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The Best 4th of July Desserts for Your BBQ

June 23, 2026 · In: Featured, Recipes, Seasonal, Summer

I’ve gathered all of my favorite dessert recipes that are perfect for a 4th of July celebration. Whether you’re looking for no-bake desserts you can easily make ahead, desserts that will feed a crowd, or desserts that are naturally red, white, and blue, there’s something for everyone on this list!

20 fourth of july dessert recipes

4th of July Dessert Recipes

berries and cream sheet cake by sugar and sparrow

Berries & Cream Sheet Cake

Fluffy and moist vanilla cake baked in a 9×13 pan, topped with silky whipped cream cheese frosting and fresh summer berries. It’s deliciously light, perfect for a crowd, and naturally red white and blue!

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4th of july desserts s'mores icebox cake

S’mores Icebox Cake

Every slice of this dessert tastes like a gooey s’more, but elevated with homemade marshmallow creme and chocolate ganache! There are eleven layers of graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallow creme that gets toasted on top like the real deal.

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strawberry shortcake sheet cake baked in a 9x13 pan

Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake

Basically strawberry shortcake in soft sheet cake form and perfect for a crowd! Fluffy and moist vanilla cake baked in a 9×13 pan, topped with silky whipped cream cheese frosting and homemade strawberry sauce. 

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fruit pizza for 4th of july

Fruit Pizza with Summer Berries

Easy, impressive, and will absolutely disappear at a 4th of July BBQ! It’s a deliciously soft and chewy sugar cookie crust topped with a cream cheese frosting that’s the perfect amount of sweet, then topped with fresh berries arranged in any pattern you want.

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no-churn strawberry shortcake ice cream

No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

No-churn vanilla ice cream with notes of cheesecake, swirled with strawberry reduction and baked shortcake crumbles in every bite. So dreamy and easy to whip up (no ice cream maker needed!)

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berry crisp recipe with vanilla ice cream

Mixed Berry Crisp

A Summer BBQ staple! Delicious berry filling with buttery oat topping, best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, warm or cold.

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strawberry shortcake frosted sugar cookie bars recipe

Strawberry Shortcake Cookie Bars

The buttery soft sugar cookie base makes these bars BETTER than traditional strawberry shortcake! They’re topped with deliciously light whipped cream cheese frosting and homemade strawberry sauce.

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chocolate chip cookie cake recipe with vanilla buttercream border and sprinkles

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

A thick, chewy chocolate chip cookie baked in a round pan to make it a party cake! Decorate with patriotic buttercream piping to make it festive, or keep it undecorated – it will go fast no matter what!

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berry chantilly cake 4th of july dessert ideas

Berry Chantilly Cake

Inspired by the iconic Whole Foods bakery dessert, this cake features layers of fluffy white cake, Chantilly cream frosting, and fresh berries throughout.

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strawberry sheet cake for 4th of july

Strawberry Sheet Cake

Extra soft and moist strawberry cake baked in a 9×13 pan to feed a crowd! Every bite of this cake is bursting with natural strawberry flavor between the reduced puree in the batter + freeze-dried strawberries in the frosting.

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no bake cheesecake recipe by sugar and sparrow

No-Bake Cheesecake

Easy, delicious, and doesn’t require turning on the oven! It’s a buttery graham cracker crust topped with a velvety smooth, creamy filling that has all the traditional flavor of cheesecake. In other words, it’s a cheesecake without the commitment of a cheesecake.

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no churn vanilla ice cream berry crisp toppings

No-Churn Berry Crisp Ice Cream

No-churn vanilla ice cream with ribbons of homemade berry filling and clusters of buttery oat streusel in every bite. It tastes just like berry crisp a la mode and is easy to whip up (no ice cream maker needed)!

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sheet pan sugar cookie bars

Sheet Pan Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars


The most delicious, buttery soft sugar cookie bars baked in a sheet pan and frosted with vanilla buttercream. Get creative with red white and blue frosting and/or sprinkles to make it patriotic!

