Recipes
Patriotic, red white and blue, American flag cake is a sweet option for Memorial Day desserts.

10 Memorial Day Desserts That Are Just As Sweet As They Are ‘Gram-Worthy

Close out your barbecue with these red, white, and blue recipes.

by Alexa Mellardo
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
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When it comes to throwing the ultimate Memorial Day weekend party, you simply cannot skip out on dessert. It's the last phase of your party, but certainly no less important — especially if each member of your squad has a major sweet tooth. Luckily, there are plenty of red, white, and blue treats that promise to be just as delicious as they’re ‘Gram-worthy. If you’re looking for some recipes that will be instant crowd favorites at your upcoming holiday gathering, keep the party going with these Memorial Day desserts.

IMHO, some patriotic desserts should be at every Memorial Day Weekend party over this three-day weekend that kicks off the unofficial start to summer. It’ll be a fun weekend of pool parties, beach days, and quality time spent relaxing with friends and family. After a big barbecue or picnic filled with juicy hot dogs, sweet watermelon, and corn on the cob, it’s time to move onto the most important part of the day: dessert.

Seeing the beautiful spread of red, white, and blue desserts laid out and ready for guests to enjoy will inspire you to take some Insta-worthy photos or maybe even make a TikTok of what you made for the big celebration. Here are 10 picture-perfect, patriotic desserts that will be the cherry-topping to your Memorial Day Weekend party.

1. Blue Velvet Cupcakes

Forget red velvet, because these delicious, patriotic cupcakes make for the ultimate combination of moist and fluffy. In case your mouth wasn't already watering, these treats feature white coconut frosting and a drizzle of strawberry syrup.

You can really go any route with these blue velvet cupcakes. If you're not about those blue velvet vibes, stick to vanilla, chocolate, or tie-dye, and decorate with red, white, and blue frosting and sprinkles. Don't forget festive cupcake wrappers, too.

2. Patriotic Star Ice Cream Sandwiches

These star-shaped red velvet ice cream sandwiches are a refreshing way to end your summer barbecue on a sweet note and perfectly marry the classic combination of red velvet and cheesecake ice cream. While these Memorial Day desserts are a little more on the ambitious side, planning ahead and taking the time to make the homemade ice cream and the star shaped cookies will definitely pay off.

3. Berry Cheesecake Parfait

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This rich, creamy masterpiece is the prime addition to your Memorial Day dessert spread. The cheesecake berry parfait’s angel food cake base, whipped cream, and fresh berries on top will definitely satisfy a sweet tooth.

4. Red, White, And Blue Dessert Nachos

Put a sweet twist on your savory nachos with this red, white, and blue dessert for Memorial Day. This patriotic treat starts with homemade cinnamon sugar tortilla chips (don’t worry, they’re easier to make than they sound). To serve, top with red and blue berries like strawberries and blueberries, drizzles of white chocolate, and sweet coconut.

5. Cherry Pie Tartlets

These little sweet tartlets are absolutely adorable, and super easy to whip up in your kitchen if you have cherry filling, cream cheese, and some whipped cream. The best part is that each of these Memorial Day desserts is bite-sized, making them easy for each guest to enjoy.

6. American Flag Cake Pops

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Cake pops are always a good idea, and they’re ‘Gram-worthy desserts for Memorial Day when they're decorated with stars and stripes. For a picture-perfect look, arrange these bite-sized treats on a platter with an American Flag napkin underneath.

7. Patriotic Tunnel Cake

This red, white, and blue tunnel cake is fluffy, sweet, and a real crowd pleaser for Memorial Day. The center is filled with fresh cream, strawberries, and blueberries for a sweet, yet refreshing, surprise. Add star-shaped cookies around the edges of the cake to make it even more Insta-worthy.

8. Red, White, And Blue Fruit Flag Cake

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This Memorial Day dessert is a classic, and really should be at every Memorial Day Weekend celebration. Plus, in addition to blueberries and strawberries, flag cake only uses a handful of ingredients like whipped cream, confectioner’s sugar, and cream cheese.

9. No-Bake Eton Mess Berry Cheesecake

In my opinion, every recipe Half Baked Harvest creates is pure magic, and this berry cheesecake is no exception; it’s the ideal creation to make if you are looking to really “wow” your guests with minimum effort. Using lots of bright berries and a homemade whipped cream, this Memorial Day dessert is a no-bake recipe that takes only 30 minutes to prepare.

10. Rhubarb-Brown Butter Bar

In the mood for something a little more unique? There’s nothing like a Rhubarb-Brown Butter Bar from Bon Appetit to sweeten up your Memorial Day Weekend. Using a homemade jam creation, dried hibiscus flowers, and old-fashioned oats, this recipe comes together to create a delicious, nutty dessert. Add a few blueberries on top to get all of the red, white, and blue colors for a patriotic dessert.

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