105 BEST 4th of July Cookout Recipes (easy festive ideas!)
The best 4th of July cookout recipes! These Fourth of July food ideas will make your backyard barbecue a hit with everyone on your guest list – kids and adults alike!
From classic potato salad, corn on the cob (and other amazing BBQ side dishes) to the best pasta salad recipes, red, white, and blue desserts, and the smoky flavor of all the grilled meat…
… July 4th cookout food are some of the best summer recipes.
Like seriously, how does the BBQ grill make the best burgers on the planet?
I put together a list of the most fun side dishes, summer appetizers, patriotic desserts, refreshing cocktails, and other crowd favorites, so that your Independence Day is as festive as possible.
If you’re looking for main dish ideas, I’ve got you covered with that too!
(Keep scrolling to the bottom to see the main courses.)
Now, let’s dive into the rest of the delicious recipes, so you can have some good old-fashioned summer fun, and plan your 4th of July menu!
Read next: 13 Easy Ways to Throw a BBQ on a Budget
(☀️ Looking for more delicious summer recipes? Try one of these easy grilled chicken dinners, creative camping meals, simple picnic food ideas, cheap summer side dishes, or fun summer charcuterie boards!)
These are such a fun and kid-friendly appetizer or main dish for summer holidays. With just 3 ingredients, they’re inexpensive and super quick to make. The American flag aesthetic of this tasty taco dip is so festive! It’s all your favorite taco flavors, in a simple-to-prepare appetizer that everyone will dive into. Prepare this healthy and refreshing berry salad in just 15 minutes. It is no-cook, so it won't heat up your kitchen, and makes the perfect festive side for your 4th of July! Tender and creamy deviled eggs dyed for the 4th of July. These Red, White, & Blue Colored Deviled Eggs are easy to make and will be a hit at your party! Combine beautiful red, white, and blue fruits, crackers, meats, and cheeses to create this gourmet charcuterie board. Not only does it look gorgeous, but everyone will love snacking on it. This festive whipped feta with tomatoes and blue corn chips is an easy appetizer for the 4th of July. Best of all, no cooking is required! Simply mix up the whipped feta and assemble the ingredients to form a flag. And the end result is so cute it is bound to impress your friends and family. A red, white, and blue potato salad is the perfect dish to add a touch of ‘patriotism’ to any meal. It’s perfect for Memorial day, Labor day, or your Fourth of July celebration! This red, white and blue patriotic caprese salad is full of fresh tomatoes, blueberries, mozzarella and basil. A completely unexpected twist on classic caprese salad and totally perfect for celebrating your favorite patriotic holiday. It’s so easy to throw together this pretty flag board, and it will be the hit of the party with kids and adults. With just a few ingredients, it’s also an affordable appetizer. This Fresh Blueberry Salsa is always a hit! Everyone loves its sweet-and-savory flavors, making it ideal for a healthy appetizer or dessert. The perfect combination of tangy deviled eggs and macaroni salad, this Deviled Egg Pasta Salad is a quick and easy side dish for all of your summer BBQs. This creamy macaroni salad is ready in just 30 minutes and pairs well with summer favorites like pulled pork and burgers. Easy and fun to make, these red, white, and blue pretzel rods will add a festive touch to your patriotic table or meal! Calling all dill pickle lovers, this pasta salad recipe is for you! This creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is THE BEST and has the tangy flavor of crunchy pickles, fresh dill, cheese, mayo and sour cream. Celebrate the stars and stripes with this patriotic Red, White and Blue Funfetti Dip (also known as Dunkaroo Dip.) Cake batter never tasted so good! Only 5 ingredients and about 5 minutes to whip this delicious kid friendly treat that everyone will LOVE to dip their graham crackers, vanilla wafers, pretzels and so much more into! This Mexican-inspired pasta salad is loaded with flavorful black beans, corn, and a super easy dressing that combines creamy sour cream and tangy salsa. It's so delicious, you'll keep going for second and third helpings! Made with just 4 ingredients (plus sprinkles,) these delicious and easy no-bake white chocolate truffles are sure to bring smiles at your next festive get-together! With the added veggies it’s hearty and filling enough to be served as a main course, Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad makes a great dish for weeknight dinners too. Make them with or without alcohol, these sweet and patriotic treats will wow your guests with how cool the jello shots look. Bring on the Summer BBQss and serve loaded BLT Pasta Salad with a creamy ranch dressing! This yummy easy cold pasta salad recipe is full of bacon, tomato, lettuce, pasta and more – one of my favorites! Try this simple but delightful