Easy 4th of July Recipes

Originally posted July 2020, Updated September 2023

Looking for some easy recipes for your 4th of July party? I’ve got just the thing! Continue below for Independence Day desserts, drinks and other yummy treats that will have you turning on the grill and turning up the fun!  Some links are affiliate links. By clicking on them and making a purchase I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

I’m a Midwest girl and by the time the 4th of July rolls around, we are finally getting some sun and that means it’s time for fun!  Every year my family enjoys a pool day with easy BBQ food and a lot of sunscreen.  I never feel like turning on the oven or even getting out of the pool, so no bake, one, bite items are where it’s at.  Keep scrolling for some great patriotic party food!

Red, White & Blue Beverages

Looking for something red, white and blue that even the kiddos can drink? Look no further than this great recipe from Big Bears Wife . All you need are blue Gatorade, cranberry juice and diet 7-Up.  The varying sugar levels in the drinks make the colors stay separated! 

If you’d like your patriotism to come with a bit of a buzz, you can make Independence Sangria.  Add red, white and blue fruit to your favorite white wine.  Combine with Triple Sec, berry vodka, simple syrup and lemon juice. Click here for the complete recipe from Cozy Little House.

Keeping it Healthy

Independence Day Decor on Amazon

These fruit skewers are so easy to put together and the marshmallow should entice the kids enough  that something semi-healthy will get on to their plate at the party! Other creative and fun ways to include fruit into your celebration are:

• Cutting watermelon or cheese into star shapes for a fruit or charcuterie platter
• Fruit salsa
• That sangria I mentioned above…(it has fruit, so it counts as healthy… right???)
• Patriotic yogurt bites (recipe here)

Grilled Favorites

Like I said, I do not want to turn my oven on in the summer.  For one, it makes the house hot, two- it means you’re stuck inside while everyone else is enjoying the party without you! To avoid that I, (like most Americans), make the 4th a grill holiday.  Check out these recipes:

–Crispy Grilled Potatoes

-Chili Lime Grilled Corn on the Cob

-Grilled Watermelon

And of course you will need some burgers, dogs and dare I say kielbasa or bratwurst too?

Need to brush up on your burger grilling skills? Check out this recipe from The Cookie Rookie.

Dessert

I’m sticking with my ‘no bake’ theme here and sharing an easy recipe with you for cream cheese stuffed strawberries!  I feel like my secondary theme was fruit…but the 4th of July tends to lend itself to the cool, sweetness of berries, not to mention the vibrant colors! 

If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe you can find it here.  

This recipe is a no brainer, the most difficult part of making these berries is storing them! I’ve found a long food storage container with a foil tent on top instead of a lid does the trick well.  You can also ball up some more foil to fill an empty space left in the container to keep them from falling over if you are transporting them.

Ingredients:

-8 oz. cream cheese-softened
-¼ cup of butter-softened
-2-4 cups powdered sugar
-1-2 tsp. Vanilla
-Pinch or two of salt (you’re welcome for these exact measurements…)
-20 large strawberries*-20 blueberries*
  * I made 20 stuffed strawberries with this frosting recipe and had plenty leftover.  You could probably make at least 30 if not more.

Directions:

Wash all of the berries, lay them flat on a towel and let dry while you prepare the cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Combine cream cheese and butter and mix well. 

Next, add the vanilla and salt to taste. 

 A long time ago someone told me they always add one more teaspoon of vanilla than a recipe calls for and I’ve stuck with it.  It seems to richen the flavor.  As far as the salt, some people like the sweet/salty thing and some don’t-baker’s choice! 

Slowly add the powdered sugar to the mix.  If you add about ¼ cup at a time it hopefully won’t blow up and make a mess all around you.  I tend to go with speed over cleanliness with my baking… the powdered sugar was everywhere and I wound up with frosting on my elbow before all was said and done.

 With 3 cups of powdered sugar, I found the recipe to have more of a cream cheese flavor than an overwhelming sweet frosting flavor.  If you like more cream cheese I’d start with 2 cups of sugar, if you like it on the sweeter side I’d try 3.5-4 cups

Scoop & Fill!

Now, cut the tops off of the strawberries and use a small melon-baller or paring knife to scoop out the center. If you happen to have a toddler around like I did, they will be quite happy to eat the insides!  Pat the top dry with a paper towel, keeping the fruit dry will keep the frosting from sliding off the strawberry.

Fill a freezer bag with the frosting and push it all down to one of the corners so you can use it to pipe into the strawberries.  Cut off the corner and you are ready to go!

Once the strawberries are filled, top each one with a blueberry and you have a no bake, one bite Independence Day treat!

Hopefully these ideas get you well on your way to planning a spectacular 4th of July party! Comment with your favorite 4th of July traditions and recipes. Subscribe to continue seeing great recipes like these!