25 Healthy St. Patrick’s Day Desserts

St. Patrick's Day is a fun and meaningful day to celebrate, but most of the desserts made for this day include loads of sugar and artificial food coloring. We've put together a list of Healthy St. Patrick's Day Desserts to help you celebrate without the guilt!

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Saint Patrick's Day holds a special place in my heart.

My father is from Dublin, Ireland and March 17th was my late mother's birthday.

In fact, most of my father's relatives still live on the Emerald Isle and my father has just moved back to Ireland–we miss him!

I visited Ireland during my college years and it really is a special place (though I'm sure in the many many years since then that it's changed quite a bit.)

While in Ireland one summer, I did the following:

• Studied at Trinity College.  But the courses were in Irish History and Literature so I don't recall much.  Just ask my husband – I'm a math and science brain for sure!
• Spent loads of time with relatives.
• Hitch-hiked across the small island in 6 hours with another girl in my program (yes, it was safe to do that in Ireland then–I even had the blessing of my very cautious Irish grandmother!)
• Enjoyed all the funny names for things like the word “crisps” for potato chips.
• Learned that fresh eggs can be stored at room temperature for a long time (they have eggs stacked on the floor in the grocery store!)
• Walked into a pub on the Western side where everyone was speaking Gaelic, Ireland's native language.

St. Patrick's Day History

The story behind St. Patrick's Day is inspiring. In a nutshell:

• Patrick was from Britain, born near the end of the fourth century.
• When he was sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and forced to tend sheep in Ireland.
• His trials led him to seek God.  One day he thought he heard God telling him to flee his captors, so he did.
• He was caught again and put into slavery, but again escaped and returned to Britain.
• He had another “vision” from God calling him back to Ireland.
• There, he studied with priests, became a priest and a deacon, and eventually Bishop of Ireland.
• “Patrick evangelized, taught literacy, equipped men and women for ministry, and provided leadership for new churches throughout the Emerald Isle.”

We don't participate in all of the alcohol, etc., but I like to celebrate on some level.

I'd love to do the whole naturally corned beef and all that, but sometimes just having a few fun green or rainbow-themed treats is enough and is a great way celebrate as well. It's more about the Leprechaun tales than the real St. Patrick, but you can always tell the real story along with the fabricated tales.

Of course, if you'd like to have a more simple meal for St. Patrick's Day, you could serve up this Paleo Shepherd's Pie with Roasted Vegetables. It's lovely.

So here are some Healthy St. Patrick's Day Treats to enjoy with friends or family. I do so hope you enjoy them and better health as well.

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Healthy St. Patrick's Day Desserts

Mini Mint Chocolate Brownies

Mint and chocolate are always a favorite–and when brownies are involved, it can't get much better. If you are in need of avoiding the grain, you can use almond flour for this recipe–just adjust the other ingredients. I have some information to that end in my Pumpkin Snickerdoodle post.

Get the Recipe Here

Healthy Matcha Truffles

These Healthy Matcha Truffles are creamy, delicious, and so nutritious! They're paleo and vegan and can easily be made keto too.

Get the Recipe Here

Grasshopper Pie — gluten free, paleo & dairy free

Doesn't this Grasshopper Pie look amazing–and the green is all natural from nutrition-packed spirulina! You can make this lower carb by using almond flour for the crust and choosing a low-carb sweetener, and an egg replacer should work fine for those who need it.

Get the Recipe Here

Matcha White Chocolate Bark

Chocolate Bark is the perfect Holiday treat, but This White Chocolate Matcha Bark is truly something special. First of all, it's simply gorgeous, but with its sugar free option, it's so healthy, you'll feel great gifting and eating it during the holidays and you'll want to make it year round as well.

Get the Recipe Here

Dairy-free Matcha Ice Cream (paleo & vegan)

I can just taste this ice cream now–so creamy and delectable and made with the goodness of matcha. Substitute in a low-carb sweetener if need be.

Get the Recipe Here

Fresh Mint Ice Cream

This fresh mint chocolate ice cream is naturally colored with fresh mint and has a fun twist on traditional mint chocolate chip ice cream. Instead of chips, it has a creamy ganache swirl throughout.

