41 Delicious St. Patrick's Day Desserts You'll Love More Than a Pot of Gold
Satisfy your sweet tooth with festive St. Patrick's Day desserts, including cute shamrock cookies, Irish creme cheesecake, and colorful rainbow cupcakes. Whether green, minty, or infused with lime, each of these St. Patrick's Day food ideas guarantees a lucky day.
Pot of Gold Rainbow Cake
This stunning surprise-inside cake only looks complicated. Fill your pot of gold with shiny gold candies ($5, Joann)Â and rock St. Paddy's Day!
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Leprechaun Bark
Swirled chocolate bark gets a St. Patrick's Day twist when topped with adorable mini leprechaun hats. Finish your homemade candy with colorful sprinkles and candies. Look for a bag of all-green M&Ms ($4, Walmart) to top off this treat.
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Pot o' Gold Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes
A cold pint of Guinness is a must-have on St. Patrick's Day, but this classic Irish flavor isn't just limited to the drink menu. Whip up a batch of these chocolate Guinness cupcakes—with a festive surprise inside. Gold and green sprinkles take these cupcakes from delicious to deliciously over-the-top for the holiday.
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Shamrock Cookies
Our adorable slice-and-bake St. Patrick's Day desserts are a snap to make. Be sure to chill the dough for at least 2 hours first. For playful shamrock-syle edging, roll the dough logs in green colored sugar ($2, Target).
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Hidden Clover Cupcakes
There's a surprise inside these green desserts for St. Patrick's Day! Slice into each chocolaty cupcake and reveal a lucky charm.
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Pistachio Bars
These gorgeous bars might be our new favorite St. Patrick's Day dessert. The recipe starts with a cocoa-infused graham cracker and pistachio crust. Finished with a buttery ganache on top, this decadent treat feature a creamy layer of pistachio flavor in its middle.
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Key Lime Pie
Try to resist a slice of this St. Patrick's Day pie. The combo of salty pretzel crust and tangy lime filling is sure to put a jig in your step.
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End-of-the-Rainbow Cupcakes
Who knew a basic cupcake recipe could transform into a colorful Irish dessert? Dazzle your guests with a colorful St. Patrick's Day snack—made with ingredients you probably already have on your shelf. Use a frosting bag kit ($15, Target) to create the colorful rainbow design on top.
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Chocolate Mojito Cupcakes
The whipped green frosting makes them perfect for the holiday; a splash of rum and fresh mint makes them mojito. This twist on a classic chocolate cupcake recipe will be the first to disappear from the St. Patrick's Day dessert table.
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Rainbow Fudge
This rainbow dessert for St. Patrick's Day is filled with colorful layers of sweet orange fudge. The technique is simple—you'll just need to allow time for each layer to set.
Test Kitchen Tip: Store this make-ahead St. Patrick's Day dessert in the refrigerator for up to two weeks before serving.
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Mint Greek Frozen Yogurt
This healthy St. Patrick's Day dessert will bring some chill to your holiday. Creamy frozen yogurt laced with mint is so easy to make. Whisk together all ingredients then freeze. Since it needs time to set in the freezer, be sure to make this a few hours before you plan to eat it.
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Coffee and Cookie Brownies
Embrace the holiday spirit, and pair these rich St. Patrick's Day desserts with a shot of Irish whiskey. The coffee-infused brownies require six ingredients, including store-bought cookie dough and a store-bought brownie mix ($2, Walmart). In other words, they're a snap to make.
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Ginger-and-Mint Lime Floats
Zippy floats infused with homemade ginger syrup are a tasty and easy St. Patrick's Day dessert. Lime sorbet and fresh mint lend a holiday-approved green hue to these sweet treats.
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Key Lime Pie Tassies
Cool citrus filling and a buttery base combine for a bite-size treat worth sharing. A bright, zesty filling adds irresistible flavor to these tiny tassies; a few drops of green food coloring give the filling its St. Patrick's Day hue. Top each of the Key lime treats with a dollop of whipped cream.
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Lime Lights
Gourmet Irish cookies in less than an hour? Now that's a brilliant St. Patrick's Day food idea. These crispy cookies feature chopped macadamia nuts in the batter and a smooth lime and cream cheese frosting.
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Jelly Bean Shamrock Cake
Arrange green jelly beans ($11, Walmart) on your favorite cake recipe for a simple dessert that's easy and impressive. This shamrock cake is perfect for an Irish-inspired St. Patrick's Day party.
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Mint Matcha Milk Shake
A shamrock cookie cutter ($7, Walmart) and matcha powder are all it takes to top these minty shakes with a sweet St. Patrick's Day garnish. Add chopped fresh mint to the base of the shake for a burst of fresh flavor.
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Creme de Menthe Brownies
How would a leprechaun serve a brownie? With a minty twist, of course! Add these fudge treats to your dessert spread and watch them disappear.
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Spearmint Whoopie Pies with White Chocolate Mascarpone
This cookie might top all other St. Patrick's Day desserts. Rich white chocolate mascarpone fills the fluffy whoopie pies. Crushed green spearmint candies ($1, Walmart) add crunch and an extra touch of holiday color.
