Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
While Memorial Day pays tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice serving the country, it also marks the unofficial start of summer, when families congregate for a beachside barbecue. If you’re among the many Americans celebrating at the beach over the long weekend, you know organizing a holiday bash requires planning, oftentimes weeks in advance. However, if you’re pressed for time and the last thing on your list is desserts, here are some easy, no-bake, no-hassle, patriotic desserts that the whole family will enjoy.
Mixed Berry Mini Trifles
These decadent mixed berry mini trifles might look labor-intensive, but on the contrary, they’re very easy to make. The recipe calls for minimal slicing of strawberries, a little bit of mixing for the custard, and assembly. Following the no-bake theme, pre-bought ladyfingers are used for the cake. However, any sponge cake variety would suffice. You’ll need small glasses to serve them in. Finally, these mini trifles must be refrigerated for at least 4 hours before serving.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 grams) strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 (8-ounce / 226 gram) package cream cheese (soften at room temperature for 30 minutes)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- dash vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 (3-ounce / 85 gram) package ladyfingers (or yellow or white cake), broken into pieces (about 12 ladyfingers)
- 1 pint (551 ml) blueberries
- 6 small glasses or jars
View the full recipe at Hello Little Home.
Red, White and Blue Oreo Truffles
Be ready to impress your family and friends with these festive Oreo truffles. Although the recipe is simple, you need a food processor and a mixer to make the dough. Other than that, the instructions are straightforward, requiring you to mix the crushed Oreos with cream cheese, a dash of salt, and food coloring. Vanilla candy melts are needed for the truffle coating, and red, white, and blue sprinkles are used for decoration.
Ingredients
- 1 (19.7 oz) package of Golden Oreos
- 1 (8 oz) package low-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- About 1 tsp.each red and blue food coloring
- 1.5 – 2 lbs of vanilla candy coating
- Red, white, and blue star sprinkles (optional)
For the list of equipment and instructions, visit Dad, What’s 4 Dinner?
Patriotic Red, White and Blue Graham Cracker Frozen Treat
If you’re looking for a quick, cold treat for your Memorial Day shindig, the Patriotic Graham Cracker Frozen Treat is it! This ice cream sandwich takes minutes to prepare, requiring only graham crackers, Cool Whip, and sprinkles for decoration. The recipe does not make bite-sized portions, but you can easily do so by breaking the crackers into smaller pieces. Once the sandwiches are assembled and decorated, cover them in foil and let them chill in the freezer for a few hours.
Ingredients
- Cool Whip, 8 oz. container
- A box of Graham Crackers
- A container of Red, White, Blue Sprinkles
Check out the full recipe at A Hundred Affections.
Patriotic Easy Fudge
Originally created for the 4th of July holiday, this festive fudge bar requires only two ingredients to make! However, food coloring is needed in order to achieve its patriotic appearance. Simply combine the ingredients and divide them into three batches (red, white, and blue), microwave, and then layer. Each color layer takes about 10 minutes to set, while the entire process takes roughly 30 minutes. Once ready to serve, cut them into bite-sized pieces with a warm knife.
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
- 21 ounces of condensed milk
- Food coloring (red, blue)
View the entire recipe Sweet & Savory Meals.
Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
For a quick, healthier dessert option for your beachside Memorial Day get-together, try these Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries. The easy-to-make cheesecake filling is a mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla that is piped into the center of the strawberries. These light and fresh fruit poppers are then topped off with blueberries to round out the patriotic red, white, and blue.
Ingredients
- 24 large fresh strawberries, 1.5 to 2 lbs of strawberries, depends on how much you fill them
- 8 oz (226 g) block-style cream cheese, room temperature or softened slightly
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (70 g) fresh blueberries
For the full recipe, visit Dessert Now Dinner Later.
If you enjoy these recipes, be sure to check out Beach Homes Lifestyles for more beach-inspired bites.