I love holidays! All the various decorations, being with family and generally, you get the day off! One of my favorites since I was a kid is the 4th of July. I loved being outside, going to the town fair with my family in those matching Old Navy shirts (you know the ones), the fireworks and of course the great food!
Themed food is some of the most fun to make (and eat). However, I am no great chef, by any means! So the simpler, the better! I put together some easy to make USA themed treats for your backyard BBQ or just for your family to enjoy. These are so easy, even I can make them! You can even get the kids involved to help you make and decorate these fun treats. And the best part is that they include a lot of sprinkles!!
White Chocolate Dipped Pretzels
What You Need:
- Pretzel Rods
- Melting White Chocolate
- Sprinkles
How:
Melt the white chocolate per the bag instructions. Dip the end of the pretzel. Sprinkle on top and let set. Store in airtight container.
Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches
What You Need:
- Cookies
- Vanilla Ice Cream (Since I’m lactose intolerant, I used Breyer’s Lactose Free Ice Cream)
- Sprinkles (or chocolate chips, M&Ms, etc.)
- Plastic Wrap
How:
Bake the cookies. I used Pillsbury break-and-bake sugar cookies, but other flavors will work too. You can also bake homemade cookies if you’re an overachiever. Put the cookies in the freezer for about an hour. You’ll want the cookies to be firm when making the sandwiches. Once the cookies are frozen, place a scoop of ice cream on one cookie. Take another cookie and place it on top of the ice cream, creating a sandwich. Sprinkle your desired topping on a plate. You can use sprinkles, M&Ms, chocolate chips or whatever else you can think of. Roll the edge of the ice cream sandwich in the topping. For storage, wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the freezer.
Red, White & Blue Cinnamon Rolls
What You Need:
- Can of Cinnamon Rolls
- Red, White & Blue Sprinkles
How:
This one is so easy and looks so cute! All you have to do is cook and ice the cinnamon rolls like normal and just add some sprinkles to the top. This is a great and easy idea for those occasions like birthdays, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, St. Patty’s. All you have to do is change the color of the sprinkles. The kids can even decorate their own cinnamon rolls however they want!
Red, White & Blue Popcorn Drizzle
What You Need:
- Popcorn (microwave or already popped)
- Meltable chips in red, white and blue (You can also just use white and use food coloring to get the red and blue colors)
- M&M’s (optional)
- Sprinkles (optional)
How:
First pop the popcorn, or you can use pre-popped popcorn from the store. Spread out popcorn on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, foil or freezer paper. Melt the chips per the instructions on the bag, one color at a time. I like to leave white for last since it will show up better once the other colors are already on the popcorn. I found colored chips at Michael’s, which was so much easier than using food coloring. After the first color is melted, use a fork to drizzle on the popcorn. Do the same with the other two colors. If you want to add sprinkles or M&M’s for an extra touch, sprinkle a little on in between each color drizzle. And that’s it! You can store in an airtight container.
Red, White & Blue Fruit Kabobs
What You Need:
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Bananas
- Wooden Skewers
- Melting White Chocolate (optional)
How:
Arrange your fruit on the stick. I picked a red, white and blue order. You can stop there or if you choose, or you can drizzle some white chocolate over the fruit for a finishing touch. Super easy, yummy and healthy!
I hope you enjoy all the family time, fun and food this 4th of July holiday!
Happy Independence Day!