41 Healthy-ish 4th Of July Desserts Perfect For Any Party
Independence Day = Freedom to eat all the sweets.
We can all agree—4th of July is as much about the food menu and spending time with friends and loved ones as it is about fireworks and independence. That means no matter what, you've got to have a killer spread that everyone, even those following certain diets, can enjoy. We know "healthy" looks different to different people, so we've included a wide variety of options here—whether you're following a keto or vegan diet, are trying to eat less carbs or get more fruit in, or just want something less filling to make more room for ribs and burgers, there's something here for you. These 41 "healthy-ish" 4th of July desserts guarantee everyone can get in on the fun.
Fruit was, after all, the original dessert, which is why we are more than glad to take our favorite fruits (like blueberries, bananas, and pineapple) and turn them into our favorite easy, lightened-up treats. Try turning them into a frozen delight, like we did in our lemon-blueberry creamsicles, our sorbet, our no-churn strawberry shortcake vegan ice cream, or our fruit popsicles. You could also try utilizing them as swaps for, like we did in our cheesecake-stuffed strawberries, our banana split kebabs, our grilled pineapple sundaes, or our s'mores banana bites. If all else fails, try throwing fruit straight on the grill—our grilled peaches and our grilled strawberries are proof that a little added char turns them into something berry special. 😉
Want even more Independence Day inspiration? Check out our favorite vegetarian BBQ recipes, our top healthy summer recipes, and our best summer green salads too.
Cheesecake Cupcakes
Who doesn't love an ultra-creamy slice of cheesecake? These mini versions are super-easy to make (no water bath!), but just as delicious as their full-size counterpart, and much easier to share with BBQ guests.
Get the Cheesecake Cupcakes recipe.
Bacon-Weave S'mores
Caramelized brown sugar and crispy, salty bacon take these s'mores to the NEXT LEVEL. And they're technically gluten free, too!
Get the Bacon-Weave S'mores recipe.
No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Vegan Ice Cream
Ice cream lovers, get ready to scoop, because this crave-able ice cream isn’t going to last! Plant-based, dairy-free, vegan… no matter what you want to call it, this ice cream is as good as—if not better—than any dairy counterpart, making it a favorite scoop of the summer.
Get the No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Vegan Ice Cream recipe.
Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberries
No time to bake up a whole strawberry cheesecake? This is the perfect no-bake treat that takes the classic dessert and turns it bite-sized.
Grilled Peaches
Nothing beats a ripe, sticky-sweet peach, and while you can just bite right in, cooking with peaches is killer. One of our favorite ways? Grilling them, then drizzling them with honey, olive oil, and sea salt. Add freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to take them OTT.
Get the Grilled Peaches recipe.
Chocolate Covered Watermelon
By mixing coconut oil into melted chocolate, you're basically making a magic shell. It's not a totally necessary step, but it does help the chocolate harden — meaning the dipped watermelon is ready to eat pretty much immediately.
Get the Chocolate Covered Watermelon recipe.
Strawberry Shortcake Rice Krispies Treats
We took our classic Rice Krispies Treats and made them summer-ready with a little white chocolate and freeze-dried strawberries that give them a burst of freshness. Add some freeze-dried blueberries to give these an even more patriotic look!
Air Fryer Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Birthday Cake
This cake has a lot of secrets: Zucchini keeps it super moist, instant espresso powder makes the chocolate taste more chocolatey, and apple cider vinegar helps add lift. You won't believe it's vegan!
Get the Air Fryer Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Birthday Cake recipe.
Vegan Sugar Cookies
Soft, buttery, with crispy edges, these are the classic, quintessential sugar cookie, veganized and ready to share. Whether frosted, sprinkled, or eaten plain right out of the oven, we can't get enough of them.
Get the Vegan Sugar Cookies recipe.
Fruit Popsicles
In the heat of summer, nothing satisfies quite like a fruit popsicle. This classic strawberry version is big on fruit flavor and not too sweet.
Get the Fruit Popsicles recipe.
Keto Red Velvet Cake
When it comes to birthday cakes, you’re either on Team Funfetti, Team Chocolate, or Team Red Velvet. We’re not saying any one of these options is better than the others...but we do get slightly more excited when the results of the latter are at a party. With a few simple swaps, you'll be on your way to the keto cake of your dreams.
Get the Keto Red Velvet Cake recipe.
Dole Whip
This iconic frozen treat will make all your Disney dreams come true. And it only takes three ingredients—pineapple juice, frozen pineapple chunks, and dairy-free vanilla ice cream.
Get the Dole Whip recipe.
Berries & Cream Charcuterie Board
The only thing better than fresh, sweet berries is piling them on angel food cake and shortbread cookies with sweet ricotta or whipped cream. This DIY "starcuterie" board is the ideal sweet treat to round out your 4th of July spread.
Fudgy Paleo Brownies
We know it will be hard to believe, but these brownies contain no added sweeteners—really! These are more than just an alternative, but a delicious brownie that also happens to be Paleo-approved!
Get the Fudgy Paleo Brownies recipe.
Gluten-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches
No offense to the Chipwich, but nothing compares to a classic ice cream sandwich—the kind with soft rectangular chocolate cookies on both ends. This recipe is gluten-free, keto-friendly, and just as delicious as the iconic store-bought treats you grew up with.
Fruit Salad
A recipe for fruit salad? Yes, you need it. Because this simple dressing takes strawberries, raspberries, and mangoes to a whole new level. Sweet syrupy honey, fresh tart orange juice, and bright lemon zest come together to elevate your fruit (even if they're out of season) to new heights.
Get the Fruit Salad recipe.
Flourless Fudge Cookies
These gluten-free cookies are perfect — fudgy in the middle, and crispy on the outside.
Get the Flourless Fudge Cookies recipe.
Banana Split Kebabs
This fun dessert is a healthy, kid-friendly spin on the classic banana split. You could even grill these before topping with chocolate for a smoky-sweet char.
Get the Banana Split Kebabs recipe.
Banana Split Pops
These pops are bananas! They're like everything you love about an ice cream sundae, but with chocolate-covered bananas as the star.
Get the Banana Split Pops recipe.
Grilled Strawberries
Top strawberries with butter, honey, and a squeeze of lemon, then throw them on the grill—use these for topping summer salads, putting over ice cream, or simply enjoying as a midday snack.
Get the Grilled Strawberries recipe.
Mackenzie Filson is a food writer and contributing digital food producer at Delish. Her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate-pine. If wine was an astrological sign she'd be a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. She's never met a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos she didn't eat in one sitting.
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