28 Red, White & Blue Recipe Ideas For The 4th of July

Paige Johnson

Paige is a blogger, food writer and culinary master from Louisville, Ky. She's a newlywed who's obsessed with dogs and renovating her 117 year old home. When she's not working on her blog — My Modern Cookery — you can find her binge watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S with a triple shot latte in-hand.

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Meredith Holser

Creative Assistant, Meredith Holser, is B+C's resident food writer, photographer, and TikTok taker. Meredith writes about a range of topics for B+C, but she's adopted food writing in all its many facets for the last year. You can see her work published in Do214, Advocate Magazine, WFAA, and North Texas Daily. Meredith's passion for photography began after sneaking her mom's iPhone to take pictures of flowers on vacation, eventually evolving from a passion to a professional career. Outside of work, you can catch Meredith hiking, trying new recipes, and dreaming about having a yummy little treat.

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Jun 22, 2023

If there's ever an appropriate time to be *a bit* over-the-top with your food presentation, it's when the Fourth of July comes around. Be it an extra colorful caprese salad, or a lineup of spirited cocktails, repping the color of the American flag for your celebrations is definitely the way to go. And if you're planning to bring a dish to the BBQ, you might as well go BIG. Show your patriotism the only way a foodie can, and create one of the 28 recipes below.

Taylor Swift’s Flag Cake

$Taylor Swift\u2019s Flag Cake$

Take a cue from one of our favorite singers with this Memorial Day recipe. This throwback tribute to T. Swift’s 2014 cake will always be worthy of bringing back via baking pan. (via Brit + Co.)

Patriotic Pavlova

If you want to set off some serious fireworks at your Fourth of July BBQ, be sure to whip up a creamy, berry-filled treat like this one! Loads of berries make for a healthier alternative to other dessert options, which is always a good idea. (via Brit + Co.)

Red, White, and Blue Donuts

What’s the only thing better than homemade donuts? Nothing. Except when they’re red, white, and blue all over. Keep 'em plain or add sprinkles, chocolate chips, or even edible glitter. However you choose to serve them, they're sure to be the star of the show. (via Brit + Co.)

Patriotic Poke Cake

If you’ve already got a couple of boxes of white cake mix, you’re well on your way to making this simple poke cake. Once you’ve poked your holes in the cake, black cherry gelatin is poured in and left to form those signature red stripes. Yummm. (via Brit + Co.)

4th of July White Chocolate-Covered Bananas

For a healthier treat option, these chocolate-covered bananas lend themselves to some pretty cool decorations, alongside getting in some fruit! (via Brit + Co.)

Red, White, and Blueberry Caprese Salad

Caprese salad just got a fruity update. It’s hard to beat the simple combo of sweet tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil — unless you add a handful of blueberries, too! (via Brit + Co.)

No-Bake Patriotic Pies

Have pie, will travel (to the BBQ, of course). Try out different flavors of cream pie, or just make yours plain. Whichever you choose, don't forget about the berries on top! Our personal fave design is the star, but the stripes work *just* as well. (via Brit + Co.)

Red, White, and Blue Jello Shots

Jello shots are a must for the 4th. Instead of choosing between red, white or blue, why not layer all three? Top each shot with a squirt of whipped cream and edible blue glitter to make them really special. We'll take two, please! (via Brit + Co.)

Smashed Berry Shortcake

If you’re scrambling for a last minute treat to bring to your neighborhood BBQ, scramble no more! This festive, patriotic treat is perfectly summery and super easy to make. (via Brit + Co.)

Fourth of July Chia Pudding

This delish DIY pudding will satisfy your craving for something sweet, *and* it’s totally vegan, so it's great for anyone who deals with dietary restrictions. What’s more, it’s super simple to prepare for your holiday picnic. Drizzle some honey on top for good measure. (via Brit + Co.)

Patriotic Ice Cream 3 Ways

Get your chill fill of creamy desserts a la classic cone, layered milkshake, or ice cream “soup.” YUM. Try one of these recipes, or try a different one each day of the holiday weekend! (via Brit + Co.)

Red, White, and Blue Ombre Funfetti Cake

Funfetti is always a great idea, but you *might* want to buy more sprinkles than you think you need… just in case you feel like adding extra on top. The good news is that this technique of icing the cake is a lot easier than it looks, and is a great beginner baker method to know. (via Brit + Co.)

