In elementary school, I learned that leprechauns are mischievous and elusive beings. Tasked with devising a leprechaun trap, however, I was unable to come up with anything more elaborate than a shoebox with some (chocolate) gold coins inside—in retrospect, this probably should have been an early indication that I was not cut out to be an engineer, which is what most of my family members are! Not surprisingly, my shoebox and chocolate coins contraption was unsuccessful, but perhaps if I had used some of this Baileys leprechaun chow as bait…
Since leprechauns are tricky little creatures, it’s fitting, in a way, that the recipe for this Baileys leprechaun chow was a bit tricky to develop. For starters, it’s problematic to incorporate liquid into a recipe for leprechaun chow (aka puppy chow, aka muddy buddies) because the cereal will inevitably absorb that liquid over time, so I cannot emphasize enough that you should plan on serving it soon after making it. I left some overnight and tried a handful the next day, and trust me, you won’t be attracting any leprechauns with that sad, stale snack.
Mixing Baileys and chocolate can also be complicated. I’ve had success in the past with adding Baileys to chocolate melted with butter, but not with adding it to pure melted chocolate. But…I usually forget this—after all, I only bring out the Baileys roughly once a year!—so of course my first attempt led to the chocolate seizing up as I watched in horror. I salvaged it by whisking in some cream, but I decided to try again with a different method to find out whether it’s possible to omit the cream. This time, I heated the Baileys and poured it over the chocolate chips; the chocolate didn’t seize, but it also didn’t have the silky, smooth texture I knew would be necessary to coat the cereal pieces. I tried again with equal parts Baileys and cream, using the same heat-and-pour method, and this time, the consistency was much better.
But let’s put aside the difficulties that using Baileys in this recipe introduces (and I hope that my trials and tribulations will help you avoid the same pitfalls!) and talk for a second about the leprechaun chow itself! The smooth flavor of Baileys subtly permeates the chocolate coating, balancing its sweetness, and you have your choice of candy additions—mint chocolate complements Baileys extremely well, and the same is true of coffee. You could also forgo the candy and add something for crunch, like roasted hazelnuts! I included rainbow-colored sprinkles for aesthetic reasons (plus, you know, leprechauns and rainbows…), but they don’t really add anything taste-wise, so feel free to skip them if you prefer. You do you!
What St. Patrick’s Day activities did you do in school as a kid? Have you ever designed a leprechaun trap? And in all seriousness, I wish I knew more about the science behind combining chocolate with liquids/fats/alcohol, so if you have any insight or can point me in the direction of a good article, please let me know!
- 4 1/2 cups corn or rice squares cereal
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sprinkles (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup chocolate candies (see note)
- Place the cereal in a large mixing bowl.
- Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Place the Baileys and heavy cream in another microwave-safe bowl and heat until it bubbles. Pour the liquid over the chocolate chips and stir to combine. Microwave the mixture for a few more seconds if the chocolate is not fully melted. Once smooth, add the mixture to the cereal and stir until the cereal is coated.
- Transfer the cereal to a large, sturdy plastic bag (or if your mixing bowl has a lid, use the lid). Add the sprinkles (if using), seal the bag, and shake until the sprinkles have stuck to the cereal. Add the powdered sugar and shake until the cereal is coated.
- Stir in the chocolate candies. Spread the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet to dry for 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately (see note).
- For the chocolate candies, I used a mixture of mint and coffee candies. Feel free to use either, both, or just plain chocolate!
- The cereal will absorb the moisture from the Baileys and the heavy cream over time, so it’s best if eaten within 3 hours. I tried omitting the cream to reduce the total volume of liquid, but without it, the chocolate and Baileys had a frosting-like consistency and did not lend itself to coating the cereal very well.
“You do you!” Haha.
I have to work St. Patrick’s Day, but I’m definitely making this to make the day sweeter. Its ok to bring to co-workers right? The Bailey’s will not make anyone tipsy? 🙂
Haha, no, there’s definitely not enough Baileys in this to make anyone tipsy! Just be sure to make it as close to when you leave for work as possible, so it stays fresh 🙂 Let me know how it turns out!
