39 Fourth of July Desserts That Will Steal the Show

After a long day of barbecuing and feeding a crowd, there’s no better way to end the night than with a few star-spangled treats—and maybe a cocktail or two. Patriotic cakes, pies, ice cream, slushies: we’ve packed these sweets with plenty of red, white and blue! You can’t go wrong with any of the all-American recipes in this lineup but, if you ask us, a flag cake is a must. This one is a breeze to decorate too, thanks to the clever use of piped frosting and fresh berries. It’s the perfect treat while watching the fireworks.

Bananas, candy melts and sprinkles are all you need to make these sparkling frozen treats.

These delicious cereal treats will be the talk of your Fourth of July cookout. The different layers are easily achieved with a few drops of food coloring, then the whole pan is topped with a dusting of red, white and blue sprinkles.

To end the day on a sweet note, serve these mini cherry pies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This red, white and blue ice cream cake is sure to become a summer classic. It's easier than it looks, thanks to a press-in-the-pan crust made from shortbread cookie crumbs. Then it's just a matter of layering on jam and a no-churn homemade ice cream. Parchment templates make fast work of creating the stripes.

Turn raspberry- and blueberry-filled hand pies into ice cream sandwiches and you'll have a patriotic take on pie a la mode no one will be able to resist.

A red velvet dessert isn’t complete without homemade cream cheese frosting and here it adds a welcome tanginess to these red velvet brownies, as well as a striking color contrast. The key to creating the vivid red base of these beautiful and fudgy treats is using melted white chocolate, a touch of rich cocoa powder and a generous squeeze of gel food coloring. They’re perfect year-round for any celebration — though a simple topping of blue sprinkles will easily dress them up for the Fourth.

Bursting with juicy nectarines and sweet blueberries, this cobbler is a warm-weather classic that brings sunshine to every bite. Perfect for summer barbecues or 4th of July celebrations, it’s even better topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Need a last-minute treat? Look no further. You can turn old-fashioned ice cream sandwiches into patriotic treats in just 10 minutes.

You’re only six ingredients and 10 minutes away from getting this patriotic-hued treat on the table.

Store-bought angel food cake is the brilliant shortcut ingredient in this festive dessert that's big enough to serve a crowd.

Sweeten your Fourth of July (or any celebration) with these crunchy-creamy bars. The cheesecake layer is the perfect yin to the yang of the crackly rice cereal. Make the bars a day ahead, then cut and top with berries before serving.

Who doesn’t love vanilla ice cream? Serve Trisha’s shortcut version as part of a sundae bar or as a topping for your favorite bakery treat.

Ree’s refreshing recipe is the perfect sendoff for a 4th of July barbecue. Decorate the whipped cream topping with red and blue berries for a patriotic touch.

Strawberry shortcake is never a bad idea. But when you use mixed berries — think blueberries, blackberries and raspberries — along with strawberries, you get a red, white and blue dessert that’s as eye-catching as it is delicious.

A little elderflower liqueur in the crust and the filling goes a long way in adding flavor to this beautiful blueberry pie. We guarantee your family’s never had a pie quite like this one!

When frozen as directed, the yogurt will have a light granita texture that can be easily scraped with a fork. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can spin the yogurt mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

You won’t believe how easy it is to make this funky festive dessert. Melt red and blue candy melts, pour onto baking sheets and refrigerate until set. Then break the candy into shards and press onto a frosted white cake!

These Layered Watermelon Ice Pops are a refreshing, eye-catching treat that combines sweet watermelon, creamy coconut milk and a zesty avocado-lime layer, mimicking the look of a real watermelon slice.

You can make this easy strawberry sauce up to four days ahead of your Fourth of July cookout, which means you’ll have more time on the big day to simply relax and enjoy yourself.