The 4th of July only comes once a year, and the dessert table deserves to show up for it. I’ve rounded up the best 4th of July desserts for every situation – whether you’re hosting a backyard BBQ, bringing something to a potluck, or just need a festive treat that won’t keep you in the kitchen all day.
From no-bake cheesecakes and boozy popsicles to flag cakes and cherry pie bombs, this list has something for every crowd and every skill level. Red, white, and delicious – let’s get celebrating!
4th of July Trifle
This 4th of July Trifle looks like you spent hours on it, but it comes together in just 20 minutes of hands-on time. Fresh, delicious layers are stacked in a clear bowl so every gorgeous red, white, and blue stripe shows through.
4th of July Sugar Cookies
These 4th of July Sugar Cookies are soft, buttery, and topped with creamy white frosting and festive sprinkles. They’re simple, classic, and easy to grab and go at your party.
Fireball Cherry Bombs
I make Fireball Cherry Bombs by soaking maraschino cherries in Fireball whiskey, then dipping them in white chocolate and sanding sugar. They’re a boozy, bite-sized party treat that looks like you put in way more effort than you did.
4th of July Cherry Bombs
These 4th of July Cherry Bombs turn maraschino cherries into a festive little party treat with bright colors and a fun red, white, and blue finish. They’re bite-sized, easy to grab, and look like they belong right in the middle of the holiday spread.
American Flag Cake
This American Flag Cake is a soft vanilla sheet cake topped with a light pudding-based frosting, rows of fresh strawberries, and a corner of blueberries. It’s festive enough to be the centerpiece of the dessert table and easy enough to pull off on a busy holiday.
Pepsi Cupcakes
Pepsi Cupcakes swap eggs and oil for a can of Pepsi, and the result is a shockingly moist chocolate cupcake topped with vanilla buttercream and festive sprinkles. Ready in 30 minutes.
Berry Cheesecake Salad
Fresh strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries get folded into a creamy cheesecake filling for this Berry Cheesecake Salad. Make it the night before and it’s ready when you are.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Buttery pretzel crust, creamy cheesecake filling, and a fresh strawberry Jello top layer, this Strawberry Pretzel Salad is the retro potluck classic that earns its place on every summer table.
No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake
Creamy cheesecake filling and blueberry pie topping on a graham cracker crust, with zero baking required? Yes please. This No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake is as easy as summer desserts get.
No Bake Blueberry Pie
Light and creamy, this No Bake Blueberry Pie comes together in 10 minutes and chills overnight. Make it the day before and it’s ready to slice when the party starts.
Cherry Cheesecake Lush
Every layer of this Cherry Cheesecake Lush is better than the last. Buttery golden Oreo crust, velvety cream cheese, sweet cherry pie filling, and a cloud of whipped cream on top, all with zero baking required.
Heaven on Earth Cake
Store-bought angel food cake layered with cherry pie filling, vanilla pudding, and Cool Whip, this Heaven on Earth Cake is the kind of no-bake dessert that gets better overnight and slices clean enough to make you look like you actually know what you’re doing.
Twinkie Cake
Layers of soft Twinkies, creamy filling, and sweet fruit topping make this Twinkie Cake the kind of chilled dessert that always disappears faster than expected. It’s easy to make ahead and feels right at home on a summer dessert table.
Strawberry Heaven on Earth Cake
Fluffy angel food cake, strawberry pie filling, creamy vanilla pudding, and Cool Whip layered together and chilled overnight, this Strawberry Heaven on Earth Cake is the kind of dessert that does all its work in the fridge while you sleep.
Blueberry Angel Food Cake
With its juicy blueberry pie filling, velvety vanilla pudding, and fluffy angel food cake, this Blueberry Angel Food Cake is a no-bake dessert that chills overnight and tastes like pure summer.
Strawberry Delight
Five no-bake layers – buttery graham cracker crust, fresh strawberries, creamy cheesecake filling, strawberry cheesecake filling, and Cool Whip – Strawberry Delight is the kind of summer potluck dessert people will ask you to bring again next year.
Cherry Pie Bars
Vanilla cake mix does double duty as both the crust and the crumble topping in these Cherry Pie Bars. These take just 45 minutes and make 24 servings so it’s a no-brainer for a party crowd.
