St Patricks Shamrock Sugar (Printable Version)

Buttery shamrock-shaped sugar cookies topped with vibrant green royal icing, perfect for festive occasions.

# 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 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, optional

→ Green Royal Icing

09 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tablespoons meringue powder
11 - 3 to 4 tablespoons room temperature water
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Green gel food coloring

# How To Make It:

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 if using 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 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out shamrock shapes using a cookie cutter and place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
08 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or 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, then beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and glossy, 5 to 7 minutes.
10 - Add green gel food coloring and mix until desired shade is reached.
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 Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving enough that you won't stress over rolling and cutting, even if you've never piped royal icing before.
  • These cookies sit pretty on a dessert table and taste buttery enough that people forget to ask if you made them from scratch.
  • One batch yields 24 cookies, which means you'll have enough to gift some while sneaking extras into your own cookie jar.
02 -
  • Meringue powder changes everything—without it, your icing stays tacky and your piping work feels pointless; with it, you get that satisfying snap when you bite into a cookie.
  • Room-temperature water matters more than you'd think; cold water makes icing stiff and impossible to beat to glossy perfection, while warm water makes it thin and runny.
03 -
  • The secret to perfectly piped royal icing is patience—let each cookie set for 10 minutes before moving it, and don't stack them until the icing is completely hard or you'll smudge your work.
  • If you mess up piping on a cookie, let the icing dry completely and gently scrape it off with a thin knife before starting over; fresh icing doesn't stick to dried icing.
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