St Patricks Shamrock Cookies (Printable)

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

# What You'll Need:

→ Sugar Cookies

01 - 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
04 - 0.75 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 0.5 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 - 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Green gel food coloring

# Directions:

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 0.25 inch thickness. Cut out shamrock shapes using a cookie cutter and place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.
08 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are just beginning to turn golden. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Combine powdered sugar and meringue powder in a bowl. Add water and vanilla extract, then beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and glossy, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
10 - Add green gel food coloring to the icing and mix until the desired shade is achieved.
11 - 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.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're buttery enough to melt on your tongue but sturdy enough to survive being shipped in a care package.
  • The royal icing dries to a hard, glossy finish that looks like you hired a professional baker, even if this is your first time.
  • You can make the dough days ahead and decorate whenever you find a spare hour, no rushing required.
02 -
  • Meringue powder is essential, not optional—without it, your icing will stay sticky and never achieve that satisfying hard coating that makes these cookies special.
  • Rolling your dough between two pieces of parchment paper makes cleanup infinitely easier and prevents the dough from sticking to your rolling pin or surface.
  • Room temperature water matters more than you'd think, as cold water can make your icing grainy and thick too quickly.
03 -
  • If your royal icing seems too thick, add water one teaspoon at a time rather than pouring, since you can always thin it but you can't thicken it easily.
  • Chill your piping bag by wrapping it in a damp paper towel for a few minutes, which keeps the icing from getting soft and becoming impossible to control.
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