35 Kid-Friendly St. Patrick’s Day Recipes (2024)

Home Holidays St. Patrick's Day

Updated: Mar. 19, 2023

These St. Patrick's Day recipes for kids will please even the pickiest eaters. Celebrate with rainbow recipes, green foods and more—no corned beef and cabbage required.

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Rainbow Cake with Clouds

Some cakes stand on their own without icing. For this bright Rainbow Cake, use a little whipped cream to make fluffy clouds. —Janet Tigchelaar, Jerseyville, Ontario

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2/35

St. Patrick's Day Popcorn

Everyone's eyes will be smilin' when they see this green popcorn. The emerald color gives this snack instant St. Patrick's Day appeal. —Karen Weber, Salem, Missouri

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Creamy Reuben Casserole

This Reuben casserole dish is fabulous to serve for St. Patrick's Day—or anytime. It features corned beef, sauerkraut and other ingredients that make Reuben sandwiches so popular. —Margery Bryan, Moses Lake, Washington

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Shamrock Cookies

A handy cookie cutter shapes these sensational sweets. With a hint of mint flavor, these shamrock cookies are especially yummy with cocoa or chocolate milk. —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana

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Leprechaun Lime Drink

You won't need the help of lucky little elves to ready this refreshing lime concoction. Cheery garnishes can be fixed in a wink to dress up each guest's glass. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Rainbow Quiche

With plenty of veggies and a creamy egg-cheese filling, this tasty quiche gets rave reviews every time I make it! —Lilith Fury, Adena, Ohio

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Pistachio Salad

This fluffy salad is a real treat since it's creamy but not overly sweet. It's easy to mix up, and the flavor gets better the longer it stands. It's perfect for St. Patrick's Day, served in a green bowl. —Pattie Ann Forssberg, Logan, Kansas

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Shamrock Cutout Pound Cake

My son Gabriel loves surprises inside cakes, like seeing a shamrock when this cake is sliced. Everyone wants to know how it’s done. — Angela Lively, Spring, Texas

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Garlic-Dill Soda Bread

It's amazing how bread can be made in a slow cooker, which is why this recipe is awesome—who knew it could be so simple! Let the inviting aroma of dill and cheese fill your kitchen. —Melissa Hansen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Clover Rice Crispy Bars

These sweet snacks are like the pot of gold at the end of your family's feast. With their yummy peppermint and marshmallow flavor, they'll make even those without Irish hearts happy. These rice crispy bars will have the cook smiling, too, because they're so easy to assemble. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Leprechaun Lime Punch

This delightful St. Patrick's day punch will add a festive touch to your brunch buffet. Enjoy the lively taste of lime sherbet and other citrus flavors in this leprechaun inspired drink. — Gloria Warczak, Cedarburg, Wisconsin

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Chocolate Mint Brownies

One of the best things about this recipe is that these mint chocolate brownies get moister if you leave them in the refrigerator for a day or two. The problem at our house is that no one can leave them alone for that long! —Helen Baines, Elkton, Maryland

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Simple Lime Gelatin Salad

Looking for a festive dish to light up the buffet? This pretty green gelatin salad is eye-catching and has a delightful, tangy flavor. —Cyndi Fynaardt, Oskaloosa, Iowa

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Rainbow S'moreo Cookies

Homemade Oreo-style cookies are pretty great on their own, but they're even better when you add graham cracker crumbs to the cookie dough, stuff them with marshmallow creme and roll them in sprinkles. You can change the color of the sprinkles depending on the holiday or occasion. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

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Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream

It’s been a tradition at our house to serve this dish with the other Hungarian specialties my mom learned to make from the women at church. It’s especially good during the summer when the cucumbers are fresh-picked from the garden. —Pamela Eaton, Monclova, Ohio

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Good Luck Irish Cookies

To top off the meal, Connie bakes these appropriately Irish cookies. "But they taste good anytime," she says. "You can even change the food coloring to fit other holidays." —Connie Lou Blommers, Pella, Iowa

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Pistachio Quick Bread

I love making many of these special loaves to give away for the holidays. They also freeze well, so it is easy to pull out for unexpected guests. —Judy Fischer, Green Bay, Wisconsin

