March 17th is one of our favorite days for desserts. Not only do we get to deck all our treats out in plenty of green and gold, we also get to bake them in fun shapes like shamrocks or rainbows—and infuse them with rich, chocolatey stout or sweet Irish cream. What could be better than that? And, while we just as gladly celebrate traditional Irish desserts on St. Patrick’s Day, there’s something deliciously joyful and light-hearted about the American take on this holiday. Rainbow cookies, gilded cakes resembling a pot of gold, stout sundaes—with so many fun ideas, where do you start? You can’t go wrong with these green velvet cupcakes. Grouping three together will make them look just like shamrocks—and we’re pretty sure that triple the cupcakes is a sign of good luck!

Guinness stout is a very dark beer that boasts notes of coffee and caramel, two ingredients that pair naturally well with chocolate. For this recipe, the Guinness is reduced to a syrup to intensify the flavors and really make the chocolate stand out. The brownies are a nice marriage of fudgy and cakey and are intensely chocolatey, thanks to the bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder.

This sparkling cake may look ordinary, but cut into it and you’ll find a show-stopping surprise: an overflowing sea of golden M&Ms.

Rich chocolate brownies, billowy whipped cream and a splash of Irish cream liqueur come together in layered trifles that feel both easy and elegant.

These colorful crispy treats layer gooey marshmallow cereal into a cheerful rainbow that instantly brightens any dessert table.

The name of this candy is misleading: There are no potatoes included in the dish. Instead, it’s a beloved sweet treat meant to resemble adorable little potatoes. Irish potato candies are traditional seasonal confections found at candy stores and groceries around St. Patrick’s Day, particularly in the Philadelphia area. The Philly version consists of a smooth, sweet mixture studded with shredded coconut and then rolled in ground cinnamon for a two-bite treat that looks just like a mini potato.

One slice of this tart will put you in the St. Patty's day mood! A crunchy chocolate cookie base holds a smooth Irish cream filling with just enough of a boozy kick to get the party started. A topping of pastel-green whipped cream and gold sugar pearls adds festive Irish-inspired flair!

Top a coffee liqueur with seltzer and stout before adding scoops of chocolate ice cream.

We use a triple dose of cereal — in the crust, steeped in milk for the filling and on top to decorate — in this over-the-top rainbow cake.

A grown-up milkshake, this pale green delight is perfect as a midday treat or after-dinner dessert. It's only as good as the ice cream that goes into it, so splurge on a really high-quality one.

This poke cake is spiked with the flavors of Irish coffee for an easy adult dessert that will feed a crowd.

Leprechauns small and large are sure to fall under a magical spell when they take a bite out of these fantastical cookies. To make the wispy clouds, melt one cup of white candy melts in the microwave and pipe away!

Skip cream cheese frosting in favor of old-fashioned boiled frosting for this layered cake.

Say hello to these super-fun, double-marshmallow treats. Not only are these crunchy bars coated in a marshmallow-butter mixture, but the small, colorful ones from the cereal box are the perfect decoration.

Lasheeda Perry says, "One of my favorite childhood treats was the epic cookie-and-frosting duo called Dunkaroos. Here's a homemade version of the snack reimagined with a St. Patrick's Day twist."

The flavor of Guinness melds perfectly with chocolate to make rich, tender cupcakes. As an added presentation bonus, cream cheese frosting looks like Guinness's iconic foam.

This beloved dessert is made of not-too-sweet buttermilk cake and very lightly sweetened whipped cream. The cake tastes best just lightly chilled, so let it warm up a bit after removing it from the refrigerator.

Ree whisks heavy cream, Irish whiskey and sugar together to make the delectable whipped cream that tops her Guinness floats. It's so delicious, we won't blame you if you scrape the bowl clean after making it!

This whimsical rainbow cake doesn't require any special equipment — just a simple Bundt pan. Dyed shredded coconut achieves those iconic ROYGBIV blocks of color — so no painstaking decorating necessary.

Stout's malty and roasted cocoa notes are enhanced in this cake with the addition of malted milk powder and Dutch-process cocoa — plus a syrup made with more stout. This sheet cake makes an ideal cake for grown-ups (served with a few pints, of course!).

These piped, swirly butter cookies are a perennial favorite throughout Ireland and feature a chewy maraschino cherry on top of each one. You can play around with the recipe by adding different flavorings or even green food coloring for a festive treat. They’re also really great sandwiching jam or buttercream.

Everyone's favorite cupcake just got a St. Patrick's Day upgrade! With a touch of green food coloring in the batter and a shower of green sprinkles on top, there's no denying how lucky you are if you get to enjoy one of these sweet treats!

This traditional cake features a topping of tart slices of granny smith apple and a crumbly streusel made with rolled oats. It’s a simple treat that’s perfect on its own or with a cup of tea — or Irish coffee!

An old-school spiked coffee drink just got an update. These boozy jelly shots have everything the cocktail does — coffee, Baileys and whipped cream. Cut them into squares or use a small shamrock cookie cutter for good luck.

Milkshakes, like other simple concoctions, are only as good as their ingredients, so use high-quality ice cream and vanilla extract. Combining peppermint extract and vanilla ice cream gives the drink an extra-refreshing, minty flavor you wouldn't get from using regular mint chip ice cream.

Not all beer needs to go in a glass: Maybe it's just us, but we'd rather partake in stout when it's flavoring a rich chocolately cake.

These showstopping cupcakes are going to be the centerpiece of your St. Paddy's celebration. Layers of dyed cupcake batter make it easier than you think. And no one's going to be looking for a pot of gold when the rainbows is this sweet!

Take your sundae game to a new level with this super easy sypup made out of beer and sugar. You might want to bookmark this one because you'll want it year-round.