4 St. Patrick’s Day-Themed Treats Perfect to Send to the Classroom

It seems like there’s always some kind of holiday for which you need to send some treats to school with your kid — and for St. Patrick’s Day, it’s super tempting to throw some chocolate gold coins in a baggie and call it a day. But with just a tiny bit more effort, you can whip up some St. Patrick’s Day treats that are unique.

Give these a whirl.

1. Rainbow crispy rice cereal treats

Give the classic classroom treat a St. Patrick’s Day twist by layering with a rainbow hue. The beauty of this St. Patrick’s Day snack is the fact that you can make it as many colors — or as few colors — as you like.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 package marshmallows, divided
• 6 cups crispy rice cereal, divided
• Food coloring
• Non-stick spray
• Waxed paper

Directions:

1. Divide ingredients by the number of layers you wish to make for your St. Patrick’s Day treats.
2. Melt one portion of butter in pot over medium-low heat until melted completely.
3. Add one portion of marshmallows to the pot and stir until completely melted and add in a few drops of food coloring in desired hue and mix thoroughly.
4. Add one portion of crispy rice cereal to the pot and coat completely with colorful mixture.
5. Spoon into greased pan and press with a piece of waxed paper — coated with non-stick spray to reduce the likelihood it will stick — until spread evenly in the bottom of the pan.
6. Wash pot and repeat for each desired color, layering on top of the previous tinted crispy rice cereal treat in the pan.
7. Once you have layered all of your colors and pressed into pan, remove entire treat from pan and cool; cut into squares for a rainbow full of tasty fun.

2. Pot of gold fruit cups

For kids with classmates who have a nut allergy, crafting a St. Patrick’s Day classroom treat out of pre-packaged fruit cups ensures no one feels left out. Just be sure before you choose a snack cup that it is made at a nut-free facility, too — or your good intentions may become an epic failure.

Ingredients:

• Pineapple fruit cups
• Cotton balls
• Glue
• Printed rainbow-shaped labels
• Scissors

Directions:

1. Separate fruit cups from cardboard package; set aside.
2. Print, cut and glue rainbow-shaped labels to the middle of the “lid” — it may help if you glue it to a strip of paper folded three times so it’s glued on two sides to the lid and gives the rainbow something to stick to as it’s coming off the fruit cup.
3. Glue cotton balls to the top of the fruit cup in the shape of a cloud and serve up.

3. Sweet potatoes

Your kids’ classmates will be in for a big surprise with sweet “potato” treats, shared by www.munchkinmunchies.com! These St. Patrick’s Day snacks may look like vegetables, but are actually a sweet treat kids will be talking about for holidays to come.

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons softened, unsalted butter
• 4 Tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 2 cups toasted, finely chopped walnuts plus extra for “eyes”
• Ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Mix butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt until fluffy.
2. Beat in powdered sugar and walnuts until mixture is smooth.
3. Place in refrigerator for one hour until firm.
4. Mold 1 Tablespoon of dough to form potato shape and roll in cinnamon for color; brush off excess with a pastry brush.
5. Add in walnut pieces to form potato “eyes” and refrigerate for an additional 30 minutes.

4. Green chocolate chip cookies

Green is the way to go for St. Patrick’s Day snacks, and who can resist a delicious lucky-looking chocolate chip cookie? Using your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and a few simple drops of food coloring, you can turn these timeless cookies into a cool classroom treat.

Ingredients:

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• Green food coloring

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. Combine butter, both sugars and vanilla extract with mixer until creamy and add eggs, beating well after adding each one.
4. Add five drops of food coloring, or until you reach your desired St. Patrick’s Day hue; but, go easy on the green or kids will be repelled instead of intrigued to eat them!
5. Slowly combine dry into wet mixture and add chocolate chips into batter.
6. Spoon tablespoon-sized drops of batter onto ungreased baking sheets and put into oven.
7. Bake seven to nine minutes or until golden brown (brownish-green!) and let cool on pan for a few minutes. Move to wire racks to cool and individually bag.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Originally published March 2013. Updated March 2017.