Celebrate American pride with these patriotic cookies, cakes, pies and salads decked out in the stars and stripes.

1. Sugar Star & Flag Cookies

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A favorite cookie to send to troops overseas, these soft sugar cookies ship well and taste great! —Susan Whetzel, Pearisburg, Virginia

2. Flag Cake

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This patriotic-themed cake makes a stunningly delicious centerpiece on any summer celebration table. To honor our troops, pass it along to all your family and friends! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

3. Patriotic Taco Salad

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One year, my daughter decided to celebrate her July birthday with a patriotic theme. This colorful and refreshing salad was the main dish on the menu. The kids gobbled it up! —Glenda Jarboe, Oroville, California

4. Red, White and Blue Dessert

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I changed a recipe I found and ended up with this rich, fresh-tasting dessert. Decorated to resemble a flag, it’s perfect for the Fourth of July or any other patriotic occasion.—Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

5. Fudgy Patriotic Brownies

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A rich chocolate frosting makes these brownies really tasty. I always come home with an empty pan when I take these to potlucks. —Julie Moyer, Union Grove, Wisconsin

6. Patriotic Dessert

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I took this patriotic dessert to a luncheon and came home with dozens of requests for the recipe! It was quite a success. People told me it looked as good as it tasted. —Flo Burtnett, Gage, Oklahoma

7. Buttercream Blast Layer Cake

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The decorations on this patriotic dessert remind me of a fireworks display. Since the recipe includes both cookies and cake, people can take their pick—or have both! —Jennifer Lindstrom, Brookfield, Wisconsin

8. Crispy Star Pops

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These patriotic pops are a hit at our annual Fourth of July get-together. Serve them as an after-picnic dessert. Or slip them into cellophane bags, tie on ribbons and give them as favors.—Colleen Sturma, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

9. Patriotic Pizzas

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Here’s a pie-in- the-sky- idea—fruit pizzas you decorate like a high-flyin’ flag! You can decorate it with stripes for the U.S. or with a maple leaf for Canada. Both designs consist of tangy fruit and smooth cream cheese over a tender crust. Since each version is simple to make, you can quickly create either one for a summer picnic or patriotic party. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

10. Watermelon Feta Flag Salad

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Our family celebrates the Fourth of July with a watermelon salad that resembles the flag. Here’s an all-American centerpiece that’s truly red, white and blue. —Jan Whitworth, Roebuck, South Carolina

11. Patriotic Cookie & Cream Cupcakes

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Bring on the red, white, and blue with this creative cupcake cake perfect for the 4th of July, Memorial Day or any favorite occasion. With some delicious and colorful frosting and a careful arrangement, your sweet display will be a patriotic nod to our great American flag. —Rebecca Wetherbee, Marion, Ohio

12. Razzy Jazzy Berry Tarts

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I serve these fresh-fruit tarts every July at my family’s Independence Day celebration. Sometimes I substitute blackberries with blackberry jam, and I often add slivered almonds to the fillings. —Nicole Chatron, Tulsa, Oklahoma

13. American Flag Berry Pie

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We have Fourth of July at my home every year and this is the delicious pie I always serve. My family always enjoys it because it is so festive. —Sherry R Clubine, Independence, Kansas