Leprechaun Bait | St. Patrick’s Day Snack

Leprechaun Bait is a festive snack mix recipe that’s perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! With a combination of crunchy cereal, salty pretzels, sweet marshmallows, colorful candy, and a dusting of powdered sugar, this treat is as magical as finding a pot of gold. 

Leprechaun Bait

We don’t usually do anything big for St. Patrick’s Day other than attend our very tiny town local parade so the kids can snag some candy and loot. But I’m always game for a fun snack and this is definitely that!

Whether you’re hosting a party or just looking for a fun and easy treat to share,  this sweet and salty chex mix with M&Ms will surely charm kids and adults alike. Get ready to catch some lucky leprechauns with this delightful snack!

Why You’ll Love Leprechaun Bait

This Leprechaun Bait recipe is a treat for the whole family and here are some reasons you’ll love it: 

Sweet and salty combo: The perfect balance of flavors in every bite – this fun treat has crunchy and creamy textures with a mix of cereal, pretzels, and candy melts.

Festive and colorful: Bright marshmallows and M&M’s add a touch of St. Patrick’s Day magic.

Easy to make: Simple ingredients and minimal prep time make it a breeze.
A hit at parties and perfect for sharing. And a great treat if you are planning to make St Patrick’s Day treats for kids.

Customizable: Swap ingredients to fit your preferences or what you have on hand.

Great for gifting: Package it up in cute cellophane bags or small jars for a thoughtful, homemade treat. These would be great for class parties, a teacher gift.

Tools Needed

• Microwave Safe Bowl
• Silicone Spatula
• Large Bowl
• Large Baking Sheet
• Serving Bowl or Platter or Small Containers

Ingredients

This sweet Chex Mix recipe with M&Ms is one of the best St. Patrick’s Day treats I’ve ever made. 

Rice Chex Cereal. This is my preferred cereal but you could also use Corn Chex or Wheat Chex. They both have a similar texture with slightly different flavors.

Lucky Charms Cereal. Lucky Charms with mini marshmallows really give this delicious treat a little extra texture and color. And who’s not gonna love Lucky Charms Snack Mix?

Pretzels. I used pretzel twists but you could also use pretzel sticks.

White Candy Melts. I used Wilton’s Candy Melts but you might also use vanilla almond bark (aka white almond bark) or white chocolate chips, although I find the chips harder to melt.

Powdered Sugar. This is regular confectioners sugar.

Lucky Charms Marshmallows. For this recipe, I separated out the Lucky Charms Marshmallows from the cereal. However, you can buy Lucky Charms Marshmallows all by themselves and just measure the cereal (with marshmallows mixed in). I promise the extra Lucky Charm marshmallows won’t hurt!

Yellow and Green M&M’s. This is a little bit tedious but worth it to avoid the other bright colored M&M’s. Having said that, if you can find the pastel Easter M&Ms, you could use all those colors and it would still be pretty and festive!

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Lucky Charms Marshmallows

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Lucky Charms Cereal

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Powdered Sugar

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How to Make Leprechaun Bait

This is a simple recipe that will be ready for your little leprechauns in around half an hour! 

1. Microwave white candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring between each increment, until completely smooth and melted, about 3-5 intervals. Be sure not to overheat the melts.
2. Pour the Rice Chex, Lucky Charms, and pretzels into a large mixing bowl. 
3. Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal mix and gently stir to coat all of the pieces. 
4. Add the powdered sugar to the candy coated pieces in the bowl and gently toss with a spatula until everything is evenly coated.
5. After the pieces are evenly coated with powdered sugar, spread them out in an even layer onto a large baking sheet. Sprinkle the extra Lucky Charms marshmallows and M&M’s on top of the Leprechaun Bait.
6. Allow the mix to rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes to allow the coating to set.

Pro Tips

Here are a few success tips for your St. Patrick’s Day snack mix:

• Make sure your candy melts are fresh to get a smooth and glossy coating without clumps. Older candy melts can seize up, making it harder to coat your mix evenly.
• If your candy melt is still too thick after melting, add a teaspoon of neutral oil such as canola oil to thin it out. 
• When melting the candy be sure to avoid moisture. Your bowl and utensils should be completely dry before melting the candy. Even a small drop of water can cause the candy to seize and become unusable. (Been there, done that!)
• Line your baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper for easy cleanup. 
• If you don’t have a microwave, you can also melt the candy melts or white chocolate chips on the stove top with a double boiler.

Serving Suggestions

As a fun touch, serve your Leprechaun Bait Snack Mix in colorful bowls, snack bags, or mason jars. It’ll look great and make for a fun presentation.

You could also scoop this St. Patrick’s Day snack into small bags, tie them up with a green ribbon and give them as favors for a St. Patrick’s Day party. Elementary school kids especially love these yummy treats! I have some St. Patrick’s Day Treat Bag Topper printables here.

One last fun idea… use this Leprechaun Crack in a Leprechaun Traps!

Leprechaun Traps

A leprechaun trap is a crafty and colorful contraption designed to catch a mischievous leprechaun on St. Patrick’s Day! 

You can make a homemade trap or buy one already made! Then fill it with shiny objects like coins, rainbow decorations, and sweet treats (such as Leprechaun Bait Chex Mix) to lure the leprechaun inside. 

While no one’s ever actually caught a leprechaun, the fun lies in the creativity and imagination behind building the trap!

Storage Suggestions

Store the finished Leprechaun Bait Chex Mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

More St. Patrick’s Day Snacks

• St. Patrick’s Day Cake Pops
• Cheerios Cereal Bars for St. Patrick’s Day
• St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes with Sour Power Rainbows
• Easy Edible Gold OREOS for St. Patrick’s Day (Tutorial & Video)
• Lime Green Jello Shots

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