Get the Recipe Here

Keto St. Patrick's Day Sugar Cookies (Vegan + Gluten-Free + Paleo)

What a fun treat for kids and adults alike! And look at that vibrant green–who needs artificial colors when you can have this naturally?

Get the Recipe Here

Creamy Avocado Lime Pudding – paleo & vegan

This Creamy Avocado Lime Pudding is a great healthy dessert that's loaded with the healthful goodness of avocado! Plus, it's dairy-fee and low-carb too. THM:S

Get the Recipe Here

4-Ingredient Avocado Mint Nice Cream

“Nice Cream” typically is made from frozen bananas, but not in this case. The “nice” in this case (and the color, of course) comes from the highly-revered nutritional powerhouse, the avocado. Use a low carb sweetener if desired.

Get the Recipe Here

No-Bake Coconut Avocado Grasshopper Bars – paleo & vegan

No need to turn on your oven for these Grasshopper Bars. The lovely avocado stars again in these delicious No-Bake Chocolate Mint Bars that are easily done low carb, vegan, AIP, and are THM too.

Gluten-Free Vegan Matcha Brownies

I love so much about these brownies! Lightly colored and with all of the benefits of matcha, topped with freeze-dried fruit and even rose petals. If you're watching carbs, you can change out the sweeteners but the dates will be hard to substitute. You could try a chia blend with water or maybe couple that with coconut and made into a paste with added sweetener.

Get the Recipe Here

Healthy Shamrock Shake Recipe – Dairy Free

What a great healthier alternative to the popular sugar and green-food-coloring laden drink in a certain fast food restaurant–drink up!

Get the Recipe Here

Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (dairy free with sugar-free option)

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream is a favorite with many ice cream lovers. Round out your St. Patrick's Day Celebration with this dairy-free, low-carb, naturally-colored version of this classic ice cream.

Get the Recipe Here

Healthy Green Velvet Cake

This cake's rich green color comes from spinach which adds loads of nutrition to this delectable dessert. If you are avoiding eggs use an egg substitute. Those avoiding grains and carbs could use almond flour instead, making appropriate adjustments to the recipe.

Get the Recipe Here

Keto Key Lime Poke Cake

This Keto Key Lime Poke Cake looks delicious, light, and flavorful! If you need to avoid eggs, this will be a tough one to substitute for so I would choose another option, but it could be done. Use a vegan curd for the filling and use an appropriate egg replacer for the cake.

Get the Recipe Here

Mint Chocolate Chip Brownies (Paleo + GF)

These brownies are almost exactly what I used to make when I was younger–but done healthier! If you are low carb just replace the sweetener and an egg substitute should work pretty well for this recipe.

Get the Recipe Here

Sugar-free Lime Popsicles

These Sugar-free Lime Popsicles are a great refreshing treat for your St. Patrick's Day celebration. They work for a low-carb diet and can be made vegan too.

Get the Recipe Here

Baked Gluten-Free Vegan Funfetti Doughnuts (Paleo)

Kids of all ages are sure to love these rainbow-themed gluten-free doughnuts. If you are avoiding carbs, this is a tough recipe to alter. If you are on the THM eating plan, these are an E recipe. For paleo, you will have to omit the sprinkles or make your own.

Get the Recipe Here

Raw Vegan Matcha Cheesecake (paleo too!)

This is a fantastic Cheesecake that's Raw, Vegan and made with the super nutrition powerhouse Matcha. If you need to reduce the carbs, you could probably use some coconut instead of the dates and a low-carb sweetener as well.

Get the Recipe Here

Instant Avocado Vanilla Pudding (Vegan)

Skip the boxes with “who knows what” or rather “you know what and it's bad” ingredients and make this just as fast “instant” vanilla pudding instead!

Get the Recipe Here

Matcha Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan & Paleo)

I can't wait to make these! Make sure to use a low-carb sweetener and low-carb chocolate chips (or make my Homemade Choc Chips) if you need to reduce the carbs.

Get the Recipe Here

No-Bake Andes Mint Bars

Andes Candies were always a favorite of mine growing up. Love this adaptation into a healthful bar. For low-carb use a low-carb sweetener instead.

Get the Recipe Here

Whatever you choose to do, I hope this Saint Patrick's Day finds you healthy and enjoying loved ones around you.

Which Healthy St. Patrick's Day Dessert is your favorite?