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Budget Patriotic Dessert Recipe Easy Perfect for Feeding a Crowd

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A simple, colorful, and budget-friendly layered dessert featuring a crunchy graham cracker crust, creamy vanilla pudding and whipped cream layer, topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries. Perfect for Fourth of July or any festive gathering.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 package (14 oz / 400 g) graham crackers or digestive biscuits, crushed
  • 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 packages (3.4 oz / 96 g each) instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 3 cups (720 ml) cold milk (whole or 2%)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)
  • 1 ½ cups (225 g) fresh strawberries, sliced
  • 1 ½ cups (225 g) fresh blueberries
  • Optional: fresh mint leaves for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers, melted butter, and granulated sugar. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand.
  2. Pour the mixture into your 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish and press down firmly with the back of a spoon or your fingers to create an even layer. Bake for 8–10 minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool completely (about 15 minutes).
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and cold milk for about 2 minutes until thickened. Let it sit for 5 minutes to fully set.
  4. While pudding sets, in a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar (if using) until soft peaks form (3–5 minutes with an electric mixer).
  5. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until fully combined and smooth, keeping it light and airy.
  6. Spread the pudding-cream mixture evenly over the cooled crust. Use a spatula to smooth the surface.
  7. Arrange sliced strawberries on one side of the dish, blueberries on the other, and leave a stripe of white pudding in the middle to mimic the flag’s colors. Garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired.
  8. Refrigerate the dessert for at least 2 hours, or overnight if possible, to allow the layers to set and flavors to meld.

Notes

Chill mixing bowl and beaters before whipping cream for best results. Use room temperature milk for pudding to avoid lumps. Press crust firmly and evenly to prevent crumbling. Fold whipped cream gently into pudding to keep it fluffy. Add berries just before serving to prevent bleeding colors. Dessert can be made a day ahead and chilled overnight for best flavor and set.

Nutrition

Keywords: patriotic dessert, budget dessert, Fourth of July dessert, layered dessert, easy dessert, crowd-pleaser, graham cracker crust, vanilla pudding, whipped cream, fresh berries

Find it online: https://sweetstirring.com/budget-patriotic-dessert-recipe-easy-perfect-for-feeding-a-crowd/