Bring on the Baileys.
While St. Patrick’s Day is typically known for being a primarily adult holiday, what with all the booze and strong flavors (hello, corned beef and cabbage), we’re here to tell you—it can also be totally family-friendly (with an emphasis on the treats). We think one of the best ways to do that is to add some desserts to your holiday spread. Whether you go with light-hearted, fun options or more traditional Irish-inspired fare, these 35 St. Patty's Day desserts are sure to be beloved by all, kids and adults alike.
When it comes to conventional Irish desserts, we’ve got to admit we’re taking some liberties. Our fave on this list, Irish soda bread, doesn’t usually contain any add-ins, much less the chocolate chips we’ve included (but they’re delicious!). What’s more standard than fruit scones or our Irish apple cake—we love fruit desserts because they feel slightly lighter, so we’ve included apple crumble and apple crisp too. They’re great for a little something sweet after a hearty Irish-themed dinner.
Speaking of dinner, while the green in our main meals often comes from spinach and kale this time of year, for dessert we’re turning to green food dye. If you’re like us, you’ve got some kicking around just waiting to be put to good use (maybe from making some green beer last year?). Lucky for you, it pairs perfectly with rainbow-hued or minty desserts. Our St. Patrick's Day cake or cupcakes take full advantage of the full array of colors, but feel free to get creative. As for mint, we think it and chocolate are a classic combo that's not just for Christmas anymore. We’re using it here in everything from our mint chocolate chip pie to our mint chip "lasagna” (where chocolate pudding + Oreos replace ricotta and noodles 😍).
And don’t worry, we’ve snuck in plenty of alcoholic desserts in here too. Baileys Irish Cream and Guinness are the classics this time of year–try them in our skillet fudgy brownie pudding, our Baileys cheesecake, our chocolate Guinness cake, or our Baileys truffles, then get creative. A little booze can add depth of flavor to almost any dessert you can imagine.
Looking for something over-the-top cute for your celebration? Everyone will love our shamrock cookies, our leprechaun bait, our pot o' gold cups, or our Irish potato candy (coconut truffles that just look like potatoes). Kids will flip over them, and even miserly adults who don't care for adorable can enjoy—they count as something green, so there's no fear of getting pinched!
1
Skillet Fudgy Brownie Pudding
This recipe has everything you love about a typical brownie, but with a fun twist: It has Baileys in the batter and in the whipped cream, making it the perfect dessert for St. Patrick's Day and all year round.
Get the Skillet Fudgy Brownie Pudding recipe.
2
Irish Potato Candy
Don’t worry, this confection from Philadelphia only looks like cute little potatoes, and actually contains no spuds at all! Imagine the texture of a chocolate truffle but with cream cheese, coconut, and vanilla instead. The outside is coated in ground cinnamon, giving it an uncanny likeness to the real thing.
Get the Irish Potato Candy recipe.
3
Irish Apple Cake
This tender apple cake is jam-packed with fruit, which is why we think it's perfectly appropriate to eat a slice for dessert or breakfast. Don't skip the custard sauce—it's traditional and delicious to boot.
Get the Irish Apple Cake recipe.
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4
Bailey’s Chocolate Cream Pie
Who said St. Patty’s Day desserts need to be bright green? Try this delicious pie of chocolatey boozy fun instead! This no-bake twist on a classic chocolate cream pie is the perfect dessert for your holiday festivities or a clever way to use up Baileys left over from the party.
Get the Bailey’s Chocolate Cream Pie recipe.
5
St. Patrick's Day Cake
We think we found our pot of gold with this epic top hat-shaped rainbow cake. While it does take a bit of time to assemble, it's actually pretty straight-forward. Once you start assembling the layers, the tricky part is done—just don’t forget to fill your cake with Lucky Charms before putting the top layer on!
Get the St. Patrick's Day Cake recipe.
6
Perfect Fruit Scones
Fruit scones are meant to be seasonal, so use your favorite farmers' market fruit (or whatever you need to use up in your fridge). Serve with some ice cream for an Irish shortcake-inspired dessert.
