26 Vibrant Red, White, and Blue Recipes for a Festive Fourth of July Serve up a star-spangled spread this Independence Day with an appropriate (and delicious) color scheme. By Mrigaa Sethi Mrigaa Sethi Mrigaa Sethi is a writer, editor, and home cook with over 13 years of experience in food, travel, and lifestyle magazines, ranging from alt-weeklies in Bangkok to monthly airline glossies in Singapore and New York City. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 24, 2026 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Red, white, and blue never looked better than in these recipes. From berry-studded desserts and frozen treats to colorful punches and fresh seasonal salads, these recipes celebrate the flavors of summer while embracing a Fourth of July–friendly palette. And while they're on theme for Independence Day, they're also delicious enough to enjoy all summer long. Keep all of your recipes at your fingertips. With the MyRecipes app you can easily save and organize your favorites from anywhere, including Instagram and TikTok, in one convenient place. Get the free app. 01 of 26 Whole-Fruit Rocket Pops Jennifer Causey Top Chef's Gail Simmons takes an adult approach to the classic childhood treat. The creative flavors for these popsicles: layers of strawberry-lime (red), coconut-banana and ginger (white), and blueberry-mint (blue). "Rest assured," she says, "the kids will still come running!" Get the Recipe Save 02 of 26 Angel Food Cake with Three-Berry Compote Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Kelsey Moylan / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle A vibrant compote of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries turns this simple angel food cake into a fabulous summer dessert. Chef Hugo Matheson recommends using the freshest berries you can find — preferably from the farmers market. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 26 Lemon-Lime Flag Cake Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Flag cakes have long been a fixture of summer gatherings, from Fourth of July celebrations to neighborhood cookouts and backyard barbecues. After all, sheet cakes travel well, feed a large group, and provide the perfect canvas for colorful decoration. This version nods to the beloved 7UP cakes of the 1970s and '80s, pairing bright lemon and lime flavors with a classic red, white, and blue design. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 26 Red Velvet Beet Bars with Brown Butter Sour Cream Frosting Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen For this earthy twist on red velvet cake, chef Tanya Holland blends red beets into the batter, balancing their subtle flavor with brown butter and cream cheese frosting. “I love that they aren’t overly sweet,” Holland says. “And I like that the beets add a hint of nutritional value.” Get the Recipe Save 05 of 26 White Chocolate–Dipped Meringues Eva Kolenko Meringues are a fun and easy way to bring elegant holiday cookies to the table. Dress them up with white chocolate for a modern take on classic meringue kisses. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 26 Easy Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta Cara Cormack 2001 F&W Best New Chef E. Michael Reidt makes this silky, ultra-rich panna cotta with all cream instead of a mix of cream and milk. It's so tender that it's served without unmolding, lest it lose its shape. Top with fresh berries for a pop of seasonal color. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 26 Double-Decker Meringue Cake with Summer Berries Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This butter cake is flecked with freeze-dried strawberries and made extra moist by the addition of sour cream. You can top it with whatever fruits are in season — we love to adorn it with fresh blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries for the full red, white, and blue effect. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 26 Mixed Berry Cornmeal Biscuit Shortcakes Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This simple but special dessert sandwiches macerated fresh berries and homemade whipped cream into a buttery, tender cornmeal biscuit. If you're entertaining, you can make the biscuits earlier in the day and then rewarm when you're ready to serve. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 26 Lemon-Olive Oil Semifreddo with Blueberry Compote Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall Legendary pastry chef Claudia Fleming makes this bright semifreddo from a base of rich lemon cream and tops it with a simple blueberry compote. You can freeze the semifreddo for up to 3 days before you intend to serve it, making this a great dessert for a party. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 26 Classic Summer Pudding Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver This summer pudding, also from Caroline Schiff, is inspired by a British dessert. It's also a beautiful way to display bright red and blue while harnessing the flavor of summer fruit (and using up some day-old bread). Serve alongside vanilla ice cream for the full color effect. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 26 St. Louis–Style Cheesecake with Blueberries Johnny Autry Missouri–born chef Andrae Bopp shares a version of his grandmother's recipe for a St. Louis–style cheesecake. It's topped with a layer of sweetened sour cream — added partway through baking — and juicy berries like blueberries or huckleberries. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 26 Chantilly Cream Cake Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless The cake is fluffy and sweet, with floral notes from the elderflower liqueur and a gently tart berry cream filling. