31 Fourth of July Desserts for Star-Spangled Summer Fun
The best 4th of July desserts take advantage of an auspicious bit of timing: The US celebrates its Independence Day just as fresh berries—blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries—are approaching their sweetest, juiciest, and most colorful. Coincidence? Who’s to say? But these desserts make the most of summer’s bounty in an extraordinarily festive fashion. There are American flag cakes; frozen treats including icebox cakes and homemade ice cream sandwiches; and classics like strawberry shortcake, raspberry cheesecake, and many-a-fruit-studded pie.
Read on for our coolest, creamiest, sweetest, flakiest, and all-around most celebratory sweets. (And don’t forget to peruse our 4th of July dinner ideas. You’ll probably need some summer drinks too.)
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt1/31Angel Food Cake
After a full meal of veggie burgers, BBQ chicken, or whatever you throw on the grill at your cookout, choose a 4th of July dessert that’s light as a cloud: this fluffy, ethereal angel food cake topped with whipped cream.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell2/31Blackberry Pie With Lattice Crust
The flavor of this ultra-fruity blackberry pie is as explosive as the sparklers you’ll be lighting after dinner. If you’re lucky enough to have extra blackberries, consider doubling down and making a batch of ice pops.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert3/31Summer Jam Floats
Scoops of vanilla ice cream meld with soda and berry jam to make a seasonal beverage that’s sweet and refreshing. And if your tastes lean more traditional, we've got a Root Beet Float for that.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton4/31French Silk Pie
If you gravitate towards chocolate desserts (think brownies; gooey, marshmallow-y s’mores), this pie—featuring a rich chocolate filling, whipped topping, and chocolate wafer pie crust—is the dream.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell6/31Easy Blueberry Cobbler
You might associate freshly grated nutmeg with the winter holidays (lookin’ at you, eggnog), but it also gives depth to this summery blueberry cobbler. Use fresh or frozen blueberries in this vintage Gourmet recipe—either will work.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart8/31Funnel Cakes
Bring the fairground home this July Fourth with a platter of delightfully nostalgic, squiggly, crispy fried dough dusted heavily with powdered sugar. The secret to the best funnel cakes? Skip the funnel.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell9/31Lemon Pound Cake
Whether your family enjoys stealing slices throughout the weekend or you’re serving it at a party with a glistening blueberry compote, this easy cake will always be a hit.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton11/31Peach and Butter Pecan Ice Cream Icebox Cake
A few tweaks to the standard icebox cake formula make this version stand out: peach jam folded into half of the whipped cream for a fruity element; Ritz crackers that go delightfully soft in the freezer but still bring their salty, buttery flavor; and a layer of butter pecan ice cream that runs right through the middle.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Kim14/31No-Bake Peach Cheesecake With Wheat Thins Crust
Skip the graham cracker crust and turn to a box of Wheat Thins for your pie base. The crackers bring a nice dose of saltiness to this no-bake dessert.
