Celebrating All Things Irish and Sweet: An Irish Afternoon Tea Party

We all know that St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, but instead of heading to the usual Irish pub (if that’s what you wish), we’re giving our readers a delightful alternative sans a hangover! Consider a relaxing afternoon gathering over tea and coffee, while enjoying some scrumptious Green Isle goodies made with the finest ingredients that are truly Irish, of course!

But first, some tips for decorating your little get-together…

Getting Your Irish Tea Party ‘Green & Go!’

This will most likely be an intimate, at-home celebration with family and close friends. So you can actually cheat a little with your decorations, while still pulling off that St.Paddy’s Day look.

• No shamrocks? Use leafy plants for table centerpieces and decor – An all-leaf centerpiece set against a white tabletop or pots of greenery alongside white wicker furniture should do the trick.
• Dig out your green and/or white items to use as tableware. – Glasses, table napkins, vases, runners, place mats, coffee mugs, tea cups, trays. If they’re green, add touches of white. If they’re white, accent them with something green.
• Serve party goodies that are as decorative as they are delicious. – The array of treats we’ve got for you below shows perfect examples of this. Recipe links follow. So get ready to indulge, Irish style!

First up are the baked delights we found. How can anyone resist this Guinness Chocolate Cake with Irish Cream Frosting (1), with secret ingredients like espresso powder and Greek yoghurt making it decadently flavorful and moist? (And note: no frosting skills required!)

For must-have munchies, we found these Irish ‘Triple Threat’ Oatmeal Cookies (7) that boast of Irish butter, Irish steel-cut oats, and Irish whiskey in every bite; and Irish Butter Cookies (2) in the requisite shamrock shape and frosted with green buttercream icing—with the option of whiskey tossed in! Plus Nutty Irishman Cupcakes (3), inspired by the after-dinner drink. There’s Frangelico liqueur in the batter and, yes, that’s Bailey’s frosting on top.

Now for the drinks! Something cold with a minty kick to it would be these Grasshopper Ice Cream Cocktails (4), actually vanilla ice cream with Creme de Menthe, Creme de Cacao, and whiskey blended in. And as a treat for lovers of coffee and tea, we searched for Irish versions to try out: Irish Coffee (meaning it has whiskey in it!) with Baileys Irish Cream (5), and Irish Breakfast Tea (6) that you can brew straight from tea bags—and serve with Irish Soda Bread.

Wondering what to give as gifts for an Irish Tea Party? Check out these 7 lucky St. Patrick’s day ideas! If you prefer to make something edible like shamrock cookies, gold chocolate coins, or rainbow jelly beans, attach a pretty printable and you’re ready to go!

Have a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day Afternoon Tea Party!

Recipe Links: 1 – Guinness Chocolate Cake with Irish Cream Frosting, from A Beautiful Bite; 2 – Irish Butter Cookies, from Challenge Dairy; 3 – Nutty Irishman Cupcakes, from Baked Bree; 4 – Grasshopper Ice Cream Cocktails, from Dine & Dish; 5 – Irish Coffee with Baileys Vanilla Cream, from Delicious Magazine; 6 – Irish Breakfast Tea and Irish Soda Bread, from Roti N’ Rice; 7 – Irish Oatmeal Cookies, from Dessert For Two