patriotic snack mix that will be a huge hit with kids of all ages. No one can resist the sweet and salty combination. Sundried tomato pasta salad-a hearty vegetarian salad bursting with flavors. The best part of this pasta salad is the dressing made with sundried tomatoes and walnuts which gives it a taste similar to pesto pasta salad. It's delicious! Made from a combination of candy melts and chocolate and topped with sprinkles and M&Ms, this bark is seriously tasty and super simple to make. A super easy kid-friendly treat, these 4th of July Waffle Cones are a fun and tasty way to cool off this summer and celebrate Independence Day! This recipe for an Ice Cream Cake in patriotic colors of red, white, and blue will steal the show at your 4th of July festivities! It's a stunning dessert that's deceptively simple to assemble. Looking for a White Chocolate Party Mix recipe that you can customize for the holidays (or any time)? This is it! You’ll be the hit of the party when you show up with this festive treat. Red Velvet Cookies are topped with blueberry jam and white chocolate for the ultimate red, white, and blue treat! Such a fun summertime twist on everyone’s favorite Christmas cookie. Decadent, delicious, and easy to make, these brownies taste like s’mores (without the need for a bonfire.) The toppings in this tasty recipe are such an amazing combination! Air fryer red, white, and blue cheesecake is a delicious and patriotic dessert that's perfect for the 4th of July or any summer gathering. The air fryer seriously makes some of the best (and easiest) cheesecakes! These Patriotic Red White and Blue Blondies are rich and chewy with a slightly gooey center and buttery brown sugar vanilla flavor. They only require 15 minutes of hands-on prep time, and look gorgeous on your table. This Patriotic Popcorn Cake is a sweet mix of patriotic M&Ms, popcorn, butter and melted marshmallows. Best of all, it’s a super easy no bake dessert that’s prepped in just 10 minutes! This adorable No-Bake American Flag Cheesecake is the perfect dessert for all those summer holidays. No need to heat up your oven, since it gets refrigerated instead of baked. Wow, these showstopping American Flag Stained Glass Cookies are so much easier to make than they look! Kids love to help with these, and they’re so much simpler than decorating frosted cookies or cupcakes! Celebrate the Fourth of July in style with a Bundt cake that boasts both patriotic colors and a scrumptious flavor. This must-have dessert is sure to delight your taste buds and add a festive touch to your holiday festivities. Popcorn topped with a colorful, fruity JELLO coating! This treat is a unique, quick and easy treat to make, and everyone loves it. When you realize how easy it is to make a patriotic charcuterie board that looks amazing, it will become your go-to party fare for all special red, white, and blue events. These Patriotic Ice Cream Sandwiches are a fun twist on a classic frozen treat. With creamy cheesecake ice cream sandwiched between crisp red velvet shortbread cookies. In the shape of a star! This Berry Waffle Cake features layers of cake mix waffles topped with a creamy pudding filling and garnished with fresh berries. It’s a light and scrumptious dessert perfect for your next patriotic party! With just 4 basic pantry ingredients and some food coloring, you can easily whip up these festive, colorful striped cookies. They’re not too heavy, and are an easy finger food that’ll allow everyone to munch while mingling. With just 4 ingredients, it’s so easy to whip up a batch of these brownie mix cookies. The chocolate cookie flavor and festive M&Ms pair perfectly together. They’re so fun, and always a crowd favorite. If you’ve never had pretzel ‘salad,’ you’re in for a real treat. Layers of creamy cheesecake filling, colorful gelatin and a crunchy pretzel crust form the perfect union of flavor and texture. These individual pudding pies are the perfect red, white and blue dessert for your celebration. Best of all, they have just 5 ingredients, and can be ready to go in about 10 minutes. Looking for a patriotic way to celebrate with the adults? These red white and blue jello shots are boozy, sweet, and so much fun! Truly one of the easiest recipes on this list! No one will know you took a little shortcut from the grocery store and got these festive cookie bars in the oven in just 5 minutes. This Flag S'Mores Dip is the perfect fourth of July dessert! Done in under 15 minutes, it's cute, patriotic and delicious! Serve with some graham cracker squares to finish topping off the perfect dessert. These blueberry white chocolate cookies are so fun and colorful! Naturally blue thanks to the blueberries, they are quick and easy to make and always a family favorite. Super cute and fun, these unique rice krispie treats have the layered look of the American flag. Jello-o mix provides the fun color combination, and a little bit of added flavor. Everyone will be so impressed that you made