St Patricks Shamrock Cookies (Printer-friendly)

Buttery shamrock-shaped sugar cookies decorated with glossy royal icing for a festive touch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sugar Cookies

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 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, optional

→ Royal Icing

09 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons meringue powder plus 6 tablespoons water
11 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or lemon juice
12 - Green gel food coloring

→ Decorating

13 - Sprinkles or edible glitter, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using; mix until combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
05 - Divide dough in half, shape into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out shamrock shapes and place on prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until edges are just beginning to turn golden. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - In a large bowl, beat together powdered sugar, egg whites or meringue powder and water, and vanilla or lemon juice until stiff peaks form and the icing is glossy, approximately 5 minutes.
10 - Divide icing into bowls and tint with green gel food coloring as desired.
11 - Transfer icing to piping bags fitted with small round tips. Outline and flood cooled cookies. Decorate with sprinkles or glitter if desired. Let icing set for at least 1 hour before serving or packaging.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving and actually gets easier to work with once you understand it craves a light touch, not aggression.
  • Royal icing sounds intimidating but becomes meditative once you realize it's just three ingredients whipped into glossy magic.
  • These cookies stay fresh for days in an airtight container, so you can bake ahead and decorate on your own timeline.
02 -
  • Cold dough is your best friend—warm dough spreads into sad, flat circles instead of holding the shamrock shape, and I learned this the hard way on my first batch.
  • The icing must be completely glossy and stiff enough to hold peaks, or it won't set properly and your carefully piped shamrocks will slide right off the cookies.
03 -
  • If your royal icing gets too thick as you work, add water one drop at a time—too much all at once ruins the whole batch, so patience here is everything.
  • Use gel food coloring instead of liquid because it won't dilute your icing, and the color stays truer and more vibrant without needing more product.
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