When it comes to holidays, St. Patrick’s day isn’t usually the most popular one to celebrate. Everybody still has to go to work and school, and if you don’t have Irish roots, it’s easy to forget about the day altogether. That’s a shame, though, because it’s the perfect time to get creative with some fun, festive (green!) desserts, without the pressure that major holidays tend to bring. Plus, with all the talk of magic and rainbows and leprechauns, it’s one of the most fun holidays to celebrate with kids.
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And of course, your kids are going to want to help make a festive dessert to celebrate the holiday. The key to a festive dessert that won’t take hours is keeping it simple by using candies, sprinkles, and food coloring as edible decorations. You can go all-out and dye cake batter several different colors for a rainbow or keep things super simple with dipped Oreos or candy-covered chocolate bark. The 13 Saint Patrick’s Day dessert ideas below are fun to eat and fun to make, and all of them are perfect for little helping hands. Whether you’re looking for something to bring to a school party, or just want a special after-dinner treat, there’s something here for you.
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Saint Patrick’s Day parfait
These green parfaits are layered and fun, but putting them together is easy: Just whip up some instant pudding, add some green food coloring, and layer it with cool whip, brownies, and mint chocolate candies.
Get the recipe from Sincerely Jane.
Leprechaun bark
If you don’t feel like dealing with getting food coloring everywhere, this easy leprechaun bark gets its color from rainbow candy and sprinkles.
Get the recipe from Classy Mommy.
Pot of gold Oreos
These souped-up pot of gold Oreos are undeniably fun, and the only “cooking” necessary is melting chocolate.
Get the recipe from Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons.
Luck of the Irish cake balls
Cake balls are a little fussy, sure, but it’s pretty fun to mush up cake and roll it into balls.
Get the recipe from The Good Stuff.
Saint Patrick’s Day green and white bundt cake
This green and white bundt cake is super colorful, but you don’t have to be precise with drizzling the frosting. In other words, it’s a kid-friendly task.
Get the recipe from Love From the Oven.
Rainbow cake roll
Admittedly, this rainbow cake roll is more of an intermediate-level dessert. You’ll need a piping bag for each different color batter you use, but other than that, it’s as easy as cake (heh).
Get the recipe from Tablespoon.
Lucky Charms surprise-inside cupcakes
Want a simple, miniature take on the surprise-inside cake? Try these green surprise-inside cupcakes, which house Lucky Charms marshmallows under a thick smear of frosting.
Get the recipe from Desert Chica.
Saint Patrick’s Day sugar cookie bars
Sugar cookie bars are an anytime classic, but here they get holiday treatment with a spread of green topping and some festive nonpareils.
Get the recipe from Over the Big Moon.
McDonald’s copycat shamrock shake
There’s no heat required to throw together this thick, creamy, mega-satisfying shamrock shake. And, the whole ordeal only takes about a minute!
Get the recipe from Dinner Then Dessert.
Saint Patrick’s Day popcorn
If fishing the shamrock sprinkles out of a box of Lucky Charms seems like a little too much work for a bowl of green-flecked popcorn, use a little bit of green food coloring to dye mini marshmallows instead.
Get the recipe from Two Sisters Crafting.
Saint Patrick’s Day trail mix
You don’t need to be mid-hike to enjoy this sweet, chocolatey St. Patrick’s Day trail mix.
Get the recipe from Pretty Providence.
Marshmallow leprechaun hats
These adorable leprechaun hats are all about assembly, so it helps to have plenty of little hands available to help.
Get the recipe from Lady and the Blog.
Green Rice Krispies treats
If you want an easy dessert that’ll feed a crowd, it doesn’t get much simpler than these green Rice Krispies treats.
Get the recipe from Classy Clutter.
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