We're diving into decadent Irish desserts galore, from old classics to new favorites.
25 Irish Desserts for St. Patrick’s Day and Beyond
Updated on Jan. 14, 2025
1/25
Malted Chocolate & Stout Layer Cake
Skill Level
Intermediate
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
If you want a dessert that will take the cake at a St. Patrick's Day celebration, look no further! The rich chocolate cake is incredibly moist and has a nice malt flavor that's perfectly complemented by the Irish cream frosting. —Jennifer Wayland, Morris Plains, New Jersey
Break out the Guinness and the Bailey’s! This chocolate stout layer cake has three deeply chocolatey cake layers that are extra tender and fluffy from the stout’s carbonation. They’re assembled with a luxurious, creamy frosting flavored with Irish cream and malted milk powder for a sweet, nutty, toasty-flavored cake.
2/25
Easy Apple Cake
Skill Level
Intermediate
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
After testing many apple cake recipes with fresh apples, I found this old-fashioned easy apple cake that is moist, dense and down-home delicious. Even better, it's quick to fix, and when it's served warm with whipped cream or a dollop of frozen custard, it's one of my family’s very favorites. —Sherry Ashenfelter, Waterville, Ohio
A list of Irish desserts wouldn’t be complete without an apple cake! Gala or Braeburn are the best apples for baking inside this beautiful snacking cake. Add a drizzle of salted caramel sauce, and it will be, well, the icing on the cake.
3/25
Irish Soda Bread
Skill Level
Beginner
Total Time
45 min
Servings
1 loaf (8 pieces)
From the Recipe Creator:
This traditional Irish soda bread can be made with an assortment of mix-ins such as dried fruit and nuts, but I like it with a handful of raisins. —Gloria Warczak, Cedarburg, Wisconsin
Even if you’ve never made bread before, Irish soda bread is pretty much foolproof, especially since there is zero yeast and hardly any kneading involved. Typically, you’d serve soda bread as part of a main meal, but we just can’t help but snack on it after supper, too.
4/25
Shortbread Cookie
Skill Level
Beginner
Total Time
40 min
Servings
16 cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
With only a few ingredients, these butter shortbread cookies are so simple to prepare. —Pattie Prescott, Manchester, New Hampshire
Since there are only three ingredients in this recipe, use good-quality butter. European-style butter, such as Kerrygold, will take these treats to the next level.
5/25
Guinness Float
Skill Level
Beginner
Total Time
5 min
Servings
2 floats
From the Recipe Creator:
That very first sip of a Guinness is what inspired this quick and easy dessert. The rich, creamy foam that gathers on the top of a freshly poured draft made me think of vanilla ice cream. At that point, I knew I had to combine the two in a Guinness float. —James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
Smooth, rich and almost a bit chocolatey, it’s no wonder Guinness works so well in chocolate desserts. Here, we’ve made an adult version of the classic root beer float, with a little squeeze of chocolate syrup to really bring out Guinness’s natural flavor. It’s the perfect ending to dinner, especially since it takes about five minutes to assemble.
6/25
Homemade Irish Cream
Skill Level
Beginner
Total Time
10 min
Servings
3-1/3 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
Add some creamy goodness to your cup of joe with a splash or two of this homemade Irish cream. —Marcia Severson, Hallock, Minnesota
Speaking of after-dinner drinks, here’s another tasty one that’s a cinch to throw together. All you need to do is blend a few ingredients, et voila! You have homemade Irish cream that’s lovely served over ice or in a boozy Irish coffee.
7/25
Best Bread Pudding
Skill Level
Beginner
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The secret to incredible bread pudding with a soft middle and crisp edges starts with leftover dinner rolls. I picked up the rich brown sugar sauce recipe from my friend Kathryn Gartmann. A big drizzle of it takes this dessert over the top and really makes it the best bread pudding ever. —Maria Petrella, Taste of Home Prep Cook
You can use almost any bread for bread pudding recipes, but our editors recommend French or Italian bread for this sweeter dessert. Try day-old bread for a creamy, custardy bread pudding.
8/25
Rhubarb Fool with Strawberries
Skill Level
Beginner
Total Time
30 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A fool is a classic British and Irish dessert that's usually made with whipped cream and cooked fruit. Try my quick version with rhubarb and berries. —Cheryl Miller, Fort Collins, Colorado
Irish desserts aren’t just to stave off a chilly winter. Come spring and summer, no-bake desserts have a place in Irish cuisine, too, and this rhubarb fool with strawberries is light, refreshing and gorgeously fruity.
9/25
Chocolate Guinness Cake
Skill Level
Intermediate
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
One bite and everyone will propose a toast to this silky-smooth chocolate Guinness cake. The cream cheese frosting reminds me of the foamy head on a perfectly poured pint. —Marjorie Hennig, Seymour, Indiana
I love this Guinness-pint lookalike! Because Guinness has naturally toasty, nutty, malty and chocolatey flavors, it heightens the flavor of chocolate desserts. Plus, the stout’s carbonation makes for an extra fluffy and tender cake. So, grab your favorite dark Guinness flavor (they even have nonalcoholic Guinness!) and bake this easy Irish dessert.