What fun! And so pretty!
Thanks, Mimi! I had fun with the sprinkles 🙂
Yum! This looks so festive and delicious! I love anything with Baileys! I’ve never tried using it with melted chocolate and cream, but it sounds wonderful!
It was hard for me not to just eat the melted chocolate mixture with a spoon 😉
Your leprechaun trap didn’t work? I’m surprised. I know I would gladly jump into a shoebox for a gold-covered coin! 🙂 So if I’d jump into a shoebox for a piece of chocolate…just imagine what I’d do for a jar of this chow! Love the idea. But I hear ya on the liquid and chocolate thing. In the past, I’ve had good success with Baking 911 (now called CraftyBaking…https://www.craftybaking.com/) when learning about the way things work in the baking world. Not sure if they address chocolate and liquor, but it’s a starting point. In the meantime, you can find me sitting under a rainbow stuffing my face with this leprechaun chow. I’m just hoping no real leprechauns show up and get mad at me for eating their snack!
Thanks for the CraftyBaking suggestion – looks like a site where I could spend a TON of time! And don’t worry…if any leprechauns do show up, I’m sure you can take ’em 🙂
They are so fun and tasty! I love Baileys!
Me too – which is kind of funny, since I’m not a fan of whiskey on its own! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Yummm! I wish I was munching on this right now. Thanks for joining us for the Wednesday Showcase this week!
I wish I had some right now, too! Thanks so much, Jenna!
Love the addition of Bailey’s in there! Finally, something for Mommies to munch on at night after the kids are in bed haha.
Definitely! I can personally attest that this is an excellent snack for a lazy night on the couch watching TV 🙂
This had me stopping dead in my tracks! How clever is this? And how clever are you?! The BEST leprechaun trap in the world 😍 😍
Thanks so much, Angie! This recipe was trickier to develop and more time-sensitive than I had originally anticipated, but it’s super easy and SUPER delicious. I hope you get a chance to try it sometime!
I loved the back story, your parents must have been very special to encourage your imagination. And it shows here! These look dangerous for a diet, especially since they must be eaten immediately! Thank you for bringing them to FF.
It is indeed a little dangerous for a diet, but the recipe can be halved quite easily (I just tried that tonight, in fact)! Thanks for stopping by and for hosting this week 🙂
We built a leprechaun trap in preschool, set it up, and then went out for recess. When we came back, not only had we failed to catch him, but he had also turned all of our milk for snack green to taunt us. 😉
This looks so good, and I love that it has a built-in excuse for eating it all at once. Not that I’d need an excuse…
How cute – the green milk sounds a tad unappetizing but I love the creativity! And yes, it’s always great when you can legitimately tell yourself, “Well, I’d better finish this because it won’t be good tomorrow…”!
What a treat! They look so cute and I can easily imagine eating a whole jar, all by myself 🙂
Thanks, Petra! And I definitely *did* eat a whole jar by myself 😛
This is truly one delicious chow mix for St. Patrick’s Day!! I know a lot of people who would love to dive into this treat!!
Love the easy instructions! Pinning and stumbling!
Happy St.Patrick’s Day!!
Thanks so much, Ilka, and thanks for sharing it as well! I hope you get a chance to try it. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you too 🙂
Looks awesome! Anything with Baileys and heavy cream has to be good. Pinning. Visiting from Wednesday Showcase party.
I’m so glad this caught your eye! Thanks for stopping by and for pinning 🙂
Well, this just jumped to the very top of my to do list. MAGICAL!
Glad to hear it! Let me know what you think if you give it a try. Happy St. Patrick’s Day 🙂
I had no idea chocolate and baileys are hard to work with. I’ve always just used the baileys in cake, cupcake or mousse. Interesting! And thanks for sharing. This chow looks so good!