Saint Patrick’s Day is around the corner. Stores are abuzz with all things green and Google is abuzz with the sharp uptick in people looking up the spelling of “leprechaun.” Meanwhile, we’re planning our annual SPD party and saving all these incredible St. Patrick’s Day desserts.
Some are looking to celebrate with more than just a pint of beer – in a way that is not just multiple pints of beer. With flavors like mint, pistachio, and matcha at the forefront, we’d have been much happier kids if this is what it meant to eat our greens.
Whether you’re pre-gaming for a pub crawl or having a quiet gathering to marinate in nostalgia over the 2001 Disney masterpiece The Luck of the Irish, these delicious St. Paddy’s desserts are even better than dry fistfuls of Lucky Charms. High praise, we know.
22 St. Patrick’s Day Desserts
1. Rainbow Unicorn Cake
In the case of this rainbow unicorn cake, the gold at the end of the rainbow is actually a giant glob of frosting. Given the interest rates going on, we’ll take it.
2. Irish Potato Candy
Despite our steadfast belief that there’s never a bad time or place for potatoes, we were relieved to learn these Irish potato candies are not made with potatoes, but rather made to look like potatoes.
They’re also not Irish, but they’re tasty enough to forgive the lies. Maybe we’d still be with our ex if they were also made of butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon.
3. Bailey’s Cheesecake
Bailey’s Irish Cream and cheesecake have a lot in common. They’re both sweet, smooth, and rich.
These are all qualities we’re looking for on Tinder, but we’ll happily take them in our fridge, especially on top of a graham cracker crust.
4. Matcha Chiffon Cake
Between the sophisticated flavor of matcha and the delicate, fluffy texture of chiffon cake, this dessert is the perfect way to add some class to your St. Paddy’s gathering.
This is for the kind of party so fancy that you don’t slam beers out of frosted glasses, but frosted monocles.
5. Orange Pistachio Shortbread
Shortbread is peak UK, but the addition of green pistachio and orange zest gives it the Irish spirit, even without any Jameson (the other type of Irish spirit).
6. Rainbow Pudding Cups
This creative concoction is perfect for entertainers who want all the festivity and none of the baking. These rainbow pudding cups are a genius use of pre-made pudding cups, sour rainbow belts, mini marshmallows, and the creator’s brilliant noggin.
Assembly is easy, the final product is fun, and you can take all the time you would have spent baking to bask in the glow of all the compliments you’ll get.
7. Shamrock Rice Krispy Treats
Rice Krispies are an all-ages, every occasion, year-long snack, but their second best quality (besides being delicious) is how versatile they are.
They’re easily colored and shaped, simple to make, and a festive crowd favorite. Plus, we love supporting a family business. Hope you make it big, Snap, Crackle, and Pop!
8. Pot of Gold Cookies
While we’re perfectly satisfied with cookies being a landing zone for chocolate chips, these serve as the set for a rainbow and a pot of gold.
On a base of easy cake mix cookies, you can create an iconic St. Paddy’s snippet with a Reese’s miniature cup, gold sprinkles, sour rainbow belts, and some more Reese’s cups. Those last ones are for if you get hungry while baking.
9. Chocolate Pudding Cakes
Chocolate? Pudding? Cake? Talk about starting off good and just getting better. These decadent chocolate cakes are gooey on the inside, fortified with rich flavors of Guinness stout and molasses, and calling our names.
It’s recommended to serve with salted caramel sauce, fresh whipped cream, and a disclaimer agreement your guests have to sign acknowledging that everything else in life will seem disappointing after these cakes.
10. Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Hey Girl Scouts, we can make our own mint chocolate cookies now. How does it feel knowing we don’t need you anymore? As good as taunting little girls feels for us? Ahem.
But it is freeing to know we can whip up our own marriage of mint, chocolate, and cookie in a treat that’s sweet, chewy, and comes together quickly.
11. Bailey’s Chocolate Poke Cake
This dessert is a lot like our favorite parties: starts with chocolate cake, ends with Bailey’s whipped cream, and involves a lot of each in the meantime.
This recipe starts with a moist chocolate cake that gets soaked with a mixture of chocolate, Bailey’s, and sweetened condensed milk.