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oreo icebox cake 4th of july dessert ideas

Oreo Icebox Cake


Seven layers of delicious Oreo cookies and homemade whipped cream, refrigerated until the cookies soften into the perfect dessert consistency. Just four ingredients, easy to make, and every bite tastes like a milk-dunked Oreo in the very best way!

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coconut cupcakes recipe by sugar and sparrow

Coconut Cupcakes


Soft and moist, perfectly flavored coconut cupcakes topped with silky smooth coconut buttercream and shredded coconut. Inspired by the cupcakes Ina Garten would sell out in minutes at Barefoot Contessa!

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berry chantilly sheet cake 4th of july dessert ideas

Berry Chantilly Sheet Cake


This sheet cake version of the iconic Whole Foods dessert features fluffy white cake, Chantilly cream frosting, sweet jam, and fresh berries. Pretty, perfect for a crowd, and naturally red white and blue.

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sheet pan chocolate chip cookies 4th of july

Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake


A giant chocolate chip cookie baked in a sheet pan! It’s perfectly gooey and fudgy when fresh out of the oven, then it settles into a soft and moist cookie cake you can decorate as a patriotic party cake.

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4th of july desserts no bake

No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake


The dreamiest cookies and cream cheesecake made without any baking! Rich and creamy cheesecake filling studded with Oreo cookies on a delicious Oreo cookie crust. Few can resist this!

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Sugar and sparrow vanilla sheet cake

Vanilla Sheet Cake


Super moist and fluffy cake with the perfect vanilla flavor, topped with vanilla buttercream and sprinkles. This would be so easy to decorate as a 4th of July cake!

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No-Churn S’mores Ice Cream


The ultimate s’mores ice cream: graham cracker infused ice cream with toasted marshmallows, graham cracker chunks, and ribbons of fudge and marshmallow creme. No ice cream maker necessary!

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I hope you find the perfect dessert for your 4th of July celebration on this list! Let me know if you make one of these recipes in the comments and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me a photo. I love to see what you create with my recipes!

By: Whitney · In: Featured, Recipes, Seasonal, Summer · Tagged: 4th of july desserts, fourth of july desserts, summer desserts

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Anyone Can Cake by Whitney DePaoliGet a SIGNED Copy of My Book on TalkShopLive!

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LEMON RASPBERRY CAKE 🍋♥️ this cake has the dreamie LEMON RASPBERRY CAKE 🍋♥️ this cake has the dreamiest layers: soft and zesty lemon cake with raspberries baked into every bite, thick homemade raspberry filling, and lemon raspberry buttercream with the prettiest natural color 😍 
 
✨recipe linked in my bio or at https://sugarandsparrow.com/lemon-raspberry-layer-cake/
 
#lemonraspberry #lemoncake #raspberrycake #pinkcake #layercake
SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM ✨I could eat this salty SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM ✨I could eat this salty-sweet caramel frosting by the spoonful but it’s absolutely delicious on cakes, cupcakes, macarons, and more 🙌🏽 I use my homemade EASY salted caramel recipe here but you can use any salted caramel sauce that you love.⁣

✨Full recipe (including homemade salted caramel) + cake pairing suggestions are on my blog at https://sugarandsparrow.com/salted-caramel-buttercream-recipe/ 
⁣
SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM⁣
Yield: 2.5 Cups ⁣
⁣
INGREDIENTS⁣
1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature⁣
3 1/2 Cups (420g) powdered sugar⁣
2 tsp vanilla extract⁣
1/2 Cup (120ml) salted caramel sauce, room temperature⁣
Pinch of salt⁣
⁣
INSTRUCTIONS:⁣
1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter on high until it’s creamy and light in color, 5-6 minutes. ⁣
2. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each interval.⁣
3. With the mixer still on low, mix in the vanilla extract, salted caramel, and a pinch of salt. Continue mixing on low speed until fully combined. ⁣
⁣
#saltedcaramel #caramel #cakedecorating #frosting #buttercream
NO-CHURN BERRY CRISP ICE CREAM✨you don’t need any NO-CHURN BERRY CRISP ICE CREAM✨you don’t need any fancy equipment to whip up this delicious ice cream that tastes JUST like berry crisp a la mode! I layered my favorite 3-ingredient no-churn vanilla ice cream base with ribbons of homemade berry filling + buttery oat streusel in every bite. Even if you’ve never made ice cream from scratch before, I promise you can master this recipe!! 
 