10/25
Irish Creme Chocolate Trifle
Skill Level
Beginner
Total Time
50 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I was given a bottle of Irish cream liqueur as a gift and had leftover peppermint candy, so I created this delicious trifle. It's always rich and decadent. —Margaret Wilson, Sun City, California
I mean seriously, this trifle looks so completely decadent that you can almost taste it through the screen. The big hunks of Irish cream-soaked chocolate cake are layered with ribbons of chocolate pudding, dollops of fluffy whipped topping and pieces of chocolate-mint candies. This is a “seconds, please!” kind of dessert.
11/25
Fudgy Layered Irish Mocha Brownies
Skill Level
Intermediate
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings.
From the Recipe Creator:
My husband and I are big fans of Irish cream, so I wanted to incorporate it into a brownie. I started with my mom's brownie recipe, then added frosting and ganache. These decadent treats are the result, and we really enjoy them! —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Three layers—fudgy brownie, Irish cream frosting and chocolate ganache—are the building blocks of an epic dessert. No matter where you take these brownies, don’t expect to bring home any leftovers.
12/25
Rawhide's Whiskey Cake
Skill Level
Advanced
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
16 pieces
From the Recipe Creator:
For several years, our neighbor gave us a moist, whiskey-flavored cake. I’ve tweaked the recipe, and now my friends want this cake instead of platters of homemade cookies. Fair warning: This cake takes three days to make, but it is very easy to prepare. —Cindy Worth, Lapwai, Idaho
If you love cocktails made with Irish whiskey, then you’ll love this moist Bundt cake that uses whiskey in both the cake and the glaze—1 1/4 cups worth! Just be sure you know how to grease a Bundt pan the right way so your cake doesn’t stick to the pan or break during release.
13/25
Caramel Whiskey Cookies
Skill Level
Intermediate
Total Time
40 min
Servings
4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Yogurt replaces part of the butter in this traditional cookie, but you would never know. I get a lot of requests for these and can’t make a cookie tray without them. —Priscilla Yee, Concord, California
If you’re unwilling to part with the amount of whiskey needed in the recipe above, these cookies use a much more conservative amount: 1 tablespoon. It’s just enough to help the caramels melt into a more liquid consistency to fill in the cookies’ centers.
14/25
Chocolate Mincemeat Bars
Skill Level
Beginner
Total Time
35 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
What would the holidays be without mincemeat for dessert? Even people who say they don’t care for the taste will be surprised to find they love these tender chocolate bars. —Darlene Berndt, South Bend, Indiana
For those who need the introduction, mincemeat is a popular ingredient in Irish and British desserts, especially in recipes like mincemeat pie. With the addition of chocolate chips, these bars are full of sweet flavors and beloved during the winter holidays.
15/25
Lucky Leprechaun Cookies
Skill Level
Intermediate
Total Time
40 min
Servings
about 15 cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
Let these little guys be the stars of your St. Patrick's Day party. They're so fun to make and create an unforgettable impression! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Now this is a St. Patrick’s Day dessert that’s sure to get ooh’s and aah’s! You can even stylize their beards to give each one their own personality. And, if you mess up, just cover with edible glitter or shamrock sprinkles.
16/25
Mint Baileys Bars
Skill Level
Advanced
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
64 pieces
From the Recipe Creator:
This Baileys bars recipe is a combo of two St. Patrick's Day goodies. You can use any type of chips in the brownies, and you can choose to swirl in the cheesecake instead of using it as a separate topping. —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan
With a mint chocolate brownie base and a Bailey’s cheesecake top, these two-for-one bars are a creamy, chocolatey dream. Make these a day in advance so the cheesecake has time to chill and set in the fridge overnight.
17/25
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Skill Level
Intermediate
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
15 servings (2-1/2 cups sauce)
From the Recipe Creator:
The classic sticky toffee pudding is a traditional dessert in the United Kingdom. I love that I can just stay home and bake this cake version, featuring saucy butterscotch. —Agnes Ward, Stratford, Ontario
This beloved UK dessert is a staple on pub menus, but it’s a bit trickier to find stateside. This classic sticky toffee pudding recipe, complete with a butterscotch sauce, will evoke the feeling of a pub in the Emerald Isle, right in your home.
18/25
Pistachio Cookies
Skill Level
Intermediate
Total Time
35 min
Servings
about 6-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
This wonderful pistachio cookie recipe is fun to make and everyone will be impressed with how pretty the green coloring is. They're one of my favorite holiday cookies. —Pat Habiger, Spearville, Kansas
These green-colored cookies are festive enough for any St. Patrick’s Day party. A few drops of green food coloring and instant pistachio pudding mix create their vibrant color.
19/25
Irish Coffee
Skill Level
Beginner
Total Time
10 min
Servings
2 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This Irish coffee lives up to its reputation as a relaxing after-dinner drink. Creme de menthe adds a colorful touch to the cream. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
If the rest of your night will be spent next to a crackling fireplace or playing board games with loved ones, adult-only Irish coffees are in order. Simply mix black coffee with sugar and Irish whiskey, then top each serving with mint whipped cream.
20/25
Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce
Skill Level
Beginner
Total Time
3 hours 15 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
There's nothing better than this comforting bread pudding on a cold, wintry day. The bourbon sauce tastes extravagant, but it's really simple to prepare. The slow cooker does the most of the work for you! —Hope Johnson, Youngwood, Pennsylvania
Bread pudding is one of the most popular Irish baking recipes. I love how it saves day-old bread from being thrown away, and the warming bourbon sauce is just lovely with the raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg.
21/25
Mudslide Cheesecake
Skill Level
Advanced
Total Time
1 hour 30 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Change up cheesecakes with different liqueur flavorings. This “mudslide” version with coffee and Irish cream is my husband's favorite. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
For my fellow mudslide lovers, this four-layered cheesecake might be a bit more effort than the drink itself, but it’s worth it. Each bite is completely decadent and boozy, perfectly toeing the line between indulgently chocolatey and light and airy. You know the drill: Break out the Bailey’s and a little Kahlua for this one!
22/25
Irish Cream Cupcakes
Skill Level
Intermediate
Total Time
45 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
If you're looking for a grown-up cupcake, give these a try. You'll have a hard time limiting yourself to one! —Jenny Leighty, West Salem, Ohio
These boozy cupcakes don’t hold back on the Bailey’s. Between a 1/2 cup in the batter and 6 tablespoons in the frosting, these are adult-only treats through and through. If desired, finish the cupcakes with shamrock sprinkles, edible glitter or green decorations.
23/25
Baileys Hot Chocolate
Skill Level
Beginner
Total Time
10 min
Servings
2 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Hot chocolate already warms you up from the inside out–but the addition of Baileys makes it doubly so. A mug of Baileys hot chocolate can be served as a beverage after coming in from the cold, but also as a breakfast accompaniment to a wintery pastry or as a dessert to be enjoyed in front of the fire. —Lauren Habermehl, Pewaukee, Wisconsin
There’s hot chocolate, and then there’s gourmet, irresistible, decadent, other-worldly hot chocolate. This Bailey’s hot chocolate, with whole milk, cocoa powder, semisweet chocolate and a good pour of Irish cream, falls into the latter category. Add homemade whipped cream, chocolate syrup and crushed peppermint if you want this drink to ruin all future hot chocolates.
24/25
Irish Coffee Pie
Skill Level
Beginner
Total Time
25 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Even though we aren't Irish, my mom made this pie for my dad every St. Patrick's Day. —Holly Nauroth, Fruita, Colorado
I love that this pie looks so completely decadent but is a cinch to pull off. It starts with a crunchy graham cracker crust that’s filled with a mountain of cloud-like filling made from cream cheese, whipped topping, a glug of Irish whiskey and a whisper of instant coffee.
25/25
Old-Fashioned Whoopie Pies
Skill Level
Intermediate
Total Time
45 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Who can resist soft chocolate sandwich cookies filled with a layer of fluffy white frosting? Mom has made these for years. They're a treat that never lasts very long with my two brothers and me around. —Maria Costello, Monroe, North Carolina
Add a splash of Ireland-made Bailey’s into the filling to outfit these whoopie pies into an Irish dessert. Clearly, we can’t get enough of desserts made with Bailey’s Irish cream.
Irish Desserts FAQ
What is the most popular dessert in Ireland?
One of the most popular desserts in Ireland is an apple tart. It doesn’t look like the apple tart we’d expect in America; instead it more closely resembles an apple pie baked in a shallow pie pan.
Is Irish soda bread a dessert?
Irish soda bread can be eaten as a dessert, but it’s not as sweet as we know desserts to be. Irish soda bread contains dried fruit to give each bite a small pop of sweetness, but you can add jam, homemade whipped cream or whipped cinnamon butter on top to give it more of a dessert flair. You could also use it in bread pudding to really sweeten up the bread. Otherwise, we love Irish soda bread with hearty Irish soups and other classic Irish recipes.
What green desserts can I make for St. Patrick’s Day?
Although a little cliche, it’s fun to make green desserts for St. Patrick’s Day! From these adorable shamrock cookies and green-hued pistachio desserts to fluffy grasshopper pie and gloriously green raspberry matcha cake roll, there is no shortage of green sweets to make on St. Patrick’s Day.
