The Ultimate 4th of July Entertaining Guide

We’ve curated our favorite recipes, drinks, and decor ideas just for you- so No matter how you’re spending the holiday this year, you can still make it fun and festive.

Keep your cool while entertaining with fun themed drinks that are easy to make in large batches.

1. Red white and blue wine spritzer

   Ingredients

   • 1 cup simple syrup (1 part sugar plus 1 part water, boiled until dissolved and cooled)

   • ½ cup fresh strawberries (sliced in half)

   • ½ cup fresh blueberries

   • 1 bottle dry white wine

   • club soda or tonic water

   • ice

   • few sprigs of fresh mint for garnish

   Instructions

   1. Fill pitcher with ice and top with berries (save some to place in glasses).

   2. Pour in simple syrup and then wine until pitcher is ¾ full.

   3. Top off with club soda or tonic water, stir and serve in ice filled glasses. Garnish with mint sprig.

   Nutrition Information

   Yields 4

   Recipe via Pretty Plane Janes

2. Watermelon-blueberry cooler

   Ingredients

   • 6 ounces watermelon

   • 1 ounce blueberry vodka

   • 1-2 lemon wedges

   • ice

   • blue decorating sugar, optional for rim

   Instructions

   1. Puree watermelon, vodka and juice of one lemon wedge in a blender.

   2. Add ice (to desired thickness) and blend until smooth.

   3. If sugaring the rim, pour a small amount of blue decorating sugar onto a plate. Run lemon wedge around the rim of the glass. Dip rim in sugar. 

   4. Pour cocktail into glass.

   Nutrition Information

   Yields 1

   Recipe via Tasty Trials

3. Berry Splash Mocktail

   Ingredients

   • 1 (0.13-oz.) package unsweetened cherry drink mix

   • 6 cups white cranberry juice

   • 1/4 cup sugar

   • fresh mint sprigs or strawberry leaves for garnish

   Instructions

   1. Stir together first 3 ingredients and 2 cups water in a large pitcher until sugar is dissolved.

   2. Cover and chill. Garnish, if desired.

   Nutrition Information

   Makes about 2 quarts.

   Recipe via Southern Living

Entertain your taste buds with elevated summer favorites.

1. Melon mosaic appetizer

   Ingredients

   • cubed watermelon

   • cucumber

   • beefsteak tomatoes

   • feta

   • halved cherry tomatoes

   • olive oil

   • dash of salt and pepper

   • mint

   Instructions

   1. Arrange cubed watermelon, cucumber, beefsteak tomatoes, feta, and halved cherry tomatoes into a grid.

   2. Drizzle olive oil on top with a dash of salt, pepper, and mint.

   Recipe via Good Housekeeping

2. Mini Star Berry Pies

   Ingredients

   • cubed watermelon

   • 1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated rolled piecrusts

   • Flour, for work surface

   • 1 large egg, beaten

   • 1/4 c. plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

   • 1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries

   • 1 1/2 c. fresh chopped strawberries

   • 1 1/4 c. fresh raspberries

   • 1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch

   • Pinch kosher salt

   • Vanilla ice cream, for serving

   Instructions

   1. Working with one piecrust at a time, roll dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Using the stencil cut out 4 circles; reserve scraps. Repeat with remaining piecrust. 

   2. Shape scraps into a 1/2-inch-thick disk. Roll disk on a lightly floured work surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out stars with cookie cutters, rerolling scraps as necessary.

   3. Transfer dough rounds to pie tins; fold edges under to align with the rim of the tin; crimp. Place pie tins and stars on a baking sheet. Brush edges of dough and stars with egg and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Chill 30 minutes. 

   4. Heat oven to 375°F. Toss blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cornstarch, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. Let sit, tossing occasionally, until juicy, 8 to 10 minutes.

   5. Fill piecrusts with the fruit mixture (about a heaping 1/2 cup each). Place stars on pies as desired. Bake until fruit is bubbling and crust is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream.

      Nutrition Information

      Yields 8

      Recipe via Country Living

   6. Raspberry Buttermilk ice pops

      Ingredients

      • 1 c. fresh raspberries

      • 3/4 c. sour cream

      • 1/4 c. Buttermilk

      • 3 tbsp. Honey

      • 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

      Instructions

      1. In a large bowl, smash raspberries with the back of a fork.

      2. Add remaining ingredients, and stir to combine.

      3. Pour mixture into ice-pop molds and freeze for 30 minutes.

      4. Insert a wooden stick into each pop; then freeze for at least 2 more hours.

      Nutrition Information

      Yields 4

      Recipe via Country Living

Quick and easy DIY projects to step up your entertaining game.

1. Printable banner

   This fun banner template from Typically Simple is free to download and a fun craft to do ahead of time with the whole family!

2. Giant tic tac toe

   What sounds more fun than life-size tic tac toe right in your own backyard? With just a few items, you can recreate this activity from The Krazy Coupon Lady that is sure to be a hit year after year!

3. Confetti poppers

   A foolproof way to add fun to your family barbecue via Happiness is Homemade. Bonus- this craft can also be adapted for other holidays, such as New Year’s Eve!

Patriotic accessories that are sure to bring smiles.

1. Napkin Rings

   Recreate this fun and simple place setting idea from Good Housekeeping with red plastic utensils ($5 for 48 pieces, amazon.com), blue paper napkins ($6 for 125, amazon.com), and paper star napkin rings ($11, etsy.com).

2. 3D Hanging stars

   Last minute decorating made easy with these downloadable 3D Hanging stars courtesy of Etsy!

3. Melamine Plates

   Entertain in style with these low maintenance, reusable melamine plates from Sur La Table.

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From all of us here at Maloney Interiors, we wish you a safe and fun Fourth of July!