7 St. Patrick’s Day Recipes You’ll Love

Looking for a festive and delicious way to start celebrating St. Paddy’s Day? Look no further! Check out Her Campus’s list of our favorite St. Patrick’s Day recipes to get you in the holiday spirit. But beware, after you make people these sweets, they’ll want to kiss you whether you’re Irish or not!

1. Green Velvet Cupcakes (makes 24 cupcakes)
Recipe from Love From The Oven

For a St. Patrick’s Day twist on a classic red velvet recipe, add green food coloring instead of red!

What You’ll Need

For the Cupcakes:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ounce green food coloring

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 package softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 package powdered sugar (2 pounds)
• Milk as needed

How to Make It

To Make the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease the cupcake pan or line it with cupcake liners.
3. Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with whisk.
4. Add in liquid ingredients, whisk until blended and sit aside.
5. Place all dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir together well.
6. Pour the entire bottle of green food coloring into the wet ingredients.
7. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or two until well combined.
8. Pour the batter into the cupcake pans.
9. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (about 16 minutes).
10. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes and then remove from pan.

To Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Cream together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth.
2. Gradually add in powdered sugar and continue mixing.
3. Add in milk as needed to get to the desired consistency.
4. Frost straight from the bowl or use a Ziploc bag to pipe it on.
5. Decorate!

2. Fizzy Mint Chocolate Soda (makes 4 servings)
Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens 

If you’re a sucker for a chilly root beer float, you’re sure to love this mint-chocolate substitute.

What You’ll Need

• 1/4 cup chocolate syrup
• 4 teaspoons crème de menthe or chocolate-mint flavor  
• 1 carton mint chocolate chip ice cream
• 2 cups carbonated water or cream soda, chilled

How to Make It

1. Pour 1 teaspoon of the chocolate syrup, then 1 teaspoon of the liqueur into each glass.
2. Add 2 scoops (1/2 cup) of mint chocolate chip ice cream to each glass.
3. Add 2 more teaspoons of chocolate syrup to each glass.
4. Slowly pour 1/2 cup carbonated water or cream soda into each glass for fizz. Serves four.

3. Rainbow Cake in a Jar (makes three jars)
Recipe from babble

Capture that end of the rainbow pot of gold in a jar and serve it at this year’s Paddy’s Day party!

What You’ll Need

• 1 box white cake mix prepared (but not baked) according to package instructions
• Neon food coloring in pink, yellow, green, turquoise, and purple
• 3 one-pint canning jars
• 1 can vanilla frosting
• Rainbow sprinkles

How to Make It

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly wash and dry the inside of each canning jar. Spray the inside of each jar thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Scoop about 1/2 cups of cake batter into five small bowls. Tint each bowl of cake batter with the food coloring until very vibrant.
3. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the purple batter into the bottom of each jar. Spoon equal amounts of turquoise batter, then green, yellow, and pink.
4. Place the jars in a shallow baking dish and add about 1/4 inch of water in the baking dish. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
5. Remove jars and allow to cool completely before scooping a small portion from the top of your cake and adding a hefty dollop of vanilla frosting to the top. Sprinkle and serve, or cover with a lid and store in the fridge.

4. Key Lime Cheesecake Bars (makes 9 servings)
Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Spread the luck of the Irish with this combination of key lime and cheesecake that’s sure to wow whoever tastes it.

What You’ll Need

• 6 squares low-fat honey graham crackers, finely crushed (1/2 cup)
• 2 tablespoons margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 4-ounce container sugar-free low-calorie lime-flavored gelatin
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 16-ounce container fat-free cottage cheese (1 3/4 cups)
• 8 oz fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1 8-ounce container frozen fat-free whipped dessert topping, thawed
• Key limes or regular limes, cut in wedges (optional)

How to Make It

1. In small bowl, combine graham crackers, margarine, and sugar. Press crumb mixture in the bottom of a 2-quart square baking dish. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
2. In large bowl, combine gelatin and water. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Set aside.
3. In blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese and cream cheese. Cover and blend or process until smooth, stopping several times to scrape down sides.
4. Whisk 1/2 cup of the cottage cheese mixture into the gelatin mixture. Whisk in remaining cottage cheese mixture until smooth. Fold in whipped dessert topping. Spoon filling over chilled crumb mixture.
5. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours or until filling is firm. To serve, cut in squares. Top with lime wedges.

5. Guinness Stout Brownies (makes 36 to 48 brownies, depending on cut size)
Recipe from About.com

The malt in the Guinness will intensify the chocolate flavor in these already delicious brownies! Enough said.

What You’ll Need

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted room temperature butter, cut into cubes
• 8 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup superfine or granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) Guinness Extra Stout beer, at room temperature (do not include foam in measurement)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/8 cup (approximate) confectioners' sugar for dusting

How to Make It

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
3. Melt butter, bittersweet chocolate, and white chocolate chips in a double boiler over very low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat. If you don’t have a double boiler, place the ingredients in a metal bowl over a smaller saucepan of simmering water (although the bowl should not come in direct contact with the water).
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy (about three minutes). Add melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined.
5. Beat reserved flour mixture into melted chocolate mixture. Whisk in Guinness stout beer. The batter will seem a bit thin. Drop semisweet chocolate chips evenly on top of batter (some will sink in).
6. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes on center rack in the oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.
7. Let brownies cool, uncovered, to room temperature. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

6. Dublin Eggnog (makes 6 servings)
Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens

For the 21+ crowd, what better way to channel your inner Irish than with this seasonal cocktail?

What You’ll Need

• 3 cups dairy eggnog
• 2 cups double-strength coffee
• 4-6 ounces Irish whiskey
• Sugar (optional)
• Whipped cream
• Ground nutmeg

How to Make It

1. Heat eggnog and coffee in a small saucepan. Do not boil.
2. Remove from heat and stir in whiskey.
3. Pour into six Irish coffee cups or mugs. Top each with whipped cream and nutmeg.

7. Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes (makes 24 cupcakes)
Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker

These cupcakes are based on the popular cocktail that consists of a shot of Baileys Irish Cream and Irish whiskey dropped into a pint of Guinness. If you’re not in the mood for the actual drink, these will give you your flavor fix.

What You’ll Need

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup Guinness stout
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream

For the Whiskey Ganache Filling:

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

For the Baileys Frosting:

• 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

How to Make It

To Make the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners.
2. Bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
3. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl to combine. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly.
4. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean (about 17 minutes). Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

To Make the Whiskey Ganache Filling:

1. Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl.
2. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center outward until smooth.
3. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

To Fill the Cupcakes:

1. Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a large decorating tip), cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down.
2. Transfer the ganache to a piping back with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

To Make the Baileys Frosting:

1. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for five minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated.
2. Add the Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.
3. Using your favorite decorating tip or an offset spatula, frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container.

Let HC know how your St. Patrick’s Day treats turn out with a comment below!