Recipe Round-up for St. Patrick's Day!

We are a few days away from St. Patrick's Day which will be celebrated on March 17. We have rounded up easy treat recipes that will definitely add to the fun on this festive day for both adults and kids! Scroll down for recipes of Shamrock Rice Krispie Treats, Leprechaun hats, Shamrock Pretzel Treats and Pistachio and Chocolate Leprechaun Cookies. Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Shamrock Rice Krispie Treats
from Iheartnaptime.net

Photo courtesy of iheartnaptime.net

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 4 cups mini marshmallows (make sure they're soft)
• 5 cups rice krispies
• Green food coloring
• Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:1. Melt butter over low heat in a large sauce pan. Once butter is melted add in marshmallows and continue to stir until the marshmallows have melted.
2. Add in food coloring and stir until combined.
3. Remove from heat and stir in rice krispies. Stir until the cereal is coated.
4. Place rice krispie treats in a buttered 9x13 pan. Press down on the treats with a buttered spatula.
5. For the shamrocks, place a little bit of butter around the edges of the cookie cutter, then push down on the rice krispies.
6. Place shamrocks on wax paper. Enjoy!

Leprechaun Hats
from bettycrocker.com

Photo courtesy of bettycrocker.com

Ingredients
1 pouch Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
1/4 teaspoon Betty Crocker™ green gel food color
24 large marshmallows
24 small (1-inch) chewy chocolate candies
12 small green gumdrops

Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms. Roll dough in 24 (1-inch) balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place 2 inches apart.
• 2 Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately place marshmallow on each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• 3 In microwavable bowl, microwave frosting on High 30 seconds. Stir; frosting should be a thick spoonable glaze. Stir food color into frosting, adding more if needed to achieve desired color. Spoon warm frosting over each cookie, coating completely and allowing excess to drip off. Let stand 20 minutes to set.
• 4 Roll chocolate candies into ropes. Flatten with rolling pin into 1/8-inch-thick ribbons. Cut into strips with scissors to resemble hat bands; arrange around base of marshmallow on each cookie. Cut gumdrops crosswise in half (reshaping as needed). Press cut side onto hat band. Lift cookies onto serving platter with pancake turner, leaving excess frosting behind. Store in airtight container.

Shamrock Pretzel Treats
​

Photo courtesy of stickyegg.com

​Ingredients
1 bag mini twist pretzels
1 bag Hershey Kisses or Wilton Bright White Candy Melts 
Green M&M's
Green Tube Icing

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
3. Place the pretzels in a single layer on the baking sheet. Place an unwrapped Hershey's candy or Wilton candy melt on top of each pretzel. Put the cookie sheet in the oven for about 7 minutes, until the chocolate starts to get soft. 
4. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and immediately place 3 pcs. of M & M candies on each pretzel, gently pressing down to help spread the melted chocolate out across the entire pretzel.
5. Place cookie sheet in the fridge so that the bites can set up quickly. 
6. When cool, use icing tip on a tube of green frosting to draw on the stems of the shamrocks.

Note: You don't want the chocolate to be completely melted, but just soft enough so that you can press a candy into it. You may have to adjust the time in the oven if 7 min. is not enough.

Pistachio and Chocolate Leprechaun Cookies
from iheartnaptime.net

Photo courtesy of iheartnaptime.net

Yield: 1 DOZEN, DEPENDING ON SIZE
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant pistachio pudding (dry mix)
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup green M&Ms
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
green food coloring *optional
Directions:Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars. Add extracts and pudding mix and eggs one at a time. Beat for 1 minute.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to sugar mixture one a little at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition. Add a drop or two of green food coloring at this point if you want a stronger green color. Stir in chocolate chips, green M&Ms, chopped walnuts, and any other mix-ins you like!
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are turning slightly golden. Let cool and enjoy!