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 26 Black-and-Blue Pie with Brown Sugar Crumb Victor Protasio Huckleberries and blackberries create the namesake filling in this pie from pastry chef Nicole Rucker, but a mix of raspberries and blueberries will make for brighter red and blue hues (and an equally delicious slice). Serve with a drizzle of cold cream. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 26 Summer Berry Galette Food & Wine / Photo by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans For this summer galette, pastry chef Caroline Schiff macerates berries with sugar and a splash of lemon juice to keep them juicy and saucy, then folds it all into a flaky, free-form pastry crust. Serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream or tart crème fraîche. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 26 Blueberry-Banana Cream Pie Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Thom Driver For this take on a classic icebox pie, cookbook author Hetal Vasavada fills a graham cracker crust with silky custard, sliced fresh bananas, tangy whipped cream, and a jammy blueberry compote. Sugared sliced strawberries wouldn't be out of place on the side. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 26 Watermelon Soju Punch (Subak Soju Hwachae) Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This refreshing large-format cocktail from food writer Irene Yoo is a mash-up of two popular Korean punches, subak hwachae and subak soju. The result is fruity, tart, a touch creamy, and studded with blueberries; the scooped-out watermelon becomes a showstopping serving vessel. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 26 Summer Fruit Cobbler with Vanilla-Mascarpone Biscuits Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis For the holiday-themed color scheme, go with a combination like blueberries and strawberries — or just let the farmers market be your guide. The tender vanilla-mascarpone biscuits have a shortcake-like texture and a crunch from the turbinado sugar. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 26 Blueberry-Coconut Vegan Cheesecake Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Heather Claire Spollen For a similar cheesecake that's entirely plant-based, this recipe from Miyoko Schinner, founder of vegan Miyoko's Creamery, is built around a unique cultured nut-based cream cheese, which keeps things creamy and tangy. A sweet blueberry swirl makes for a striking presentation. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 26 Miami Vice Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Frozen canned pineapple, orange bitters–infused strawberries, and pineapple-spiked rum take this daiquiri–piña colada mash-up over the top. "It hits on so many different levels," explains its creator, Thomas Houston of Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar in New Orleans. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 26 Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches Food & Wine / Photo by Stacy Allen / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines In another nod to red velvet, chef Taffy Elrod reimagines the cake as deliciously soft, cakey cookies, which are filled with a no-churn ice cream made with tangy cream cheese. Even better, you can make these sandwiches up to two weeks ahead. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 26 No-Churn Vanilla Frozen Yogurt Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Shell Royster This easy frozen yogurt doesn't even require an ice cream maker, coming together in just minutes before you pop it in the freezer. The result is rich, creamy, tangy, and sweet, making a base for a sundae with strawberry syrup and berries. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 26 Blueberry Panna Cotta with Blueberry Chia Pudding Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee These pudding cups from 2021 F&W Best New Chef Paola Velez are all about blue, blue, blue: blueberry-infused panna cotta, burst-blueberry chia seed pudding, and a sprinkling of fresh blueberries on top. Pair them with a strawberries-and-cream dessert to hit the red and white, if you'd like. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 26 Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Few things say summer like watermelon, which makes for a gorgeous salad with salty, crumbly feta. In this warm-weather staple from Jacques Pépin, the melon and cheese are tossed with mint, onion, and olives; try replacing the latter with blueberries to hit all the flag colors. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 26 Cherry Red Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter Mixologist Sebastian Reaburn says this sweet, tart, non-alcoholic cocktail was inspired by "classic American flavors like Big Red chewing gum and Cherry Coke." Early July — when fresh cherries are usually abundant and perfectly ripe — is the ideal time to make it. Get the Recipe Save 25 of 26 Summer Pavlova with Fresh and Grilled Berries Con Poulos A pillowy pavlova can be delicious topped only with fresh fruit. But for this one, F&W's Justin Chapple grills berries in a foil packet with sugar and lemon juice until they become soft and jammy, which adds another layer of flavor and texture. Get the Recipe Save 26 of 26 Rosé Sangria with a Mixed-Berry Ice Ring John Kernick This refreshing rosé-and-rum sangria is enough to satisfy — and seriously impress — a crowd. F&W's Justin Chapple uses a Bundt pan to make the ice ring studded with red, white, and blue berries, which keeps the drink cool even in the heat. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food Holidays & Occasions 4th of July Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit