Shamrock Sugar Cookies
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with these stunning Shamrock Sugar Cookies. This recipe combines a foolproof, no-spread butter cookie with a shiny, professional-looking royal icing that doesn’t require meringue powder. Perfect for parties, school treats, or a festive afternoon tea.
- Prep Time: 90 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 100 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
All-purpose flour – 3 cups
Baking powder – 1 tsp.
Kosher salt – 1/2 tsp.
Butter, softened – 1 cup (2 sticks)
Granulated sugar – 1 cup
Large egg – 1
Milk (for dough) – 1 Tbsp.
Pure vanilla extract – 1 tsp.
Powdered sugar – 5 cups
Light corn syrup – 1/3 cup
Milk (for icing) – 1/4 cup
Almond extract – 1/4 tsp.
Green food coloring – as needed
Instructions
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Mix in egg, milk, and vanilla; gradually add flour until combined.
Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350ºF and line sheets with parchment.
Roll dough to 1/8” thick and cut with shamrock cutter.
Freeze cutouts on the tray for 10 minutes before baking.
Bake 8–10 minutes until edges are barely golden. Cool completely.
Mix powdered sugar, corn syrup, milk, and extract for icing.
Pipe thick icing borders, thin remaining icing, and flood centers.
Pop bubbles with a toothpick and let dry completely.
Notes
• Use gel food coloring for the most vibrant green without thinning the icing.
• Ensure the butter is cool-room temperature, not greasy, for the best texture.
• The 10-minute freezer chill is the secret to perfectly sharp shamrock edges.
• If icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar; if too thick, add milk 1/2 tsp at a time.