Cherry Pie Bombs
These Cherry Pie Bombs taste like fresh jelly donuts from a bakery and take only 25 minutes to make. Made from biscuit dough and pie filling – they’re easier than they look.
Cherry Cheesecake Dip
Grab a graham cracker and get ready. This Cherry Cheesecake Dip is a scoopable, no-bake cheesecake made with cream cheese, marshmallow fluff, and whipped topping. Ready in just 10 minutes.
No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
Rich, creamy, and topped with glossy cherry pie filling, this No Bake Cherry Cheesecake is the kind of dessert that looks impressive on the table and disappears even faster than it came together. No oven, no fuss, just 25 minutes of prep.
Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
Fresh strawberries and a creamy cheesecake center baked right into a buttery cookie, these Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies are a whole dessert in every bite.
Jello Poke Cake
A moist, strawberry-soaked cake that melts in your mouth with every bite, this Jello Poke Cake is an old-fashioned dessert that earns a permanent spot in your 4th of July rotation every year.
Strawberry Poke Cake
Strawberry Poke Cake is topped with a white chocolate ganache poured into every hole of the cake and topped with strawberry pie filling, so every single bite is rich, fruity, and impossibly moist.
Vanilla Cool Whip Pie
Light, fluffy, and impossibly easy, this Vanilla Cool Whip Pie tastes like a cloud of sweet vanilla in a graham cracker crust.
Vanilla Wacky Cake
A Depression-era recipe that proves you don’t need eggs, milk, or butter to make a moist, delicious cake, this Vanilla Wacky Cake comes together with pure pantry staples and bakes up flavorful every time.
Vanilla Brownies
Rich, chewy, and loaded with white chocolate, these Vanilla Brownies are perfect for anyone who loves vanilla. Top with a creamy vanilla frosting, some red & blue sprinkles, and you’ve got a 30 minute dessert that’s perfect for the 4th.
Blueberry Cheesecake Dump Cake
Blueberry Cheesecake Dump Cake is the kind of dessert that tastes like you tried hard, but only takes about 15 minutes to put together. Bubbling blueberry filling, creamy cheesecake swirl, and a buttery golden cake topping all in one pan.
Blueberry Dump Cake
Made with just 4 ingredients, this Blueberry Dump Cake is the low-effort, high-reward dessert that comes out tasting like a warm blueberry cobbler straight from the oven.
Banana Split Dump Cake
All the fun of a banana split without building one for everyone at the table, this Banana Split Dump Cake is a crowd-pleasing dessert that kids go crazy for and disappears fast at any summer gathering.
Berry Upside Down Cake
Fresh raspberries and blackberries baked into a buttery brown sugar glaze beneath a moist homemade cake, this vintage Berry Upside Down Cake is a bakery-worthy dessert that takes almost no effort to make.
Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Portable, picnic-ready, and loaded with fresh blueberries, these Blueberry Cheesecake Bars are everything you want on a 4th of July dessert table.
S’mores Dip
Set a cast iron skillet of melted Hershey’s chocolate and golden toasted marshmallows on the table with a stack of graham crackers, and this S’mores Dip becomes the most popular thing at the party in less than a minute.
Baked S’mores
All the gooey campfire magic of a classic s’more baked into sliceable, party-ready squares, these Baked S’mores are a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Margarita Popsicles
Your favorite summer cocktail, frozen on a stick with a salted lime rim, Margarita Popsicles are the adult treat everyone has been waiting for.
Dole Popsicles
The famous Disney Dole Whip, frozen on a stick and made at home with just four ingredients, Dole Popsicles are sweet, tropical, and exactly what a hot July afternoon calls for.
Root Beer Popsicles
A root beer float frozen on a stick, these Root Beer Popsicles are two ingredients and pure nostalgia in every bite.
Fireball Popsicles
Cream soda and Fireball frozen into a popsicle, these Fireball Whisky Popsicles taste like a cinnamon roll on a stick and are exactly the kind of adult treat that makes a summer party more fun.
Fudgesicles
Kids will be asking for these homemade Fudgesicles all day long. They’re rich and creamy, and made with just two ingredients.
Boozy Popsicles
Fresh watermelon, lemonade, and watermelon vodka blended and frozen into a popsicle, these Boozy Popsicles are the grown-up summer treat that will get the party started.
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