Get the Perfect Fruit Scones recipe.
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7
Pot O' Gold Cups
If the end of the rainbow led to these mini desserts, honestly we wouldn't be disappointed in the slightest. They're made from box brownie mix (although you can make homemade brownies if you prefer), then decorated with whipped cream "clouds," a candy rainbow belt, and gold sprinkles. Have fun with it!
Get the Pot O' Gold Cups recipe.
8
Chocolate Shortbread
If you’re looking for an easy and classic addition to your baking repertoire, chocolate shortbread should be your next bake. Slightly crisp with a meltingly tender texture, they're the perfect cookie alternative to your usual shortbread this St. Patrick's Day.
Get the Chocolate Shortbread recipe.
9
St. Patrick's Day Cookies
Is there any cuter way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than with shamrock-shaped cookies? Our easy sugar cookie recipe always keeps its shape while baking so you can relax knowing all of your leaves will come out perfectly round and defined. We love decorating with royal icing, but you could use a simple buttercream frosting if you prefer.
Get the St. Patrick's Day Cookies recipe.
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10
Irish Soda Bread
Though the dough for this quick bread recipe is rather traditional, how we serve it (with chocolate 😅) is not. If you want to bake up a classic loaf, skip the mini chocolate chips and don't sprinkle extra sugar on top. Personally, we really love our sweeter, chocolatey version, but a plain slice served warm with salty Irish butter is just as amazing.
Get the Irish Soda Bread recipe.
11
St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes
Don’t just make plain old cupcakes for your St. Patty’s Day bash—make these adorable rainbow-topped cupcakes that taste as good as they look! They’re nothing more complicated than a moist, vanilla cupcake with a rich buttercream frosting, but with some green food coloring, a rainbow candy belt, and clever piping, you can turn these into a super-festive treat.
Get the St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes recipe.
12
Millionaire Shortbread
Buttery shortbread is already a favorite Irish sweet, but these are made extra special with layers of gooey caramel and chocolate. You'll feel like you found that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow when you eat them!
Get the Millionaire Shortbread recipe.
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13
Baileys Cheesecake Cups
Brownies, cheesecake, and booze? We'll call that a holy trinity. We use a box brownie mix, but by all means feel free to try our homemade brownie recipe.
Get the Baileys Cheesecake Cups recipe.
14
Butter Cookies
These little guys might look simple, but they're dangerously good. There's a healthy dose of salt in the dough, making it easy to down 4 or 5 without overdosing on sugar. Use sweet-and-salty Irish Kerrygold butter to make them extra delicious.
Get the Butter Cookies recipe.
15
Leprechaun Bait
We went with Lucky Charms and green M&M's for added St. Paddy's Day flair, but like any party mix, this is completely customizable! Feel free to get creative with this mix, but whatever you do, don't forget the green. 😉
Get the Leprechaun Bait recipe.
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16
Baileys Cheesecake
This creamy, decadent cheesecake is made even MORE creamy and decadent with the addition of Baileys. And don't worry if yours cracks while baking—that's what the ganache is for!
Get the Baileys Cheesecake recipe.
17
Apple Coffee Cake
Apples work wonders in this easy coffee cake. They add sweetness as well as making the cake moist and tender. We love it with Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples, but your favorite baking apple will do the trick!
Get the Apple Coffee Cake recipe.
18
Baileys Brownies
Just when you thought brownies couldn't get any better, we added booze in the form of a Baileys fudge frosting. You're welcome.
Get the Baileys Brownies recipe.
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19
Lucky Charms Bars
Though we never tire of Rice Krispies treats, sometimes we like to mix it up. These Lucky Charms treats serve a double-dose of marshmallows and are extra cute for St. Patrick's Day too.
Get the Lucky Charms Bars recipe.
20
Mudslide No-Churn Ice Cream
If you love Mudslides (and we bet you do!), you've gotta make this no-churn ice cream. All you need is 6 ingredients, and you'll be on your way to boozy dessert bliss.
Get the Mudslide No-Churn Ice Cream recipe.
