Shamrock Sugar Cookies for St. Patrick’s Day
Shamrock Sugar Cookies are a delicious festive treat for your St. Patrick’s Day party. These beautifully decorated sugar cookies taste amazing!
These homemade St. Patrick’s Day treats start with a yummy sugar cookie recipe, followed by decorating with this easy recipe for Royal Icing. Various cookie decorating techniques were used to make these festive cookies such as brush embroidery cookie decorating, a tartan design and a Stained Glass effect.
Decorated sugar cookies
I found the Shamrock cookie cutter at my local bakery supply store.
Shamrock sugar cookies are spiced with Cardamom, a delightful sweet, slightly spicy, and citrusy flavor. They taste fantastic, not that bland flavor you often get with sugar cookies. For a different flavor profile you may wish to try Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies. My sugar cookie recipe is a tried and true recipe for making the best sugar cookies that cut out into perfect shapes!
Decorate with royal icing using your favorite technique. You can find easy to follow instructions for decorating sugar cookies with royal icing click here.
St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect time to enjoy delicious Irish-inspired recipes. From hearty stews to sweet treats, these dishes add festive flavor to your celebration.
This post was originally published March 15, 2012. I occasionally update with fresh tips, content and photos. Current update March 8, 2025.
Shamrock Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs + 1 extra yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom spice
- 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
For decorating the cookies
- royal icing link to recipe in notes
- green lifesaver candies for stained glass cookies
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, salt and cardamom spice.
- Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add vanilla and eggs. Beat to combine.
- Blend in the flour mixture and mix until fully combined.
- Separate the dough in 3 even pieces, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness.
- Dust Shamrock cookie cutter with flour and cut into shapes.
- For Stained glass look – cut dough with large circle cookie cutter (make sure Shamrock cookie cutter fits into circle). Then cut shamrock inside circle. Fill each Shamrock shape with crushed green lifesavers. Cookie sheet MUST be lined with parchment paper or cookies will stick to cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. The edges just starting to brown.
- Cool completely on the cookie sheets.
- Decorate with royal Icing.
Notes
Nutrition
