Celebrate St Patrick’s Day with these easy, fun Leprechaun Bars! We transformed a regular choc chip cookie recipe into one that everyone including Coeliacs are sure to love. Packed with green M&M’s and chocolate chips, they’re a sweet tray that the whole family will adore. Plus we’ve calculated the cost to make a batch so you can enjoy holiday baking without overspending.
Why You’ll Love These Leprechaun Bars
- Quick and easy recipe for busy families
- Fun St Patrick’s Day themed dessert
- Great for kids parties or school events
- Simple ingredients you probaby already have at home
- Budget-friendly baking with cost breakdown included
- Treats for Coeliacs
Ingredients
Makes about 12 bars
- 1/2 cup or 114g of unsalted salted butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup or 50g of white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon gluten free baking powder ( I use McKenzies)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1&1/2 cups of Rice flour ( I use McKenzies)
- 3/4 cup green M&M’s
- 3/4 chocolate chips
Ingredient Tips
- Butter: Make sure the butter is softened so it mixes smoothly
- M&M’s: Green ones work best for St Patrick’s Day, but any colors will still taste great.
- Gluten-free option: We make made ours gluten-free, but you could swap for regular flour if you like.
Ingredient Cost
Estimated Ingredient Cost in Australia as at March 11, 2026 – $7.81 per batch
| Ingredient | Quantity | Estimated Cost |
| Unsalted Butter | 1/2 Cup (114g) | $1.10 |
| Light Brown Sugar | 1/2 Cup (110g) | $0.33 |
| White Sugar | 1/4 Cup (50g) | $0.10 |
| Egg | 1 | $0.50 |
| Vanilla Extract | 1/2 tsp | $0.15 |
| Gluten Free Baking Powder | 1/2 tsp | $0.05 |
| Gluten Free Rice Flour | 1 1/2 Cups (240g) | $0.96 |
| Green M&M’s | 3/4 Cup | $3.00 |
| Chocolate Chips | 3/4 Cup | $2.50 |
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a 20x20cm baking tin with baking paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer (or Thermomix if you have one) to beat together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then mix again until everything is well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten free rice flour, gluten free baking powder and kosher salt so the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until a sift dough forms.
- Stir through the M&M’s and chocolate chips until they are evenly spread through the dough (making sure you use reverse on the Thermomix if using one!)
- Transfer the dough into the prepared baking tin and press it down evenly. Sprinkle a few extra M&M’s and chocolate chips over the top for decoration.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow the slice to cool completely in the tin before lifting it out and cutting it into bars.
Tips for Perfect Bars
Baking Tips
- Don’t overbake – the centre shoudl still be slightly soft
- Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing
- Use Baking paper so that the bars lift out easily
Storage Instructions
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Can also be frozen for up to 2 months
Variations
- Swap M”M’s for white chocolate chips
- Add sprinkles for extra color
- Add a drizzle of icing for an extra pop of color