12. Irish Marshmallow Pops
If you’re looking for a simple treat that’s still cute, festive, and fun, these marshmallow pops are a great option. With only a few pre-made ingredients, you can turn marshmallows, white chocolate, and shamrock sprinkles into a kid-friendly activity that doubles as a sweet snack later.
These have all the on-the-stick appeal of cake pops, but don’t involve nearly as many instances of defeated pleas with the kids to stop molding the pops after licking their full palms.
13. Mint Brownies with Chocolate Ganache
Not only are these fudgy, tasty, and practically screaming St. Paddy’s: they also sneak in some extra protein.
The unorthodox additions of vanilla protein powder and black beans might conjure memories of the gym smoothie bar, but nothing makes things palatable like a layer of mint cream cheese and chocolate ganache. Very clever, brownies. Very clever, indeed.
14. Matcha Brownies
We’re dealing with an existential crisis after reading this recipe. Is white chocolate a chocolate? Is it enough of a chocolate to turn this from a blondie to a brownie? Could it even be a blondie if it’s green from the matcha? Would something called a “greenie” sell?
We don’t have any of these answers, but we think we’ll need to think about them with sufficient brain fuel in the form of at least three pans of these.
15. Mint Muddy Buddies
Muddy Buddies are grazeable, shareable, scalable, and can easily be made festive. These sport their Irish spirit with green candy melts, mint M&M’s, and Andes mints to the classic sweetened Chex base.
A big bowl of this is so tasty and so munchable, it’s usurping the water cooler as a congregation point.
16. Irish Bread Pudding
Sometimes, committing to beige gives “sad Millennial,” but committing strategically enough can land you with a sophisticated look that translates to “party time, but with your pinkies up.”
Bread pudding may not sound flashy, but it’s simple, satisfying, and versatile. This version gives a nod to the Irish with the addition of whiskey, and we give a nod to anyone who asks us if we want seconds.
17. Pistachio Pudding Mix Cookies
We love pistachios for their complex flavor and vibrant green color, but we don’t love their steep price and the time we’re forced to spend alone with our thoughts while we shell enough of them to satisfy us.
Thankfully, pistachio pudding mix is to the rescue. It lends the flavor of pistachio to cookies that come together with flour, butter, sugar, milk, and all that time you now have because you’re not nursing fingertips that have been cut up by sharp pistachio shells.
18. Avocado Pie Recipe
Do yourselves a favor and follow the recipe instead of just reading the name and dumping guac and sugar into a pie tin. Trust us.
Not only is this dish unapologetically green, but it’s a refreshingly sweet approach to toast’s trendy partner in crime. And, it leans into the green with the inclusion of lime, mint, and pistachios. Does it have Irish roots? No, but we doubt anybody is going to kick you out of their St. Paddy’s potluck if you roll in with this.
19. Matcha Bark
This green bark is delicious, but don’t get it twisted: the green bark on your trees is moss. We’ve been burned before.
You know what hasn’t been burned? This bark, because it requires no baking and comes together quickly on a base of white chocolate, matcha powder, and add-ons of your choice.
20. St. Patrick’s Cookies and Buttercream Dip
90’s kids are still rejoicing from the revival of Dunkaroos, and it’s no wonder: cookies you can dip in frosting has always been a good idea, and the integration of St. Paddy’s only makes the concept stronger.
Starting with green sprinkle-studded shamrock sugar cookies and pairing them with equally festive frosting is sure to make this the success of your dessert table. It will consequently earn you the approval of your in-laws, life-long prosperity, and ten million dollars.
21. Bailey’s Brownies
Starting a dessert with brownies is like starting Everest from a helicopter. You’re already at the peak. That is, until you add a generous layer of Bailey’s frosting and Bailey’s chocolate ganache.
That’s like flying the helicopter way into the stratosphere – partially because it fits with the metaphor of taking things above and beyond. Partially because the pilot is now a little buzzed on Bailey’s.
22. Pot of Gold Rainbow Truffles
These truffles may not be as overtly “St. Patrick’s Day” as a shamrock cookie, but biting into the chocolate coating unleashes a truffle of rainbow color, Oreo flavor, and true St. Paddy’s spirit.
You could decorate them to look like gold, but we’re honestly more excited by a pot of candy, and we’re pretty sure Trader Joe’s doesn’t accept gold anyway.
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