Celebrate the 4th of July by hosting a fun “Liber-Tea” for your kids and teens with these fun patriotic tea time treats.
These fun patriotic-themed recipes are a perfect way to celebrate America’s Independence Day in style! Gather your kids and teens and work together as a family, or let your older teens experiment in the kitchen and make dishes on their own. You can even make these recipes for a Fourth-of-July-themed, or Liber-Tea Time!
We have included several early American recipes that could be a great teaching tool for your kids, as well as several modern recipes in “red, white & blue.” Choose your favorites to make with your family—you can’t go wrong with whatever you pick!
George Washington Carrot Tea Cake
Taste a piece of history by making this dessert, which was eaten by George Washington and his men during a celebration of the end of the Revolutionary War. It is a simple, rustic cake that will delight even the pickiest of eaters!
Apple Pandowdy
Pandowdy is a dish that dates back to the colonial era and is said to have been enjoyed by John and Abigail Adams. It is a simple pie made with sliced fruit, such as apples, and sweetened with molasses. It is delicious when served fresh and hot from the oven!
Tea Party Cookies
During the colonial era as taxes rose heavily on things such as tea, the colonies became increasingly frustrated with the unfair taxation, which incentivized the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution.
In North Carolina, fifty-one women gathered together and pledged to no longer drink tea imported from England in protest, instead holding a tea party using raspberry leaf teas they made themselves. These cookies were served alongside the tea as the ladies celebrated their decision to support the ideals of independence. (Don’t worry, you don’t have to dump your tea into the harbor to enjoy these delicious patriotic tea time snacks!)
Boston Brown Bread
Boston Brown bread has existed since the beginning of our nation, as the Pilgrims and New England settlers first learned how to make this bread by steaming it above open fires.
Since then, it has become a beloved staple in many homes, with old recipes passed down through the years remaining largely unchanged. Make this nutritious, wholesome bread for yourself, and see why so many have loved it throughout the years!
Pound Cake
Pound cake is a classic dessert that has roots as far back as 1747, when a recipe was first published in an English cookbook by Hannah Glasse.
Pound cake was then brought over to the United States, where it took off in popularity. In 1795, the first cookbook ever published in the United States (Mary Randolph’s The Virginia Housewife) included a recipe for pound cake, signifying how popular the dessert had become. Today, it has become one of the most widespread desserts in America!
Anadama Bread
Anadama bread has murky origins and several different stories behind how it originated in the U.S. What is known for sure is that a patent for the bread was registered in 1850, and there are stories of the bread having potentially been made long before then. Regardless of when and how it came to be, this easy, traditional bread has endured throughout the centuries.
Gooseberry Fool
“Fool” was a popular dessert in the 1700s consisting of cooked fruit mixed with cream, milk, or custard. Make this red and white edition to celebrate Independence Day!
Red, White, and Blueberry Pie
This delicious, creamy pie is an easy recipe if you want to dress up your table for the Fourth of July! The red, white, and blue pie decorated with berries makes a stunning centerpiece!
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
This easy sweet and salty dessert, made with crushed pretzels, Cool Whip, cream cheese, jello, and strawberries, is sure to be a favorite among your family! It makes for a cool treat on hot summer days!
Easy Patriotic Flag Snack Platter
If you want a simple patriotic tea time treat for the Fourth of July, look no further! This snack platter made with strawberries, blueberries, and cheese is as easy as it gets, and younger kids can even try a hand at helping with this recipe!
Red, White, and Blue Popsicles
What could be a more iconic summer treat than red, white, and blue popsicles? This healthy and delicious version is made with fresh lemon, strawberries, and blueberries, making it the perfect sweet treat!
Coconut-Lemon Ice Cream Cake
Ice cream cakes are a fabulous way to keep cool during the sweltering summer heat, and what could be better than this red, white, and blue cake made with coconut and lemon flavors? It makes for a gorgeous crowd-pleaser for your Fourth of July party!
Patriotic Pretzel Rods
These festive pretzel rods are deceptively simple to create, making them the perfect treat to create with your kids this Fourth of July! The bright colors and the sparkly sprinkles take them to the next level!
Strawberry Watermelon Lemonade
Lemonade is a classic summer treat, and this red, white, and blue version is perfect for celebrating Independence Day! Beat the heat with this sweet drink!
Patriotic Fruit Kabobs
Kabobs are one of the simplest foods to make with kids! This recipe for red, white, and blue fruit kabobs is a surefire way to dress up your table this Fourth of July, and the kids will love helping to make them (and stealing a few marshmallows here and there).
Add a Bit of Learning to Your Patriotic Tea Time
Celebrate the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave with this American Patriotism pack! This pack is the perfect supplement for your U.S. History, Civics, Government (and more) studies! Or, simply do a picture study and listen to the music during your patriotic tea time!
We’ve curated this collection of prayers, scriptures, historical documents, speeches, and more to be used to reinforce memorization of beautiful lines as well as for practicing handwriting:
- The Declaration of Independence
- Preamble to the Constitution
- U.S. Bill of Rights
- The Emancipation Proclamation
- The Gettysburg Address
- The New Colossus
- Pledge of Allegiance
- I Have a Dream Speech
- George Washington’s Prayer for America
- Scriptures to Pray for Our Nation
For picture study, we’ve included 4 iconic American Flag paintings:
- Washington Crossing the Delaware
- Our Banner in the Sky
- Fourth of July, 1916
- Flag Raising on Iwo Jima
And for music study, we’ve included 10 patriotic songs (with listening links and sheet music):
- Yankee Doodle
- Star Spangled Banner
- My Country ‘Tis of Thee
- The Battle Hymn of the Republic
- God of Our Fathers
- Stars & Stripes Forever
- America the Beautiful
- Lift Every Voice & Sing
- You’re a Grand Old Flag
- God Bless America
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