Fourth of July is almost here! Happy birthday, America! If you have the pleasure of hosting an Independence Day party, you can add a special touch with red, white, and blue foods. There are a TON of fantastic recipes out there, but with the heat from the Summer, your guests will be craving some cool/frozen treats. We’ve put the two together to bring you 5 refreshing Fourth of July treat recipes. Read on to find out what your party could be missing.
4th of July Party Supplies
Before we get to the recipes, let’s make sure you have the ingredients for an excellent Independence Day celebration.
Seating (Try out this heavy-duty, lightweight 6′ Lifetime Folding Picnic Table)- Grilling Supplies (We have a complete list of Grilling Accessories you need)
- Cooler (If your party happens to be near the water, try out this Floating Cooler)
- Fireworks (We have select fireworks in-store now. Call your nearest Rural King store for details)
- Cups, Straws, Plates, etc. (Get creative with it! Get red, white, and blue cups and plates!)
- Outdoor Games (This Bouncy Castle is great for entertaining the kids.)
Refreshing 4th of July Treat Recipes
Once you’ve got the basics, it’s time to prepare the food. I LOVE decorating for Independence Day! It’s so fun to prepare a bunch of different red, white, and blue dishes to match the theme. Below are some of the best frozen or cool treats I’ve tried over the years. Let me know what you think!
Red, White, & Blue Popsicles
Ingredients
- 3 Cups of Water
- 1 – 1/4 Cups of Sugar
- 1 Cup of Chopped Seedless Watermelon
- 1 Cup of Coconut Milk
- Coconut Extract
- Raspberry Extract
- Blue Food Coloring
- Red Food Coloring
Supplies
- Freezer Pop Molds
- Popsicle Sticks (Soak for 30 Minutes in Warm Water First)
- Measuring Cups
- Baking Sheet
Directions
Sugar Water Mixture:
- In a small saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved
- Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature.
Red Layer:
- Pour 3/4 cup of sugar water mixture and 2-4 drops of red food coloring into a blender. Add watermelon and blend on high until smooth.
- Using measuring cups or something with a spout, fill each freezer pop mold 1/3 full with the red mixture. Freeze for 1-1/2 hours or until set.
White Layer:
- Mix the coconut milk, 1 cup of sugar water mixture, and 1/4 teaspoon of coconut extract in a measuring cup. Fill the freezer pop mold until it is 2/3 of the way full.
- Cover the open end of the molds with aluminum foil. Stick one popsicle stick through the aluminum foil into each mold. Then, stick the molds back into the freezer for another 1-1/2 hours or until the white layer is set.
Blue Layer:
- Mix the remaining sugar water (should be about 2 cups), 2 teaspoons of raspberry extract, and 5-7 drops of blue food coloring in a measuring cup. Pour the mixture into the freezer pop molds until they are full and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.
- When you are ready to serve, follow the instructions for your freezer molds to remove the popsicles.
4th of July Themed Jello Ice Cubes
Ingredients
- (1) box of blue, red, and white (or close) gelatin
- Bottled water
Directions
- Following the directions on each package, prepare the red, white, and blue gelatin – except cut the amount of cold water added by half.
- Pour each color into its own ice cube tray. Pop them in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
- Once frozen, carefully remove the gelatin cubes and pop at least one of each color in a cup. Then, let your guests add their favorite beverage!
Red, White, and Blueberry Milkshakes
Ingredients
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Milk
- 2/3 Cups of Blueberries
- 5-10 Strawberries
- Whipped Topping (Optional)
Directions
- Combine 2 scoops of ice cream, blueberries, and a splash of milk in a blender. Blend until smooth and fill 2 cups or 4 small cups about 1/3 of the way full. Freeze for about 10 minutes.
- Rinse out the blender. Then, add 2 scoops of ice cream and a splash of milk to the cleaned blender and blend until smooth. Add to your cups until they are 2/3 full. Free for another 10 minutes.
- Rinse your blender out one last time. Then, add your strawberries, 2 scoops of ice cream, and a splash of milk to the cleaned blender. Blend until smooth. Add this to the top of your cups until they are full.
- Add whipped topping and some sliced strawberries as the garnish, then serve with a milkshake straw.
Summer-Time Trifle
Ingredients
- 1 Angel Food Cake (Cubbed)
- 1 Box of Instant Vanilla Pudding
- 2 Cups of Chilled Milk
- 8 oz Cream Cheese (Room Temperature)
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 8 oz Cool Whip (or another whipped topping)
- About 4 Cups of Blueberries (Rinsed)
- About 4 Cups of Strawberries (Rinsed, Hulled, and Sliced)
Directions
- Combine vanilla pudding mix and milk in a small bowl. Whisk until thoroughly mixed (about 2 minutes), then set the bowl aside for now.
- Using a standing or handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth (about 2-3 minutes). Turn the speed to slow, then begin adding the powdered sugar gradually. When all the powdered sugar is in the bowl, increase the speed to medium again for about 1 minute or until combined and smooth.
- Add the pudding mixture to the cream cheese bowl and stir with a rubber spatula until completely combined. Then, add your whipped topping and mix until there aren’t any white streaks.
- Now to build the trifle. Alternate layers of angel food cake, blueberries, pudding mixture, and strawberries until you reach the top of your trifle serving dish. Add your last pudding layer and cover the top with your remaining berries as the garnish. You can arrange them in the shape of a flag or simply pile them on. That is up to you!
Independence Day Icebox Cake
Ingredients
- 3 Cups of Strawberries (Rinsed, Hulled, and Sliced)
- 1-1/2 Cups of Blueberries
- 2 packs of Vanilla Instant Pudding
- 2-1/2 Cups of Cold Milk
- 8 oz Whipped Topping (Thawed)
- 22-1/2 Graham Crackers
- 2 oz White Chocolate
Directions
Using a standing or handheld mixer, beat cream cheese and pudding mix in a large bowl. Once mixed well, add milk in gradually while mixing on low, then gently stir in your whipped topping.
Make a layer of halved graham crackers on the bottom of a pan. Next, add 1/3 of the pudding mixture, strawberries, and blueberries. Repeat each layer twice.
Refrigerate for about 4 hours. when you are ready to serve, melt some white chocolate and drizzle over the layer of strawberries and blueberries.
Happy Birthday, America!
Make sure you keep your guests cool with these recipes! You can find even more recipes and cooking ideas by visiting our Recipe Blog Category.
Have fun, be safe, and STAY HYDRATED! It may be hot out there, so take care to drink plenty of water!
Have a happy 4th of July!!