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Black-and-White Irish Cream Cupcakes
Irish cream ganache and crunchy chopped coffee beans top this rich St. Patrick's Day dessert. And have no fear: That frosting design is made with a simple toothpick.
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Creme de Menthe Brownie Bites
If you need the perfect St. Patrick's Day desserts, look no further than these booze-infused brownies. Whip some creme de menthe—a mint-flavor liqueur—into your batter and frosting for darling brownie bites that crumble with cool minty flavor.
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Chocolate-Mint Thins
Half mint, half chocolate, one perfect St. Patrick's Day. We enhanced these Girl Scout cookie-inspired goodies with a drizzle of melted chocolate for an extra-special touch.
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Chocolate Irish Cream Cheesecake
Irish liqueur gives the creamy chocolate cheesecake a Dublin-approved spin. Make it the night before—this St. Patrick's Day dessert needs time to chill before serving.
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Shamrock Shake Cupcakes
Swirls of white chocolate frosting top these moist, mint-flavored St. Patrick's Day cupcakes. Wrap them with green cupcake liners ($1, Michaels) to make one of our favorite green desserts.
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Spearmint Dips
Nothing says festive like our adorable spearmint dips. A little food coloring and simple mint extract will help you bake a batch of these double-sided cookies. Dunk 'em in white chocolate then sprinkle with green jimmies.
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Creme de Menthe Cookies-and-Cream Tassies
If you need a festive dessert in a pinch, reach for these no-bake tassies. Store-bought phyllo shells and a 20-minute prep time make them a fabulous stress-free treat. The cute, store-bought-cookie topper just makes them more cute and delicious.
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Mint Chocolate Cookies
Dig out that box of plain sugar cookie mix hiding in your pantry and give it an Irish makeover. Mint-flavor chocolates and emerald-green candy toppers add charming appeal.
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Grasshopper Cupcakes
If you haven't guessed, we love chocolate and mint together. Here, minty frosting and a chocolate Herhsey's Kiss ($2, Walmart) sit atop a chocolate cupcake in our scrumptious St. Patrick's Day dessert.
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Lemon-Pistachio Checkerboards
This stylish St. Patrick's Day recipe is easier than you think: Simply alternate rolls of lemon and pistachio cookie dough for the checkerboard look.
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Wicked Good Whoopie Pies
These homemade whoopie pies are even better than finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow—really! Give the chocolate treats a bit of leprechaun flair by rolling the edges of the filling in rainbow sprinkles before serving.
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Green Tea Ice Cream
You'll surely be the only one toting this clever St. Patrick's Day food idea to the party. Turn natural green tea into chilly scoops of ice cream, then garnish each bowlful with cream-filled wafer cookies.
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White Chocolate and Creme de Menthe Shortbread
A frosty splash of creme de menthe livens up these dreamy white chocolate treats. Take the shortbread cookies over the edge by stirring a spoonful of mint extract into the glaze.
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Pecan-Crusted Mojito Bars
Freshen up your St. Patrick's Day desserts by adding lime-zested mojito bars to the mix. A sprinkling of powdered sugar adds subtle sweetness to the tart treats, while green garnishes give them true Irish flair.
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Cornmeal-and-Lime Butter Cookies
A hint of green and a dash of good luck top off these melt-in-your-mouth citrus butter cookies. At only 64 calories a pop, they're a St. Patrick's Day dessert worth celebrating.
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Key Lime Cheesecake Bars
There's no better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than with a dessert that's naturally green, like these cheesecake bars. The best part? They have only 150 calories per serving.
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Irish Creme Delights
Like snickerdoodles, these St. Patrick's Day desserts are rolled in cinnamon-sugar just before baking. The difference is a peppy splash of coffee liqueur added to the batter. Top off your cookies with our luscious homemade buttercream frosting.
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Lime and Ginger Chewies
Fresh ginger and lime make these cookies an unforgettable St. Patrick's Day food idea. And you can thank fresh lime zest for that holiday-perfect hint of green.
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Bread & Butter Pudding with Salted Caramel Whiskey Butter Sauce
This Irish bread pudding is one of our favorite traditional St. Patrick's Day desserts. If you have any of the Irish whiskey sauce left, pour it over ice cream!
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Stout Gingerbread with Lemony Hard Sauce
It doesn't get more festive than this St. Patrick's Day cake! A citrusy sauce takes this Guinness cake over the top.
Test Kitchen Tip: Make the sauce for this Irish dessert up at least 24 hours before serving!
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Copycat Chocolate-Mint Thin Cookies
Inspired by your favorite treat, these addicting chocolate St. Patrick's Day cookies will have you reaching for a second sweet. The crispy baked cookie is finished with a thick chocolate coating. Decorate them with shamrock-shaped green sprinkles ($1, Joann) for the holiday.
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Grilled Rainbow Fluffernutter
This gooey rainbow dessert is filled with creamy peanut butter, marshmallows, and colorful sprinkles. It's best served just after cooking—and with an extra dose of rainbow sprinkles ($2, Target).