Mixed Berry Popsicles

Red, white and blue desserts don’t have to be artificially colored. These swirled homemade popsicles feature a mix of yogurt and berries that mimic the colors of the flag – naturally. (via Real Food By Dad)

Sparkling Hibiscus Berry Cocktail

This refreshing cocktail will be the buzz of your cookout. Hibiscus tea, fresh ber ries, and lemon sparkling water combine with vodka to make the most incredible summer drink that’s perfect for Independence Day. Just leave out the booze to make it appropriate for anyone who prefers a mocktail. Don't worry, it's still super tasty. (via My Modern Cookery)

Firecracker Cake

Get your sparklers ready, because this cake deserves some *extra* bling. Taking the time to add some food coloring to your cake batter results in a beautiful pattern you’ll be so excited to cut into. The star-shaped sprinkles are just the cherry on top. (via Love Bakes Good Cakes)

Festive Frozen Yogurt Bark

Infuse this easy (and healthy!) yogurt treat with sliced strawberries, blueberries, and granola to emulate the colors of the American flag! (via Feel Good Foodie)

Firecracker Popcorn

This popcorn is decorated with ALL the sprinkles, and is sure to cause a few new fireworks. Fill some paper bags with popcorn, and gift them to your party guests as they arrive. This is perfect for a loooong night of snacking. (via Spicy Southern Kitchen)

Fireworks Sugar Cookie Cake Recipe

The Fourth of July is the USA's birthday, so it only makes sense that you make her a birthday cookie cake to celebrate! Use seasonal red, white and blue M&M’s and a ton of sprinkles to decorate. Making cookie cake yourself is also great because you know exactly what ingredients are added, and can make any swaps you need to. (via Crazy For Crust)

Red, White, and Blue Tart

This star-spangled dessert is so simple to prepare, it’s practically unconstitutional. Investing in a few different sizes of star-shaped cookie cutters allows you to create a fun pie dough crust in place of a traditional lattice topping. (via The Simple Sweet Life)

Patriotic Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red velvet is the obvious choice for a patriotic cupcake. It’s vibrantly red, and it’s a southern-bred staple recipe, perfect for any Independence Day occasion. Top with cream cheese icing to keep it classic, and then go crazy with red, white, and blue sprinkles. (via Olivia’s Cuisine)

Patriotic Mini Brownie Dessert Pizza

Everyone will love that they get their own personal brownie bite, and you’ll love how easy they are to make. To prepare the pizza base, you’ll bake your brownie batter in a sheet pan and use a biscuit cutter to cut out each individual round. (via Whole and Heavenly Oven)

Watermelon Blueberry Salad

This refreshing 4th of July recipe will come in handy for hot summer nights. (via Feel Good Foodie)

Red, White, and Blue No-Bake Cheesecake Parfaits

If individual parfaits seem too cumbersome to serve for a party, keep in mind that you can make all the components ahead of time and assemble right before serving. Even those show-stopping edible stars can be made way in advance to make your life easier! (via Just a Taste)

Berry Skewers With White Chocolate Drizzle

If the holiday snuck up on you this year, these fruit skewers are the perfect last-minute patriotic addition to your BBQ buffet. Simply by threading blueberries and strawberries on a skewer and drizzling white chocolate on top, you’ll create a tasty treat that looks like it took you all day. (via Nourished Peach)

Sparkling Red, White, and Blue Sangria

If sangria is more your speed, then you need to make a *huge* pitcher of this recipe before your cookout. In addition to adding some berries, take a few minutes to cut out some apple stars for a garnish — you’ll be glad you did. (via Gimme Some Oven)

Star-Spangled Gumdrops

Seriously, how cute are these candies? Definitely get the kids involved to save yourself from sticky fingers. They're the perfect firework-watching treat that everyone on the block will want to taste. (via Mom on Timeout)

Red, White, and Blue Whoopee Pies

When you bring out a platter of these red, white, and blue treats at your BBQ, people will *gasp* with nostalgic emotion. This classic dessert is so good, you may want to think about setting a few aside for a midnight snack. (via Food Fanatic)

Jello Poke Cupcakes

We’ve all heard of poke cake, but have you ever had it in cupcake form? These are so moist and flavorful, you’d never know they’re made with all boxed ingredients. For an extra frosty treat, freeze the blueberries before you put them on top. (via Taste and Tell)

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This post has been updated.

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