Leprechaun Thumbprints are the perfect sweet-and-salty treat! With just three ingredients, they’re easy to make and perfect for St. Patrick’s Day fun.
Leprechaun Thumbprints
I love any excuse to whip up these quick “turtle” treats—they’re so good I’ve made them for nearly every holiday (like Rolo Pretzel Turtles, Easter Pretzels, and M&M Flower Pretzels).
With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, I knew I had to create a festive version.
With just three simple ingredients and a few mins in the oven, these easy treats are perfect for last-min parties. They’re also a fun project for kids—they’ll love unwrapping chocolates, assembling pretzels, and adding the green M&M’s on top!
St. Patrick’s Day Pretzel Ingredients
- Pretzels: Use snap pretzels to stop caramel from slipping through. Try to avoid butter-flavored pretzels, as they can cover up the chocolate’s flavor.
- Chocolates: Rolos melt the best, but Hershey Kisses or Hugs work too.
- Green M&M’s: Sort out green M&M’s from a mix or buy all-green ones online.
Variations
Switch Things Up
- Chocolate: Try different chocolate candies like dark salted caramel Rolos.
- Nuts: Sprinkle chopped nuts—like almonds, pecans, or almonds—on the chocolate before it sets.
- Sprinkles: Add green sprinkles or sanding sugar to the warm chocolate.
- White Chocolate: Drizzle melted white chocolate over the pretzels.
- Sea Salt: Sprinkle flaky sea salt on the warm chocolate for a sweet and salty mix.
Leprechaun Thumbprints Quick Tips:
- Watch chocolate: While they’re in the oven watch them carefully to not burn.
- Cool completely: Let pretzels cool down so the chocolate sets and they’re easier to handle before moving them or enjoying them.
- Line the pans: Use parchment paper or a liner to make cleanup easy.
- Work quickly: Push M&M’s into chocolates right after they melt to prevent hardening.
Storage
Leftovers?
- Let chocolate set before storing.
- Store Leprechaun thumbprints in an airtight container at room temp for up to 1 week.
- Refrigerate in hot or humid areas to keep chocolate firm. Use parchment or wax paper between layers.
- Freeze for 2 months in an airtight bag to prevent freezer burn.
More St. Patrick’s Day Fun:
- St Patrick’s Day Treats with free bag toppers
- Lucky Charms Bars marshmallow cereal bars
- Shamrock Shake a mint milkshake
- St. Patrick’s Day Popcorn with Lucky Charms marshmallows
- Leprechaun Bait a yummy snack mix
Leprechaun Thumbprints
Leprechaun Thumbprints are the ultimate sweet and salty treat for St. Patrick’s Day! With just three ingredients, they’re easy to make and perfect for sharing.
Equipment
- Large sheet pan or 2 smaller sheet pans
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Ingredients
- 30 pretzel snaps or other mini pretzels
- 30 Rolos or other chocolate-covered caramel, unwrapped
- 30 green M&M’s or other candy-coated chocolate, see note 1
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F and line a large sheet pan or two smaller sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone liner. This will prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Place the pretzel snaps on the prepared sheet pan(s) and top each pretzel with an unwrapped Rolo.
- Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven for about 2 minutes, or until the Rolos are soft but not melted (see note 2). Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn!
- Once you take the pretzels out of the oven, press a green M&M into the center of each Rolo.
- Let the pretzels cool and the chocolate harden completely before eating. This should take about an hour at room temperature, or you can speed things up by putting the tray in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Note 1: You can either pick out green M&M’s from a standard package, or buy a bag of all-green M&M’s from an online or specialty store. If you go to a grocery store, keep in mind that the green M&M’s you’ll find there are usually mint-flavored.
Note 2: If the chocolate is crumbling, it means the oven was too hot or the chocolate was baked too long. If the M&M’s won’t press in nicely, the oven was too cool or the chocolate wasn’t baked long enough. To ensure proper baking time, bake one pretzel with chocolate as a test before baking the rest. This way, you can gauge the appropriate timing for your oven, since ovens can vary. Convection oven settings should not be used for this recipe.
Storage: Leprechaun Thumbprints can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Store in a cool, dry place or in the fridge if necessary to prevent the chocolate from melting. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 37kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
