Best Irish Desserts and Recipes You Need to Try

Looking for some traditional Irish desserts to add to your dessert table? Whether you're celebrating an Irish holiday like St. Patrick's day or just craving a taste of the Emerald Isle, these are Irish desserts you won't want to pass up!

Let's dive into our assortment of delicious Irish and Irish American desserts! Whether you're looking for a cake, cookie, or candy, there's a tasty indulgent dessert here for everyone.

Table of Contents - Irish Desserts

Irish Fruit and Cream Flan

When I first came to America I didn not undestand what Americans consider to be flan. In a restaurant one day, I ordered a "flan" for dessert. I was totally surprised a molded, wobbly, sweet custard delicacy was placed in front of me.

I ate it all up and licked my lips. It was absolutely scrumptious, but to be honest it was not what I envisioned when I saw the word 'flan.'

My idea of flan was totally different. In the British Isles, the term flan is used when referring to an open pastry or sponge shell, that is filled with whipped cream or lemon curd, and topped with fruit.

Now that's an Irish fruit flan. See how confused I was.

Both types of flans are now part of my baking repertoire, but if you're looking for an Irish dessert this may be the recipe for you.

Plus you can always decorate it using orange and green fruits for a patriotic Irish flag theme.

Irish Apple Cake

Kerry Apple Cake, also known as Irish Apple Cake, is one of my all time favortie Irish desserts.

This moist cake, filled with apples, and boasting a crunchy top and can be served cold or warm, with chilled cream or custard.

For many, this Irish Apple Cake may not quite meet their definition of cake. It is made with a dough that is very similar to scone dough, so apple bread may be a better description.

Our ancestors assigned the title cake to any baked good that contained a little bit of sweet and precious sugar.

This cake was traditionally cooked in a bastible, a black wrought iron cooking pot. The bread was covered in the pot, and hung over the fire to cook.

This recipe is the perfect thing to make after a day of picking fresh, sweet apples during the fall months. Even if apples aren't in season, you can grab some from your local grocery store to enjoy this recipe any time of the year.

Guinness Chocolate Cake

Want to make something Irish? Then, just add some Guinness. That's my motto anyway.

This Guinness Chocolate Cake is a deliciously decadent Irish dessert with rich flavor.

This may be a relatively new addition to Irish baking recipes. In years gone by Guinness was used to make a rich fruit cake known as porter cake, or mixed into Christmas puddings to help preserve them.

Trust me, Guinness is a wonderfully versatile ingredient and Guinness and chocolate are a match made in heaven.

This deliciously moist cake combines both exquisite flavors with a white chocolate cream cheese topping. Yummy all the way!

Try this recipe for Guinness chocolate cake if you'd like to celebrate being Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day or any day of the year.

Keep it light and extra chocolatey with this simple recipe. Satisfy your sweet tooth with this decadent dessert!

Apple Crumble

This is the perfect apple crumble recipe! Apple crumble is a popular dessert in Ireland.

It's similar to the apple cake recipe, but closer to a pudding than a dessert - making it the ideal treat to serve with warm custard.

Irish apple crumble—a delicious dessert made with sweetened apples, covered in a crumbly, oaty and buttery topping. It's usually served smothered in custard.

This is an ideal dessert to enjoy during the fall months with fresh, crisp apples from a day of apple picking. Apple crumble—the perfect Irish alternative to apple pie.

Rhubarb Crumble

Rhubarb crumble is very similar to apple crumble, but is usually served during the spring and summer months when rhubarb is in season in Ireland.

This stalky vegetable grows prolifically in the temperate Irish climate.

Rhubarb and custard are a match made in heaven. This warm, satisfying dessert is usually served with heavy whipping cream, ice cream, or with hot custard poured all over each serving.

Irish Flag Fruit and Cream Parfait

In this luscious parfait dessert, green and orange fruits are layered with white cream and crumbled meringue mixture, creating a lovely Irish flag in a glass. Made with simple ingredients and fresh fruit, this creamy parfait is super easy to make and a fun addition to any Irish dessert table!

