I LOVE St. Patrick’s Day but found myself feeling caught off guard and a bit behind when new crafts and recipes began showing up on the internet before Valentine’s Day. I thought the months-in-advance promotion of decor and internet content was reserved solely for Christmas and Halloween. Often my mercurial holiday muse doesn’t appear on command. It can be anything from a change in the wind velocity or a scent in the air that causes a recipe idea to spring forth for me; go figure.
I try to be sure to share a well-rounded selection of recipes with you, covering easy delicious dinners, desserts, healthy options, breakfast choices and cocktails. The time is feeling apropos for both something gooey and sweet, as well as to start thinking about St. Patrick’s Day!
I don’t know your personal feelings about leprechauns. I was enchanted with them as a child and have loved their depictions in movies over the years. I will say we have one that visits our house every St. Patrick’s Eve and turns the house on its ear! We arrive downstairs in the morning to find chairs stacked to the ceiling a la Poltergeist circa 1982. Often shamrock stickers adorn everything from fruit to door handles. I finally had to write a note requesting they discontinue tainting the toilet water green as it was causing an annual trip to Home Depot on March 18 to replace all the seat covers that bore a permanent reminder of the shenanigans in brilliant, permanent shade of emerald. Now just the milk is turned green.
So my friends, it is with this background that I will share a recipe for Leprechaun Bait Bars. A chocolate cookie crust is covered with gooey chocolate chips, mint M & M’s, mini marshmallows and Andes mint rectangles. Of course we know they love gold so some yellow Mega M & M’s are thrown in for good measure.
I’ll let you decide is you dare bait a leprechaun. You have been warned! Though I’ll add the bars also attract husbands, wives, children, co-workers, boyfriends, girlfriends and mail men too.
Leprechaun Bait Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free Chocolate Cookie Crumbs* or 1 ½ cups regular Chocolate Cookie crumbs if not gluten-free
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter , melted
- 1 14- ounce can Sweetened Evaporated Milk
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup Dark Chocolate Mint green M&M’s
- 1 cup Mini Marshmallows
- 1 4.67- ounce package Andes Crème de Menthe Thins (28 pieces), unwrapped and cut in half horizontally to make 2 squares per rectangular thin
- ¼ cup Yellow Mega M&M’s (the amount of yellow found in a 10.20-ounce bag of mixed Mega M&Ms)
Instructions
- Butter or spray with non-stick spray a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine cookie crumbs with the melted butter. Mix well and spoon into the prepared baking pan. Press down into pan to form a crust.
- Drizzle half of the sweetened evaporated milk over the cookie crumb crust and smooth out with the back of a spoon.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chocolate chips, Mint M&M’s, Andes mints and marshmallows. Toss to fully combine. Distribute evenly over the crust.
- Drizzle the remaining sweetened evaporated milk over the entire mixture in the baking pan. Evenly distribute the yellow Mega M&M’s over the top.
- Bake the bars for 25-30 minutes until the marshmallows and condensed milk begin to turn golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully before slicing. Tip: after the bars cool to room temperature, put them in the refrigerator to chill before cutting. This allows firm bars to be cut.
Recipe Notes
*I make the crumbs using gluten-free chocolate cookies ground in a food processor.
Melinda says
These look so freaking good. Rob and the kids would eat the whole pan of these in one night, LOL. Thanks for sharing.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
Call me Lucky the Leprechaun, because I want those in my belly! You did a great job on these.
Christiane ~ Taking On Magazines says
I never know when St. Patrick’s Day is, I’ll admit it. When my daughter was in preschool we’d know because the Leprechaun would mess up their rooms while they were outside. Now I count on vigilant people like you to bring out the amazing treats. 🙂
Toni Dash says
Ha, ha! I find walking into retail stores, craft stores especially, are the indicator of the holiday coming within the next 6 months they start displays so early. March 17th is your date.
monica says
So creative and original! I would have a difficult time not consuming ALL of it!
Pam says
This looks so yummy! I love that it is gluten free so my daughter with celiac can enjoy it as well.
shell says
This is such a fun idea for St. Patrick’s Day! I’ll have to try these!
Ann Bacciaglia says
This Leprechaun Bait Bars recipe looks delicious. My kids are going to love making these.
Brandy says
These will surely be tempting bait, for both leprechauns and the kids 😉 Will try to make them for fun!
Joyce Brewer (@MommyTalkShow) says
OMGoodness, I think I’d eat the whole tray. There’s no way they’d last for any leprechauns!
Pam says
I don’t know if they will bait a leprechaun but they sure look like they will bait everyone in my family, lol. I love this recipe and I love all of the color for St. Patrick’s Day too,.
Chrystal | Nevermore Lane says
Being Irish, I can appreciate all the fun dishes and treats people make for St. Patrick’s Day. I am loving this! Going to have to make this for sure.
Ora Lee Gurr says
Delicious goodies like Leprechaun Bait Bars look like the perfect thing to make for St Patrick’s Day snacks and gifts. I like the idea of yellow M&Ms to attract their greedy love for gold.
Amy Desrosiers says
I love how these came out! They are a treat that my kiddos would love to enjoy too!
Christie says
Andes mints AND M&M’s! It’s definitely baiting me for a bite, if not the leprechauns
Crystal says
Mmmm those are making me feel all kinds of lucky. It’s nice to see St. Patrick’s Day treats that aren’t all about drinking. Can’t wait to make these with my family.
Raijea says
This is adorable, I’ll have to try this with the boychld. He loves making dishes together so this is perfect
Shannon Gurnee says
This sounds like such a fun recipe! Our kids would love a recipe like this.