, and blue treats! Here are some of my favorite 4th of July desserts that are easy to make and can be assembled in advance.
From the candy being tossed off the parade floats to the burgers and brats at the cookout afterwards, I think we can all agree that the food takes center stage at most July 4th celebrations. It certainly does at my house!
But while I love loading up my plate with savory foods like loaded baked potato salad and mac and cheese, I can never resist a dessert table filled with no-bake cheesecakes, fruit trifles, and colorful cakes.
This list of 4th of July desserts will hopefully give you plenty of baking inspiration for America’s 250th birthday. Each of these recipes are easy to make and can be assembled in advance (which is so nice when you’re prepping for big holidays like this!).
Flag Cake
A fluffy white cake is decorated with whipped cream cheese frosting and fresh berries to create a patriotic flag cake. You can make the cake from scratch like I did or buy your favorite box mix to save time!
Flag Cake Recipe
S’mores Bars
If you can't build a campfire this July 4th, bake a batch of s'mores bars instead! Layers of graham cracker cookie dough, marshmallow creme, and chocolate give the bars their signature s'mores flavor.
S’more Bar Recipe
No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes
If you dread having to turn on your oven in the July heat, make a simple no-bake dessert like these mini cheesecakes. You can make them red, white, and blue by topping them with fresh blueberries and raspberries!
No-Bake Mini Cheesecake Recipe
Ice Cream Cake
There's no better way to cool down on the 4th of July than with a big slice of homemade ice cream cake! I typically layer chocolate cake with no-churn vanilla ice cream, but you can use any combination of cake and ice cream you like. For example, you could pair a vanilla cake with strawberry ice cream for a more patriotic color palette.
Ice Cream Cake Recipe
Homemade Cake Pops
Vanilla cake is crumbled into a mixing bowl and mixed with buttercream frosting before being rolled into balls and dunked in white chocolate. To make these holiday appropriate, top them with red, white, and blue sprinkles. I have a chocolate cake pops recipe that would also work well for July 4th!
Homemade Cake Pop Recipe
Chantilly Cake
Layers of mascarpone frosting and fresh berries are revealed when you slice into this elegant chantilly cake. This is probably the most labor-intensive dessert on this list, but it's really just stacking and frosting cake layers. You don't even have to pipe the frosting!
Chantilly Cake Recipe
White Chocolate Chip Cookies
If ultra soft and tender cookies are your favorite, then you have to bake a batch of these white chocolate chip cookies for the 4th of July! The chocolate chips provide the “white,” and you can fold colored sprinkles into the cookie dough for the “red” and “blue.”
White Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Lemon Berry Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Cups
These cheesecake sugar cookie cups are as refreshing as they are adorable! They're made by filling a chewy sugar cookie base with a no-bake lemon cream cheese filling and fresh berries for an unforgettable dessert everyone will love.
Lemon Berry Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Cup Recipe
Mixed Berry Crisp
If you're searching for a super fast and easy dessert that will feed a crowd this July 4th, this berry crisp is it! The crisp can be baked the day before and served at room temperature, or reheated in a 350ºF oven and served warm with a scoop of ice cream on top (my favorite!).
Mixed Berry Crisp Recipe
Fruit Salad
Not everyone wants to eat cakes and cupcakes on one of the hottest days of the year, so it's nice to set out a fresh fruit salad too. Consider serving the fruit with vanilla yogurt and your favorite granola so guests can make their own holiday parfaits.
Fruit Salad Recipe
No-Bake Berry Trifle
This show-stopping trifle layers cubes of angel food cake with a creamy no-bake cheesecake filling and fresh berries. It's a fantastic alternative to baking a layer cake since there's nothing to stack and frost, and the trifle dish is so easy to transport.
Berry Cheesecake Trifle Recipe
Banana Pudding
This is the banana pudding I make every year for our annual 4th of July party! It's made with the creamiest homemade pudding imaginable, vanilla wafer cookies, sliced bananas, and whipped cream. There are never any leftovers!
Banana Pudding Recipe
No-Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake
This simple icebox cake is made by layering graham crackers with a no-bake cheesecake filling and fresh strawberries. You can add some blueberries on top as well to make this dessert red, white, and blue.
No-Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake Recipe
Mini Lemon Cheesecakes
Bright, sweet, and a little tart, these mini lemon cheesecakes taste lighter and fresher than a traditional New York-style cheesecake. The berries on top add that pop of patriotic flair!
Mini Lemon Cheesecake Recipe
Cheesecake Pie
Since this recipe calls for a pie plate instead of a springform pan, the bake time is nearly cut in half! You can decorate your cheesecake pie with whipped cream and fresh berries just before serving.
Cheesecake Pie Recipe
Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
July is peak strawberry season, so put those fresh berries to good use by making homemade strawberry shortcake. The biscuits can be made a day in advance, and the whipped cream can be swapped for stabilized whipped cream if you want to make that ahead of time too.
Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
Angel Food Cupcakes
Although I love angel food cake, I much prefer making cupcakes when I'm baking for a party. Cupcakes are easier to decorate and serve, and I know exactly how many servings I'll get from a recipe. These angel food cupcakes are just as light and fluffy as the classic cake, just baked in cupcake liners!
Angel Food Cupcake Recipe
Chocolate Chip M&M’s Cookies
You know the drill! When you replace the regular M&M's with seasonal red, white, and blue M&M's, these soft and chewy cookies are perfect for the 4th of July.
Chocolate Chip M&M Cookie Recipe
Blueberry Bars
If you usually make a blueberry pie for Independence Day but are looking for something a little simpler this year, make these blueberry bars instead. The crust and crumble are made from the same base mixture, and the filling is made with fresh blueberries instead of jam!
Blueberry Bar Recipe
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
We're ending this list of dessert ideas with another favorite no-bake dessert of mine! This pie tastes like a cross between a strawberry pie and a cheesecake. It's got a buttery graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake filling, and jammy strawberry topping that everyone adores.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie Recipe
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