Description

These St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Sugar Cookies are a festive and delightful treat perfect for celebrating the holiday. Featuring a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a sweet, simple flavor, these cookies are cut into charming shamrock shapes and decorated with green royal icing and optional sprinkles. Ideal for parties or a cozy tea time, these cookies bring fun and cheer to any St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract

Decorations

Green royal icing (for decorating)
Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later incorporation.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which will help yield tender cookies.
Add Egg and Extracts: Beat in the large egg, followed by the vanilla and almond extracts, blending thoroughly to combine the flavors evenly.
Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, mixing continuously until a soft dough forms without overworking it to maintain cookie tenderness.
Roll Out Dough: On a floured surface, roll out the dough to approximately ¼ inch thickness to ensure even baking and a delicate texture.
Cut Cookies: Use a shamrock-shaped cookie cutter to cut out individual cookies, then place them carefully on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie for spreading.
Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden, indicating they are fully baked but still soft inside.
Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely, which is essential before decorating to prevent melting the icing.
Decorate: Once cooled, decorate the cookies with green royal icing and add sprinkles if desired to create festive Shamrock designs perfect for St. Patrick’s Day.

Notes

Ensure butter is properly softened to achieve the best creaming texture with sugar.
Do not over-bake the cookies to keep them soft and buttery.
Rolling the dough evenly helps cookies bake uniformly.
Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
Let the cookies cool completely before decorating to avoid icing melt or run.
Almond extract adds a subtle nutty flavor; if allergic, substitute with additional vanilla extract.
Store decorated cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: St. Patrick's Day cookies, Shamrock sugar cookies, holiday cookies, festive desserts, sugar cookie recipe, royal icing cookies