St Patricks Shamrock Cookies (Printer-friendly)

Buttery shamrock-shaped cookies decorated with vibrant green royal icing, perfect for St. Patricks Day.

# What You Need:

→ Sugar Cookie Dough

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

→ Green Royal Icing

09 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 3 to 4 tablespoons water, room temperature
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Green gel food coloring

# Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the dough comes together.
05 - Divide the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
08 - Cut out shamrock shapes using a cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are just beginning to golden. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Combine powdered sugar and meringue powder in a bowl. Add water and vanilla, then beat with a mixer on low speed until smooth and glossy, 5 to 7 minutes.
11 - Add green gel food coloring and mix until you reach the desired shade.
12 - Transfer icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Outline and flood the cooled cookies. Allow icing to set for at least 1 hour before serving.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • Buttery, tender cookies that stay soft for days and taste even better the next morning with coffee.
  • The green royal icing sets perfectly hard, so you can stack them without smudging—great for gift boxes or parties.
  • Medium difficulty means you'll feel accomplished without pulling your hair out, and the results look fancy enough to impress.
02 -
  • Don't bake the cookies until they're completely golden—pulling them out when the edges are just turning golden means they'll be tender, not crispy.
  • Room temperature water and soft butter make the difference between icing that whips up silky and icing that turns grainy; temperature actually matters here.
  • Meringue powder is a game-changer for royal icing that sets properly; without it, your icing will stay soft and won't create that signature hard shell.
03 -
  • Gel food coloring creates vibrant shades without watering down your icing the way liquid colors do—this single swap elevates your final result.
  • If your royal icing gets too thick while you're piping, add water literally one drop at a time; you can always make it thicker, but too much water ruins the batch.
  • Chill your dough longer than the minimum hour if you're short on time during rolling—cold dough forgives imperfect technique and spreads less in the oven.
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