This is one of my favorite easy-peasy yet very impressive desserts. The key to heavenly success is the center layer of crumbled meringues or mini pavlovas combined with whipped cream.

Next time you need a quick and easy Irish dessert, try this Irish Flag Fruit and Cream Parfait!

Irish Sponge Cake

Irish sponge cake is a butter free cake, that is light and airy, and ever so tasty when sandwiched together with layers of jam and whipped cream.

Many Irish desserts feature fresh cream that is whipped until thick, luscious and dreamily creamy.

You'll find far more cakes and desserts topped with freshly whipped cream than in America. Butter cream frostings are still used, but just far less frequently.

This is the cake that my mom always made as our birthday cake. No fancy icing, just a dusting of powdered sugar on top.

Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is a vintage Irish dessert that was first created to use up stale bread.

Way back when, our ancestors lived in a no food waste world, where every last scrap of bread was put to good use.

Traditional bread pudding is made using buttered slices of bread that are sprinkled with sugar and raisins, before soaking them in a creamy custard sauce.

My recipe is an easy take on this old fashioned recipe. I cheat a little and use a cinnamon raisin bread to create a delicious, heart-warming dessert that's delicious when smothered in hot custard.

Banoffee Pie

Banoffee pie originated in England in the 1960's, but it's such a delicious caramel and banana combination that it soon spread all over the British Isles.

This is one of Ireland's favorite cakes for dessert. You'll find many different versions of this pie in restaurants all over the Emerald Isle.

My recipe for Banoffee Pie has been tweaked for cooking success in America. Evaporated or condensed milk in the United States has less fat content than their British counterparts. As a result a few little changes were required to my tried and trusty Irish recipe.

The next few desserts are Irish American inspired recipes, that are perfect for any Irish themed party. I hope you'll find some new favorites here too.

Baileys Chocolate Chip Irish Cookies

Give your Irish baking a taste of the Emerald Isle by making Baileys Chocolate Chip Irish Oatmeal Cookies.

These Irish treats are perfect for Saint Patrick's Day.

Did you know you can buy chocolate chips with added Irish cream? These little morsels are perfect for baking recipes, especially when you want to add a little Irish flavor.

Bailey's Irish cream is one of Ireland's greatest exports. Smooth and creamy with a hint of whiskey flavor, this liqueur is loved by many all over the world. These Bailey's Chocolate Chip Irish cookies are the better way to enjoy a traditional treat many of us are familiar with.

Boozy Irish Whiskey Chocolate Truffles

Irish whiskey chocolate truffles boast a deliciously creamy truffle center, flavored with the distinct spirit and original taste of Ireland.

Want to make something special for St. Paddy’s Day? Then why not create your own homemade chocolate truffles with an Irish twist.

These truffles are a great way to celebrate Irish culture and enjoy a tasty treat.

You have to try these boozy Irish whiskey truffles for yourself!

Kid-Friendly Irish Brownies

Rich, fudgy Irish brownies with fun green frosting are a delicious treat for Saint Patrick’s Day.

This recipe is for delicious chocolatey brownies covered with a smooth, creamy, buttery frosting. A few drops of green coloring give them a little Irish flair.

No Guinness, Bailey’s Irish cream, or anything too strong in these Irish brownies. So they’re perfect for kids to enjoy.

You’ll find many brownie recipes for this Irish festival. Most rely on Guinness or Irish cream liqueur for a little added Irish flavor.

Thank You For Trying My Dessert Recipes

Did we miss any other Irish dessert recipes? Feel free to share one of your favorite Irish dessert recipes in the comments! If you're looking for more green treats, like green beer and other Irish dessert recipes to help you celebrate St. Patrick's day, check out my blog post: Irish Desserts and Sweet Treats for Saint Patrick’s Day

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Thanks so much for following my recipes and ramblings.