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Green Flop Jell-O

Get ready for fluffy lemon-lime goodness. My family calls it "flop Jell-O" because most of the time a clear gelatin layer that tastes like lemon-lime soda falls to the bottom of the dish. Try it with any flavor gelatin! —Michelle Gauer, Spicer, Minnesota

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Rainbow Fruit Salad

When my children were young, I would often dress up fresh fruit in this easy salad. Decades later, my grandchildren and great-grandchildren still love digging in to the fruity layers. The salad goes well with barbecued meats or cold sandwiches. —Jonnie Adams Sisler, Stevensville, Montana

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Chocolate Mint Creams

This recipe came from an old family friend and is always high on everyone's cookie request list. I make at least six batches for Noel nibbling and give some away as gifts. —Beverly Fehner, Gladstone, Missouri

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Homemade Guacamole

I always judge a Tex-Mex restaurant by its guacamole. And although it's simple to prepare, it can go wrong oh, so easily. I've spent many years perfecting mine, to the point where I think it's better than most restaurants. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas

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St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes

These St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes go super-quick. The pistachio pudding mix gives them a mild flavor and their pretty pastel color makes them a perfect dessert for this lively holiday. —Kathy Meyer, Almond, Wisconsin. Don’t forget to try our favorite green desserts.

23/35

Broccoli-Ham Puff Pancake

We like to use our heirloom cast-iron skillet to make this Sunday special. The golden brown puff pancake with a creamy ham and broccoli filling makes a tasty main dish for brunch.—Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana

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Nana's Chocolate Cupcakes with Mint Frosting

Even though Nana is no longer with us, her treats bring me so much joy every time I bake them. For a more indulgent version, double the frosting and pile it on high! —Chekota Hunter, Cassville, Missouri

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Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies

I got this recipe from my daughter years ago. I've taken these chewy filled cookies and the treasured recipe to many cookie exchanges.

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Lemon-Lime Punch

This frothy refresher topped with lime sherbet is a longtime family favorite and the best punch I’ve ever had. It’s fast, festive and easy to mix up for a variety of occasions. —Mary Ray, Raccoon, Kentucky

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Cucumber Party Sandwiches

Cucumber sandwiches are one of my favorite appetizers. We have lots of pig roasts here in Kentucky, and these small sandwiches are perfect to serve while the pig is roasting. —Rebecca Rose, Mount Washington, Kentucky

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Rainbow Fruit Toast

Nothing will brighten up your morning more than one of these colorful and tasty toasts. —Shannon Roum, Taste of Home Food Stylist

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Mint Chocolate-Covered Cookies

At our house, everyone lends a hand to make these easy chocolate-covered cookies. They remind me of Thin Mints. Decorate them with sprinkles to match the occasion. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia

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Over-the-Rainbow Minestrone

This colorful soup is vegetarian-friendly and full of fresh flavors from a rainbow of vegetables. You can use any multicolored pasta in place of the spirals. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

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Thin Mint Milk Shake

Save a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies for this creamy milkshake that's fun for kids and adults, too. —Shauna Sever, San Francisco, California

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Rainbow Spritzer

Layers of colorful fruit submerged in a fizzy, sweet beverage make this a kid-friendly sipper that gets two thumbs-up. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Minty Ice Cream Shamrocks

With a soft, chewy chocolate cookie and festive mint shamrock ice cream, these fun desserts are a sweet delight on St. Patrick's Day. You can cut out the cookie wafers in any shape you choose and use any flavor ice cream. Try heart shapes for Valentine's Day filled with strawberry ice cream. —Beverly Coyde, Gasport, New York

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Fluffy Key Lime Pie

For a taste of paradise, try this no-bake Key lime pie recipe. It's low in fat, sugar and fuss. It truly is the best Key lime pie recipe ever! —Frances VanFossan, Warren, Michigan

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Easy Mint Thins

My friends often try to guess the ingredients, but I never tell them how simple they are to make. They taste just like the Girl Scout cookie, and they're perfect for Christmas and bake sales. —Jennifer Setser, Morgantown, Indiana

Originally Published: February 24, 2020