Looking for easy 4th of July desserts? This Patriotic Mason Jar Ice Cream is super delicious, so easy to make, and great holiday fun for the whole family!
{Psst! Be sure to check out our Oreo Ice Cream Cake recipe, too!}
Note from Crystal: I’m so excited to have my youngest sister, Olivia, sharing this fun patriotic dessert idea today! After SO many of you loved her Easter Candy Recipe, I thought it’d be fun for her to share a 4th of July dessert!
There’s nothing quite like a bowl of fresh, homemade ice cream! As a child, one of my favorite memories was pulling out the old wooden ice cream maker and cranking up some delicious goodness!
Sometimes we made it even easier by just using Ziplock bags! With ice, salt, and some vigorous shaking, the delicious ice cream was ready to sample. I can still remember the taste of that cold treat on a hot summer day!
This Mason Jar Ice Cream recipe is incredibly simple to make and takes just a few ingredients that you most likely already have on hand in your kitchen.
The mason jars serve as a fun, mess-free way to involve your kids, because they will love getting to shake up their own jar! Also, since the ice cream is mixed, made, and eaten out of the same mason jar, it really saves on dishes and clean-up.
This Mason Jar Ice Cream is a perfect 4th of July dessert, but it is also such a fun activity for the whole family to do together on the fourth!
Everyone can shake up a jar a couple hours before sunset. After the jars are frozen, everyone can enjoy their tasty treat while watching the fireworks explode!
Just look at that creamy vanilla deliciousness! Yum!
And the best part of this Mason Jar Ice Cream? It’s super versatile! Make it a patriotic 4th of July dessert using all kinds of different toppings — marshmallows, M&M’s, skittles, jelly beans, sprinkles, or fruit.
Anything that’s red, white, and blue will do the trick! I prefer fresh fruit, so I used strawberries and blueberries. (Raspberries would work, too.)
And sprinkles are just festive, so I had to try that, as well! 😉
Homemade Patriotic Mason Jar Ice Cream
- Heavy whipping cream*, 1 cup
- Sugar, 1 Tablespoon
- Vanilla extract, 1 Teaspoon
- Pinch of salt
- Patriotic toppings (sprinkles, strawberries, blueberries, marshmallows, candies, etc.)
Combine all ingredients in a mason jar. Vigorously shake for 5 minutes (the lid should be coated with a thick cream). Wrap jar with wet paper towel, then freeze for 2-3 hours. Remove paper towel and stir with spoon. Finally, add your favorite patriotic toppings. Enjoy!
*If you’d like a less rich-tasting ice cream, then feel free to substitute up to half a cup with milk.
Yields: 1 mason jar
Recipe slightly adapted from Our Handcrafted Life
Would plastic mason jars work? So you don’t have to stress about kids breaking them
What size mason jar? This looks like a great activity!!
I believe the 32oz size is correct! -Jordan, MSM Team
It’s a pint jar which is 16 oz.
I want to try this. I’ll bet all of us “kids” (my husband and I in our early 50’s, plus two young adult sons), will enjoy making and eating this!
Have fun and enjoy! Let us know how it turns out! -Jordan, MSM Team
I saw this yesterday and made it with my 4-year-old granddaughter who has been staying with us for a couple days. I used Mason jars to make the shaking easier, and she loved the whole process. We just ate half of what we made with cut-up fresh strawberries, and it was delicious.
Oh yay! This makes me so happy!!
Angel food cake with strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream.
Thanks for sharing! -Jordan, MSM Team