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4th of July is one of my favorite holidays to host! If you’re hosting a BBQ this year and want to wow with a no-bake, kid-friendly dessert, make this American flag candy board for an easy, patriotic centerpiece. Flag cakes always get all the attention, but who wants to turn on their oven in the heat of July? 

I could be biased because you know I’d opt for a candy dessert any day (ahem, see my candy boards!), but if you don’t have a sweet tooth like me, try celebrating with some of my other festive ideas, like my Red White and Burrata Appetizer Board, Bring Your Own Hot Dog Board, S’mores Dip, Seafood Board, or Proud to Brie an American Board!

Fourth of July Candy Colors

Full disclosure, I could have planned this board out a bit more, and I’ll give you all the ways I think you can improve on mine. I made this board as a last-minute idea with the candy I had in my pantry (I know, it’s a lot). 

For the white stars, I think a more clearly contrasting color would make a bigger impact. I used blue and white sour rings, and they give the idea of blue and white, but at least one all-white item would have stood out more. 

In the stripes, I recommend repeating candies throughout to make a more uniform pattern that really pops. I.e., instead of mixing white pretzels, cake bits, and the skeleton gummies, I would have either used all white pretzels or limited it to two white candies and alternated them in each stripe. 

The same goes for the red candies. I would have kept the red candies consistent here, but limited it to two types—I really love the lip gummies and the licorice wheels. If I did this over, I would have alternated them within each red stripe, just like the white ones. 

The rock candy didn’t really need to be in there. I cut the bottom of the rock candy stick to make it work on this board, but it’s not very practical to have pieces without the sticks. If you do it, just be careful, especially with kids!

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American Flag Candy Ingredients

Here is a list of everything I used…

Red

• Heart Gummies
• Red Butterfly Gummies
• Red Rock Candy
• Red Lip Gummies
• Red Licorice Ropes
• Red and White Sour Gummy Skulls
• Red Gummy Bears, optional

White

• Yogurt Covered Pretzels
• White Chocolates with Red and White Sprinkles

Blue

• Blue Sour Gummy Tape
• Blue Gummy Bears
• Blue and White Sour Gummy Rings

How to Make a 4th of July Shaped Candy Board

Okay, first things first, to really get a true visual of a flag, it’s best to use a rectangular board (if all you have is a round board, see my round board instructions below!). Then, to distinguish the blue star section from the stripes, I placed a square platter on the top left-hand corner of the board that measures approximately one-third of the board’s width.

• First, add a square dish to the top left corner of a large, rectangular board.
• Working from the top of the board (to the right of the square dish), add a single line of gummy hearts that reaches the right edge of the board. Then add a single line of gummy butterflies, followed by a single line of yogurt-covered pretzels, a double, layered line of red rock candy, a single line of white chocolates, a single line of lip gummies, another line of pretzels, a single line of red licorice ropes, and finally a single line of red and white skulls.
• Add the blue sour tape and blue gummy bears to the dish. Then add the blue and white gummy rings on top in a pattern to emulate the stars on the flag.
• You can also add extra red and blue gummies in festive dishes on the side.

Pro tips:

• These candy scoops are my preferred method of serving, but you can always put out tongs (that’s what most candy stores use). 
• If you anticipate having leftovers, you can put out baggies for people to take candy home (great for kids’ parties!).

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Turn Your Dessert Flag into a Round Board

If you don’t have a rectangular board, you have options. I made a different version of this board, using mostly the same candy (see the additional types listed below), just not in the shape of a flag. Don’t worry! It’s just as festive. I used star-shaped bowls (you could place candy inside of a cookie cutter as well) to add the shape. Then I layered in sections of my red, white, and blue candies. (The rock candy works really well in this form!) 

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Additional Candy Options

• Red Vines or Twizzlers
• Red Gummy Bears
• Swedish Fish
• Sour Blue Soda
• Sockerbit White Candies (M&Ms or Jordan Almonds would work too!)
• Red and White Striped Peppermint Sticks
• Reese’s White Minis Unwrapped
• Blue Rock Candy
• Raspberry gummies
• Sockerbit Marianne Toffee

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4th of July Candies: Where to Shop

One of my favorite parts of building a candy board is shopping for goodies. You can certainly find some good options in big box and/or grocery stores, but to get really creative, the best bet is to shop small at local or specialty candy stores.

My absolute favorite place to buy candy is Sockerbit. It’s Swedish candy of the highest quality. The company uses all-natural colors, plus there is no high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, or GMOs. There are locations in LA and NYC, but you can also order online. 

IKEA sells candy that is very similar to Sockerbit in their Food Market (the one after checkout, not the cafeteria).  

Dylan’s Candy Bar is ah-mazing. You can find just about anything in any color! There’s a gigantic section of M&M’s and Jelly Beans in every color imaginable that correspond with any holiday design you want. 

My local CVS has great candy classics. I can usually find lots of fun shapes of red licorice there, too. 

Party City has some good color options for parties. This is where I got the rock candy on a stick.  That said, in my experience, I’ve found that their candy isn’t always as fresh as other places, so I always do a taste test before serving. 

4th of July Candy Drink Pairings

When it comes to pairing candy with drinks, there’s really no wrong answer! It’s all about what you like since, unlike dinner, candy isn’t meant to be eaten in huge volumes over the course of a meal.

Alcoholic

• Strawberry Daiquiris

• Red or White Sangria
• 4th of July Punch 
• Strawberry and Sparkling Rose Punch 
• Your favorite wine, though I prefer light and fruity!

Pro tip: The key is to balance flavors! The more sour the candy, the drier the wine. The sweeter candy goes best with buttery, not sweet wines. That said, fruit candy is delicious with fruity wine.

• Sour candy → Sauvignon Blanc
• Super sweet candy → Chardonnay
• Fruit candy → Rosé

Non-Alcoholic

• Homemade lemonade
• Sweet tea
• Cherry Coke
• 4th of July Mocktail 
• Root Beer Float

Want to add cheese into the mix? Take a look at my Cheese and Candy Pairings for inspo!

Show Me Your Boards

Nothing makes me happier than your take on my boards. If you make a spread inspired by this post, please tag me at @ainttoooproudtomeg and use #AintTooProudToSweet so I can see and share!

And, if you liked this board recipe, please rate and review.