It’s that time of year once again: Independence Day is just around the corner, and it’s time to plan family festivities and picnics—with appropriate social distancing, of course—to celebrate the liberation of our nation from British occupation. If you’re on Sweet Deliciousness Duty this year, we’ve got seven awesome red, white, and blue desserts for you to try.
4th of July Dessert Kebabs
Prep time: about 30 minutes
These 4th of July dessert kebabs are easy to make: all you have to do is shop and then put them together This is a great recipe to try with kids.
What you’ll need:
- Donut holes covered with powdered sugar
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Kebab sticks
Simply place the donut holes, blueberries, and strawberries on kebab sticks. You can make as many as you want; just buy the fruit, kebab sticks, and donut holes in whatever quantity you need.
Three-Berry Trifle
Three-berry trifle / Image: Shutterstock
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Of the red, white, and blue desserts in this post, this is one of the simplest because it only involves a few ingredients, doesn’t take much effort to make, and tastes delicious.
What you’ll need:
- 1 box white cake mix (or make your own white cake mix, which will add about an hour to your prep time)
- 1 pint (2 cups) blueberries
- 1 pint (2 cups) raspberries
- 1 pint (2 cups) strawberries, halved
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup raspberry-flavored liqueur or cranberry-raspberry juice
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
4th of July Bark
Prep time: 20 minutes
Chill time: About an hour
If you or your guests like white chocolate, this is the dessert for you! It’s a great no-bake dessert for a hot summer day.
What you’ll need:
- 1 pound white melting chocolate or white chocolate chips
- 1/2 pound red candy melts
- 1/2 pound blue candy melts
- Various red, white, and blue candies and sprinkles
No-Bake Summer Berry Refrigerator Cake
Prep time: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Total time: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Of the red, white, and blue desserts in this post, this one may take about the longest, but it’s also one of the easiest. And again, you don’t have to bake it, so it’s a great summer day cake.
What you’ll need:
- 19 ounces graham crackers
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 (34-ounce) packages vanilla instant pudding
- 2-1/2 cups cold milk
- 12 ounces store-bought or homemade whip cream
- 3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
- 2 ounces white chocolate chips
Red, White and Blue Layered Flag Cake
Red, white, and blue layered flag cake / Image: Shutterstock
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
This dessert takes the classic vanilla cake base and turns it into a patriotic favorite with the addition of strawberry puree, blueberry puree, and gel food coloring.
What you’ll need for the cake:
- 1-1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), room temperature
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups milk
- 2-3 tablespoons strawberry puree
- 2-3 tablespoons blueberry puree
- A few drops of red and blue gel food coloring
What you’ll need for the frosting:
- 3-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Gluten-Free Brownie and Berries Dessert Pizza
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 18 to 20 minutes
If you or your guests are gluten-free, don’t despair. Here’s a wonderful gluten-free recipe for one of the tastiest red, white, and blue desserts around.
What you’ll need:
- 1 box gluten-free brownie mix (or make your own gluten-free brownies and add another 35 minutes of prep time)
- 8 ounces (1 package) cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup apple jelly
Party USA Shortbread Cookies
Party USA Shortbread from Little Rae’s Bakery
Prep time: 0 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
If you just don’t feel like baking at all, why not pick up a tray of our Party USA shortbread cookies? They’re festive, delicious, and don’t add any extra stress on your part. Kids and adults alike will love them—plus, they come with our nut-free promise. Find us at Whole Foods, Raley’s, and other fine foods stores across the Pacific Northwest, California, and Rocky Mountain regions. If you are in the Seattle area, you can also find us at many local cafés.
Did you try out any of these red, white, and blue desserts? Let us know in the comments how they turned out!