these! These festive firecracker cookies are so festive for summer parties and barbecues. Decked out in red, white, and blue, and topped with popping candy, they’re sure to be a hit with both kids and adults. There's no better way to cool down on the 4th of July than with a delicious scoop or two of this red, white and blue ice cream. The fun part is that it’s super easy to make since it starts with store bought ice cream. Delicious moist white cake with red & blue berry-flavored Jello is a patriotic dessert everyone will love. This easy recipe is sweet yet light & travels well to enjoy wherever your celebration takes you. Here is such a fun and festive treat to serve on Independence Day! These red white and blue July 4th chocolate covered Oreos are super fun to make and delicious to eat. Chewy brownie cookies that are soft and delicious with red, white, and blue M&M candies for all your patriotic gatherings. With only five simple ingredients and five minutes of prep time, you can have this no bake dessert ready in a jiffy for any last minute summer party. These easy sour cream sugar cookies will add a patriotic flair to your holiday! The homemade cream cheese frosting can easily be dyed red, white, and blue, and the dough is perfect for cookie cutters, making it a fun, family-friendly 4th of July patriotic activity for kids. Vanilla cupcakes topped with a red white and blue frosting will be the hit of your patriotic gathering! Kids and adults alike simply cannot resist a beautiful cupcake. The fluffy marshmallow frosting, sandwiched between soft, velvet-soft cookies, is the ultimate childhood nostalgia comfort food. The fresh raspberries and blueberries whipped into this delectable, festive dessert make a beautifully layered red, white, and blue treat! Easy blueberry cobbler, topped with vanilla ice cream and homemade raspberry syrup is an amazing summer treat, and the perfect way to use up all those juicy blueberries. This triple berry cheesecake fruit salad is the perfect festive dessert! Not only is this fruit salad absolutely delicious but it’s also so easy to make. This no bake fruit tart recipe is one of the best fruity desserts out there! Crushed graham crackers are formed into a crust and filled with a subtly sweet and tangy cream cheese filling that is topped with fresh berries or your choice of fruit. These sweet, flaky, easy to make Strawberry & Blueberry Shortcakes are loaded with fresh berries and are topped with whipped cream and strawberry syrup. So fresh and delicious! These red, white and blue raspberry lemonade cupcakes will have all kids of all ages begging for more! They're SO easy to make with a few smart hacks included. Instead of using candy to add those patriotic colors, these cookies are full of white chocolate chips, strawberries, and blueberries. The dried blueberries and freeze-dried strawberries add so much vibrant flavor! Red, white, and blue tiramisu? Of course! This summer berry tiramisu recipe with strawberries and blueberries is not only easy to assemble, but festive, and full of summer flavor. This no churn ice cream recipe is super simple to create at home and make ahead of time. Everyone will be so impressed when you pull it out of the freezer. This no-bake trifle is a delicious and easy dessert that is perfect for any occasion. It is made with layers of homemade whipped mascarpone cheese filling , strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and NILLA Wafers. Keep the oven off and fire up the grill for this ultimate summer dessert! Grilled Pound Cake is topped with fresh berries and whipped cream for a patriotic summer treat that won't heat up the house. Beat the heat with Red White and Blue Cheesecake! It’s a no-bake cheesecake made without Cool Whip in a cup with fresh strawberries and blueberries. This Old Glory Fruit Pizza is the perfect dessert to wow your friends and family at your next Independence Day BBQ. A cookie-like ‘pizza crust’ gets topped with creamy sweet goodness, and topped with fresh berries in a pretty flag design. Top this rich, creamy ricotta cheesecake with fresh berries for a beautiful and delicious red, white, and blue dessert! Mascarpone cheese, pound cake, whipped cream, and berries. What more do you need? Assemble this lovely frozen torte the day before, so it's all ready to serve. No baking required! Blueberry Puff Pastry Tarts are easy to make, individually sized, and use common, easy to find ingredients. Best of all, they don't take long to make, and can even be made ahead of time! A super quick and easy Blueberry Strawberry Shortcake Trifle, has delicious layers of cake, berries, pudding and cream. It’s perfect to make ahead and will be a beautiful red, white and blue centerpiece on your table! These white chocolate dipped strawberries seem fancy and time consuming, but they’re actually easy to make and offer a festive flair to your get-together. Sure to be a healthier hit with kids and adults! These Red, White, and Blue Fruit Kabobs are perfect for celebrating the 4th! Using strawberries, blueberries, and banana slices, these appetizer or dessert kabobs make such a pretty and colorful presentation. This cocktail is a fun spin on the popular red white and blue summer popsicle! The drink can be made with or without booze and is a fun way to celebrate America with adults and kids! This Red, White, and Blue Sangria is the perfect boozy cocktail to serve when celebrating the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or enjoying the warm weather on hot summer nights! Best of all, you can throw this easy white wine sangria together with just 15 minutes of prep time.Easy & Fun 4th of July Food Ideas
