St. Patricks Shamrock Brownies (Printable Version)

Rich chocolate brownies shaped like shamrocks with creamy green icing for festive celebration.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Brownies

01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
06 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

→ For the Green Icing

09 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
11 - 2 tablespoons milk
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Green food coloring, as needed

→ For Decoration

14 - Green sprinkles or sanding sugar, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
03 - Add cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder to wet mixture. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
04 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
05 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center emerges with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake.
06 - Transfer pan to wire rack and allow brownies to cool completely before proceeding.
07 - In a bowl, beat powdered sugar, softened butter, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add green food coloring gradually until desired shade is achieved.
08 - Lift cooled brownies from pan and cut into shamrock shapes using a shamrock-shaped cookie cutter.
09 - Spread green icing over each shamrock brownie. Top with green sprinkles or sanding sugar if desired.
10 - Allow icing to set completely before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Fudgy chocolate brownies stay moist and tender while the creamy green icing gives you that festive pop without feeling overly sweet.
  • The shamrock shape transforms a humble brownie into something celebratory that looks far more complicated than it actually is to make.
02 -
  • Don't let the brownies cool in the pan for too long before removing them, or the residual heat can make the icing melt when you spread it on a warm surface.
  • A clean, dry shamrock cutter makes the biggest difference between neat shamrocks and crumbly edges, so take a moment to wipe it between each cut.
03 -
  • If your icing is too thick to spread smoothly, add milk one teaspoon at a time until you reach the right consistency, and if it's too thin, whisk in a bit more powdered sugar.
  • For extra texture and richness, stir mini chocolate chips or chopped walnuts into the batter before pouring it into the pan—just don't go overboard or they'll weigh down the crumb.
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