17 Easy St. Patrick's Day Treats the Whole Family Can Make

Kids like to help in the kitchen — whether we want them to or not. These easy St. Patrick’s Day treats are all kid-level simple, so let them take the lead while you play the helper. Don’t worry, we also have some St. Patrick’s Day kids crafts to keep them busy, too.

If your kind of treat is in the form of a green milkshake, McDonald’s Shamrock Shake is sure to give you and the kids the kind of jolt needed to get through the day. To keep the sugar intake low, I’ve added some healthy options to balance the family fun. Most of the treats stick to the green theme, and they add some festive cheer to your holiday celebrations.

Head to the Krazy Coupon Lady’s St. Patrick’s Day deals page for the latest Shamrock discounts. And find out what to stock up on for March — it’s not all St. Patty’s Day items. Text DEALS to 57299 to get alerts on the latest sales when they drop.

 

1. Add green food coloring to your favorite pancake mix.

Start your St. Patrick’s Day with a big stack of pancakes featuring some green flair. Add a few drops of green food coloring or matcha powder to your pancake mix. Top it with whipped cream and Lucky Charms — because you can never have enough sugar (ha-ha).

2. Create rainbow fruit skewers for a nutritious alternative.

For a St. Patrick’s Day twist on fruit skewers, you can use mostly green and yellow fruits to create a “pot of gold” effect at the end of the skewer. Here’s one way to make them:

Ingredients:

• Green grapes
• Pineapple chunks
• Mango chunks
• Pineapple chunks
• Bananas, sliced
• Strawberries
• Skewers

Instructions:

1. Remove the stems from the strawberries and grapes. Wash and dry them.
2. Cut the pineapple and mango into small chunks.
3. Cut the bananas into thin slices.
4. Thread the fruits onto the skewers in rainbow order (ROYGBIV), starting with the green grapes, then the pineapple, mango, banana slices, and strawberries.
5. Assemble several skewers and place them in a tall glass or vase filled with gold-wrapped candies or chocolate coins. This creates a “pot of gold” effect at the bottom.

Serve the fruit skewers immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. This colorful and festive treat is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations or any occasion that calls for a healthy and fun snack.

 

Related: Save on your favorite fruits and vegetables with produce coupons.

 

3. Make some easy green velvet cupcakes with your favorite cake mix.

Turn a classic dessert into a way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Make a box of red velvet or German chocolate cake mix as directed, and add a few drops of green food coloring. Bake the cupcakes, top with green frosting, and finish with a festive treat pick.

 

4. Make a simple mint ice cream sundae with just four ingredients.

This easy and delicious dessert is perfect for any occasion, but especially for St. Patrick’s Day. Customize it with other toppings such as chopped nuts, caramel sauce, or fresh berries.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups mint chocolate chip ice cream
• 1/4 cup chocolate sauce
• 1/4 cup whipped cream
• 1 tablespoon crushed chocolate wafer cookies

Instructions:

1. Scoop the mint chocolate chip ice cream into a serving dish or bowl.
2. Drizzle some of the chocolate over the ice cream.
3. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.
4. Sprinkle the crushed chocolate wafer cookies over the whipped cream.

Serve immediately. We have ice cream coupons!

5. Put a St. Patrick’s twist on an old staple with cereal Krispie Treats.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter and an entire 10-ounce bag of mini marshmallows in the microwave. Then mix in 6 cups of Fruit Loops or Lucky Charms.

Press the mixture into a greased 8×8 pan and try not to eat them until they cool — but you probably will, and we get that. For a portable idea, cut them into rectangles and insert a lollipop stick. Use Kellogg’s and cereal coupons before you stock up on cereal for this treat.

6. Create some shamrock cookies that’ll make St. Patrick proud.

Use a sugar cookie dough, a few drops of green food coloring, and cut out shapes with shamrock cookie cutters. Decorate with chocolate drizzle and shamrock sprinkles.

7. Try a treat without the extra sugar and make a green smoothie.

We told you we’d have some healthy and easy St. Patrick’s Day treats. Blend spinach, banana, pineapple, and coconut milk in a blender to create a healthy and festive green smoothie.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spinach
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
• 1 cup coconut milk (or almond milk)

Instructions:

1. Add the spinach, banana, and pineapple to a blender.
2. Pour in the coconut milk.
3. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
4. If the smoothie is too thick, add a little more coconut milk until it reaches the desired consistency.

 

 

8. Use M&M’s, sprinkles, mini marshmallows, and rainbow sour strips to make leprechaun bark.

Melt milk chocolate in the microwave according to the package directions, then spread it out on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Immediately sprinkle the rest of your ingredients. Chill for at least an hour and then break it all apart.

Another idea is mint chocolate bark. Try this recipe:

Melt dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, then stir in some peppermint extract and green food coloring. Pour the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer. Sprinkle crushed Oreos or Andes mints on top and let the bark set in the fridge before breaking it into pieces.

 

9. Make cake pops special with green candy melts.

These easy St. Patrick’s Day treats are a festive take on cake pops, perfect for parties or as a gift for friends and family. You can also use different colored candy melts and sprinkles to create other themed cake pops for different occasions.