4th of July Firecracker Dogs
Easy Layered Taco Flag Dip
Berry Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
Red White and Blue Deviled Eggs
Ultimate Red, White, and Blue Cheese Board
Patriotic Flag Whipped Feta
Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad Recipe
Patriotic Caprese Salad
Easy Pepperoni & Swiss Flag Board
Fresh Blueberry Salsa (Sweet & Savory)
Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Patriotic Pretzel Rods
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Red White and Blue Funfetti Dip
Mexican Pasta Salad
No-Bake Chocolate Truffles with Oreos
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
July 4th Stained Glass Jello Shots
BLT Pasta Salad
Sweet & Salty Patriotic Chex Mix
Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad
Red White and Blue Bark
4th of July Waffle Cones
Red White and Blue Ice Cream Cake
White Chocolate Patriotic Puppy Chow
Red White and Blue Thumbprint Cookies with a Cake mix
Patriotic S'mores Brownies
Air fryer Red, White and Blue Cheesecake
Patriotic Red White and Blue Blondies
Patriotic Popcorn Cake
American Flag Cheesecake
American Flag Stained Glass Cookies
Fourth of July Bundt Cake
Patriotic JELLO Candied Popcorn
Patriotic Charcuterie Board
Patriotic Ice Cream Sandwiches
Patriotic Berry Waffle Cake
4th of July Sugar Cookies
4th of July Red White and Blue Cookies
Red White and Blue Pretzel Salad
Patriotic Pudding Mini Pies
Red White & Blue Jello Shots — Marley's Menu
2-Ingredient M&M Cookie Bars
Flag S'Mores Dip
Blueberry Cookies
Red, White, and Blue Rice Krispie Treats
4th of July Sugar Firecracker Cookies with Popping Candy
Super Easy Marble Ice Cream
Patriotic Red, White, & Blue Poke Cake
Easy July 4th Themed Chocolate Covered Oreos
Red, White, and Blue Marshmallow Bars
Sour Cream Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Red White and Blue Cupcakes
Red, White, and Blue Whoopie Pie Recipe
4th of July No Bake Layered Cheesecake
Easy Blueberry Cobbler
Triple Berry Cheesecake Fruit Salad
No Bake Fruit Tart
Easy Strawberry & Blueberry Shortcakes
Blue Raspberry Lemonade Cupcake Recipe {EASY VERSION!}
Fruity Patriotic Cookies
Summer Berry Tiramisu (No Bake)
Red and Blue Ice Cream
Triple Berry Cheesecake Trifle
Grilled Pound Cake with Berries and Cream
Red White and Blue Cheesecake Parfait
Old Glory Fruit Pizza
Ricotta Cheesecake
Frozen Patriotic Torte
Blueberry Puff Pastry Tarts
Blueberry Strawberry Shortcake Trifle
Patriotic White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries with Sprinkles
4th of July Fruit Kabobs
Bomb Pop Drink
Red, White, and Blue Sangria
- Burgers
- Hot dogs
- Smoked sausage
- Baby back ribs
- Grilled BBQ chicken breast
- Fried chicken
- Greek chicken kabobs
- Steak and veggie kabobs
- BBQ pulled pork sandwiches
- Turkey burger
- Cheeseburger sliders
- Grilled sausage and peppers
- Sloppy joes
- Buffalo chicken wings
- Beer can chicken
- Smashburgers
- Black bean or chickpea burgers (always good to have vegetarian options)
- Chicken salad
- Ribeye or sirloin
- Corn dogs
- Grilled pizza
- Sub sandwiches
- Grilled brats
- Shrimp skewers
- Grilled BBQ pork chops
- Grilled salmon (or mahi mahi or salmon)
- Chicken or steak fajitas
- Grilled lamb chops
- BBQ chicken legs or thighs
- Grilled lobster
Ready to try some of these July 4th recipes?
I hope this list of 4th of July cookout recipes has given you lots of inspiration for the perfect way to celebrate at your Fourth of July party.
These easy appetizers, traditional 4th of July foods, summer salad ideas, refreshing drink concoctions, and patriotic red, white, and blue easy desserts will make your summer gatherings so much more fun.
Set out a pitcher of homemade lemonade, whip up a few of these festive cookout classics, and full advantage of the summer!
What are your favorite Fourth of July recipes?
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The best 4th of July cookout recipes! These Fourth of July food ideas will make your backyard barbecue a hit with everyone on your guest list - kids and adults alike! 1. Choose as many July 4th cookout recipes as you'd like 2. Gather the ingredients and prepare the dishes 3. Throw or attend a festive cookout and be the hit of the July 4th party105 BEST 4th of July Cookout Recipes (easy festive ideas!)
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