🍦Full recipe linked in my bio or find it at https://sugarandsparrow.com/no-churn-berry-crisp-ice-cream/

#nochurnicecream #icecream #icecreamlover #berries #summerdessert
STRAWBERRY SHEET CAKE 🍓based on my favorite strawb STRAWBERRY SHEET CAKE 🍓based on my favorite strawberry layer cake recipe, this sheet cake version is so fun to decorate + such a crowd pleaser! I love using a combination of fresh and freeze-dried strawberries to create the most powerful authentic flavor ✨
 
🍓Full recipe (with strawberry buttercream) at https://sugarandsparrow.com/strawberry-sheet-cake-recipe/
⁣ 
STRAWBERRY SHEET CAKE⁣ 
Serves 24
⁣ 
INGREDIENTS⁣ 
1 Cup (12oz) fresh strawberries, pureed ⁣ 
3/4 Cup (180ml) whole milk, room temp⁣ 
2 1/2 Cups (265g) sifted cake flour⁣ 
2 tsp baking powder⁣ 
1/4 tsp baking soda⁣ 
1/2 tsp salt⁣ 
3/4 Cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temp⁣ 
1 2/3 Cups (350g) granulated sugar⁣ 
3 large eggs, room temp⁣ 
1/3 Cup (75g) sour cream, room temp⁣ 
2 tsp pure vanilla extract⁣ 
1-2 drops pink food coloring (optional)⁣ 
⁣ 
INSTRUCTIONS⁣ 
1. Simmer the strawberry puree in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point the puree should have reduced from 1 Cup to 1/2 Cup (if you have more, keep cooking!). Refrigerate until room temp, then whisk together with the whole milk and set aside.⁣ 
2. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and line a 13×9 inch baking pan. 
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. ⁣ 
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip the butter on high until creamy, 2 min. Add the sugar and beat with the butter until light and fluffy, 2 min. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and sour cream, then turn the mixer to high and beat for 1 minute.⁣ 
5. With the mixer on low, add all of the dry ingredients at once until just combined, then add the strawberry milk mixture and pink food coloring (if using) until just combined. Give the batter a few stirs by hand to make sure everything is incorporated without over-mixing. ⁣ 
6. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. ⁣ Cool completely to room temperature before topping with strawberry buttercream (full recipe at the li
COOKIES & CREAM ICE CREAM CAKE 🤎 If you’re an Oreo COOKIES & CREAM ICE CREAM CAKE 🤎 If you’re an Oreo lover, this is your sign to make an ice cream cake this summer: no-churn cookies & cream ice cream set on an Oreo cookie crust, topped with hot fudge and whipped cream frosting. The perfect amount of Oreos in EVERY BITE! 

Full recipe link in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/cookies-and-cream-ice-cream-cake/ 

OREO CRUST
22 Oreo cookies
5 Tbsp melted butter

ICE CREAM LAYER
2 Cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
14 Oz sweetened condensed milk
15 Oreo cookies, roughly chopped

TOPPINGS
12.8 Oz jar of hot fudge
Whipped cream frosting (see full recipe link)
4 Oreo cookies, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mix together the Oreo crust ingredients and pack tightly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Freeze while you make the ice cream.
2. In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream and vanilla to stiff peaks. Fold in the sweetened condensed milk until uniform, then fold in the chopped Oreos. Pile the ice cream on top of the Oreo crust, smooth it down, cover and freeze overnight.
3. When the ice cream layer is set, top with the hot fudge, whipped cream frosting, and more chopped Oreos. Store in the freezer until ready to serve! 

#oreocake #icecreamcake #nochurnicecream #birthdaycake #cookiesandcream

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