Description

These Shamrock Sugar Cookies are soft, buttery, and lightly sweet, making them the perfect treat for St. Patrick’s Day! Cut into shamrock shapes and decorated with green icing or sprinkles, these cookies are fun for kids and adults alike.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Sugar Cookies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, for extra flavor)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
2–3 tablespoons milk (adjust for consistency)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Green food coloring
Green sprinkles or gold sugar (optional)

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Instructions

Make the Sugar Cookies:
Preheat & Prep:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cream Butter & Sugar:
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Mix Dry Ingredients:
In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Chill & Roll Out Dough:
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes (this helps with cutting shapes).
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ¼-inch thickness.
Cut & Bake:
Use a shamrock-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies.
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 8–10 minutes, until edges are just lightly golden.
Let cool completely before decorating.
Make the Icing & Decorate:
Prepare the Icing:
In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Add green food coloring until you reach your desired shade.
Decorate:
Dip cookies in icing or use a piping bag to outline and flood the cookies.
Sprinkle with green or gold sprinkles before the icing sets.
Set & Serve:
Let icing dry for 1 hour before stacking or serving.

Notes

For extra festive cookies, drizzle with white chocolate or add edible gold dust!
No cookie cutter? Use a knife to cut out simple shamrock shapes.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for later.
Recipe Details

Nutrition

Calories: ~140
Sugar: In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Sodium: ~40mg
Fat: ~7g
Saturated Fat: ~4g
Unsaturated Fat: ~2g
Trans Fat: ~0g
Carbohydrates: ~17g
Fiber: ~0g
Protein: ~1g
Cholesterol: ~20mg