Ingredients:

• 1 box cake mix, baked and cooled
• 1/2 can frosting
• 1 bag green candy melts
• Lollipop sticks
• Sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Once the cake is cooled, crumble it into a large bowl.
2. Add the frosting and mix well until a dough forms.
3. Roll the mix into small balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Insert a lollipop stick into each ball.
5. Freeze the cake pops for 30 minutes to set.
6. Melt the green candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl according to the package instructions.
7. Dip each cake pop into the melted candy, shaking off any excess.
8. Sprinkle the cake pops with green sprinkles while the candy coating is still wet.
9. Place the cake pops back on the parchment paper to dry, and let the candy coating set.

10. Toss together some popcorn and food coloring for a St. Patty’s Day snack mix.

Pop a bag of plain buttered (not kettle) popcorn and set aside. To create the colors, add 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 – 2 drops of gel food coloring to separate bowls or zip-top bags. Depending on how many you choose, you’ll need 4 – 6 containers or bags.

One color at a time, heat the sugar mixture in a pan and evenly coat the popcorn in the mixture until your desired color is reached. Repeat for each color. Add all of the colored popcorn to a big bowl and enjoy!

I think popcorn, pretzels, and green M&M’s with a little melted chocolate drizzled over works really well, too. If the rainbow popcorn is a bit too involved, plain green popcorn is a bit simpler. Pop a bag of plain popcorn and sprinkle it with green candy melts or green Jello powder. Shake the popcorn to distribute the coating, then serve.

 

11. Bake Irish soda bread for a quick, yeast-free snack.

Make a simple Irish soda bread by combining 4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 3/4 cups of buttermilk, and 1/4 cup of melted butter. Knead the dough briefly, shape it into a round loaf, and bake it in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 – 50 minutes. Serve warm with butter and jam.

 

12. Make rainbow green cups with Jell-O.

What kid doesn’t like Jell-O? Make a package of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple Jello according to the directions on the box. Layer the colors in clear cups, letting each layer set before adding the next. Top with whipped cream or a gold candy coin.

 

13. Chill out on St. Patty’s Day with some lime floats made from sherbet and soda.

If you prefer to sip your easy St. Patrick’s Day treats, these lime sherbet and lemon-lime soda floats are refreshing and delicious. But you can also customize it by using different flavors of sherbet and soda or by adding whipped cream.

Ingredients:

• Lime sherbet
• Lemon-lime soda (such as Sprite or 7-Up)
• Lime slices (optional)

Instructions:

1. Scoop several small scoops of lime sherbet into a tall glass.
2. Pour the lemon-lime soda over the sherbet until the glass is about 3/4 full.
3. Stir the mixture gently with a spoon to combine.
4. Add a straw and a lime slice for garnish if desired.

If you can’t find lime sherbet, try rainbow sherbet.

 

 

14. Add green sprinkles to the frosting of a chocolate cake for an effortless treat.

Break out your favorite boxed chocolate cake or make it from scratch. In between the layers, add frosting for a multilayered look. Customize the cake by using green sprinkles or by adding other decorations, such as shamrock-shaped candies or whipped cream. This St. Patrick’s Day dessert is sure to be a hit with your friends and family.

 

15. Serve baked caramel apple donuts with a green glaze for your next St. Patrick’s Day party.

These baked caramel apple donuts with green apple glaze are delicious, fun, and easy St. Patrick’s Day treats. Make them unique by using different flavors of glaze or by adding other ingredients, such as chopped nuts or sprinkles.

Ingredients:

For the donuts:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped apples (peeled and cored)
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon apple juice
• Green food coloring

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F and spray a donut pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
3. Then in a separate bowl, whisk together the applesauce, milk, eggs, and melted butter.
4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Fold in the chopped apples and caramel sauce.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared donut pan, filling each mold about 3/4 full.
6. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the donuts comes out clean.
7. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and apple juice until smooth. Add green food coloring until it reaches the desired shade of green.
9. Dip or drizzle the top of each donut into the glaze, then return them to the wire rack to set.

 

16. Toss some mixed salad greens and other crunchy add-ons for a healthy option.

This salad is a refreshing side dish idea for St. Patrick’s Day, with the green peas, mixed greens, avocado, and apple providing a variety of textures and flavors. Add other vegetables or fruits, like cucumbers or grapes, for added crunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
• 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• 4 cups mixed greens (such as baby spinach, arugula, and kale)
• 1 apple, cored and diced

For the dressing:

 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook the green peas in a small pot of boiling water until they are tender, about 2 – 3 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, diced avocado, and diced apple.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, and salt and pepper to make the dressing.
4. Toss the salad with some of the dressing. Add the cooked green peas to the salad and toss gently.

 

17. Assemble a shamrock charcuterie board with all of your treats!

This shamrock charcuterie board is one of the best, easy St. Patrick’s Day savory treats to share with family and friends. Add some ideas from the other tips or use a combination of store-bought and homemade sweets, along with fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses.