by Lori Rice

There are few holidays that call for a toast quite like St. Patrick’s Day! With so many delicious spirits and beers hailing from Ireland, you can’t help but celebrate. From stouts and lagers, to mellow whiskey and creamy after-dinner sippers, you have plenty of options to serve your friends. Pair your favorite Irish drinks with these snacks that highlight the best ingredients of this spring holiday.

GUINNESS BEER….

GUINNESS DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES, JAMESON WHISKEY….

AND LITTLE POTATO BITES. YUM.

Potato Bites with Bacon and Herbs

These snacks combine buttery mashed potatoes with crunchy bacon and fresh herbs. When piped into bite-size portions and baked until golden brown, they are the perfect salty snack to go with your stout, a lager, or a sip of whiskey.

Makes: About 56 potato bites

Ingredients

1 ½ lb. gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 slices bacon, cooked crisp
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
½ teaspoon fine ground sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.

Place the potatoes in a 3 to 4 quart pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Boil for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander set over the sink.

Transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until smooth. Stir in the egg yolks, one at a time. Add the softened butter and cream, and continue to stir until all ingredients are combined.

Chop the bacon until it is very fine. Add the bacon to the potatoes. Next, stir in the parsley, chives, sea salt and pepper.

Transfer the mashed potatoes to a pastry bag. Pipe out small mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, about 1 ½ inches in diameter. They will not spread during baking so they can be piped onto the baking sheet close together.

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the edges are browned. Serve warm.

Guinness Double Chocolate Cookies

The well-known Irish dry stout gives these simple chocolate cookies a rich and complex flavor. They pair well with a pint, or serve them with a little Irish cream on the rocks.

Makes: About 56 cookies

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
¼ cup old fashioned rolled oats
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine ground sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cups white sugar
¾ cups dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 oz. Guinness Draught
1 cup bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter, white sugar and brown sugar. Mix on medium and then turn to medium-high. Cream for about 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Turn the mixer to low and mix in the eggs and the Guinness.

Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, with the mixer on low to medium. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed and mix until all ingredients are combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Using a small cookie scoop, transfer the cookie dough to the prepared sheet pan with 12 cookies per pan. Bake for about 8 minutes, until the edges are browned and center of the cookies are firm.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 minute. Transfer the cookies from the sheet pan to a rack to cool completely.