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Close up shot of shamrock sugar cookies decorated with green sanding sugar
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5 from 3 votes

Shamrock Sugar Cookies Recipe

If you need a sweet treat for St. Patrick’s Day, these Shamrock Sugar Cookies are what to make. Soft sugar cookies topped with green frosting and decorative sugar are easy to make and so cute.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Chill Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 257kcal
Author: Dorothy Kern
Cost: $8

Ingredients

Cookies:

  • 2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ cups (141g) powdered sugar
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter , softened
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Frosting:

  • 2 cups (452g) powdered sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons milk regular low- or non-fat are all fine
  • Green Food Coloring
  • Green Sanding Sugar

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer). Mix on low, scraping the bowl occasionally, until the mixture forms a cookie dough. Be sure to start on low or the dry ingredients will fly everywhere!
  • Divide the dough in half. Place a large sheet of waxed paper on a large cutting board or flat surface. Place the cookie dough on the wax paper. Place another large sheet of wax paper on top of the cookie dough. Press down into a flat disk with the palm of your hand, then roll out the dough between the two pieces of wax paper. After each 3-4 rolls, carefully lift the top sheet of wax paper off the dough, then replace it, flip the dough over, and carefully peel the other wax paper sheet, replace it, then continue rolling until the dough is about 1/4” thick. Place the dough, still between the wax paper sheets, on another cutting board or cookie sheet.
  • Repeat with second half of dough. Place both rolled out cookie dough sheets in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or wrap them well with plastic wrap and chill overnight).
  • When ready to cut cookies, preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Cut cookies in desired shapes and place them on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Save the scraps of dough and re-roll them as needed. Note: once you re-roll the dough, you may want to chill those cutouts for about 10 minutes before baking them so they’ll keep their shape.
  • Bake cookies for 6-10 minutes depending on the size. I take them out as soon as the bottoms start to brown because we like them softer. If you want crunchy cookies, let them cook longer. Cool completely before frosting and decorating.
  • To make frosting, beat butter until smooth in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Slowly mix in powdered sugar, then vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until the frosting is the consistency you desire.
  • Tint the frosting green. Place sanding sugar in a shallow bowl or plate. Frost cookie then dip frosting-side down in sugar.
  • Store in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Can freeze cookies in a single layer, then stack in an airtight container (be sure to unstack them before thawing). Or freeze cookies unfrosted in an airtight container.

Notes

Swaps:
  • Use store-bought sugar cookie dough to make the cookies.
  • Skip making the frosting and use canned icing instead. Look for green, or you can tint white frosting with food coloring.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 367IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg