11 Easy Drink Recipes To Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Celebrate with these festive cocktails, mocktails, and shakes.

By
Elana Lepkowski
Elana Lepowski
Elana Lepkowski
Elana Lepkowski has an extensive background in the gourmet and celebrity food industries. She has been writing for for various media outlets since 2006.
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Updated March 07, 2025
Elana Lepowski
Glass of Black and Tan Next to Two Bottles of Beer and a Bottle Opener

Simply Recipes / Sam Schick

St. Patrick’s Day is a convivial holiday celebrating the Irish saint. Its celebration now extends so far beyond Ireland and its people that you’ll hear some say everyone’s a little Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.

While people of all ages celebrate the holiday, it’s mainly a day when cocktails take center stage. If you only think of the holiday in terms of mugs filled with green beer, hold that thought! Here are plenty of other options that won’t tint your tongue green (though there might be one that does). Check out our picks below to toast this beloved holiday, from whiskey and coffee to a green shake piled high with whipped cream. Sláinte!

  • Gold Rush Cocktail

    Two Gold rush cocktails with ice on a wood background.
    Alison Bickel

    Looking for a pot of gold this St. Patrick’s Day? Well, try your luck with the gold rush cocktail! Honey gives this whiskey cocktail an earthy sweetness with a luscious viscosity. The bright citrus notes offer some tang to balance that sweetness out as well. And edible gold sugar rims wouldn’t be out of place on this special occasion.

  • Black and Tan

    Glass of Black and Tan Next to Two Bottles of Beer and a Bottle Opener

    Simply Recipes / Sam Schick

    Contributor Sam Shick says, "As with layered cocktails, the indirect pour is key, slowing down the stout before it reaches the ale and preventing it from plunging down into the lighter beer."

  • Mudslide Cocktail

    Creamy coffee cocktail on a a white platter.

    Simply Recipes / Elana Lepkowski

    Contributor Elana Lepkowski says, "Shaking the drink also introduces some air bubbles into the mix. It will give your cocktail a foamy top, a pleasurable addition to creamy drinks."

  • Grasshopper Cocktail

    Grasshopper Cocktail
    Elise Bauer

    Do you prefer to have a green drink today? The grasshopper cocktail is a minty, creamy, green drink best indulged on special occasions. Most liquor stores will carry the classic green-colored crème de menthe, but many specialty stores can offer a clear version with no dye.

    Continue to 5 of 11 below

  • 3-Ingredient St. Patrick’s Day Trader Joe’s Cocktail

    ingredients for TJ's green cocktail

    Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph

    Senior Editor Laurel Randolph says, "It’s easy to halve the recipe for one cocktail. Use 1/2 of a matcha packet."

  • Espresso Martini

    Side view of an Espresso Martini Drink on a marble background.
    Lori Rice

    If you’re looking for a jolt of caffeine today, but shy away from the whiskey or prefer not to drink your cocktail hot, this Espresso Martini with real brewed espresso is what you need. Made with coffee liqueur as well as the espresso, it will perk you up no matter the time of day.

  • Copycat Shamrock Shake

    McDonald’s Shamrock Shake with green sprinkles.
    Elana Lepkowski

    If you’re looking for a booze-free drink with a green-hue to celebrate with, make it a shamrock shake. This classic fast food-inspired copycat version uses just a handful of quality ingredients to get that smooth and creamy minty flavor. And you can always add in a little Irish cream liqueur too.

  • Mojito Cocktail

    Mojito recipe made with mint, lime, and simple syrup
    Elise Bauer

    Another option for green drinks is the naturally verdant mojito. A refreshing cocktail on hot days, this minty, rum-based drink still works in the cold days of March. The secret to a perfect mojito here is infusing the rum and straining the mint, you can even blitz it in a blender for a party!

    Continue to 9 of 11 below

  • White Russian

    Swirling cream in a white russian cocktail
    Alison Bickel

    This creamy, boozy drink gets a subtle hint of chocolate from the Irish Cream, and a higher proof means it packs more punch. Make it extra with a few chocolate shavings on top.

  • Whiskey Sour Cocktail

    Whiskey sour cocktail with egg white foamy top
    Nancy Mitchell

    While drinking Irish Whiskey straight or on the rocks is a perfectly acceptable way to celebrate the holiday, if you’d like something a little more silky smooth and sippable, the whiskey sour cocktail is a bright, flavorful option. If you give a side-eye to raw egg whites, pasteurized carton egg whites will work too, just make sure they are pure egg whites or they won’t give that pillowy top to the drink.

  • Panaché/ Shandy

    Panaché
    Elise Bauer

    Beer will always have a place on St. Patrick’s Day, but if you’d like something a little lighter and more refreshing than a pint of Guinness, a panaché or shandy as it’s known over in Ireland—is an easy beer cocktail to make and serve. Light beer is topped off with citrus soda served over ice for a low-ABV drink.

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