Description
These Shamrock Sugar Cookies are buttery, flavorful, and a perfect treat for St. Patrick’s Day. They come together quickly, using simple ingredients like flour and vanilla, making them an excellent choice for festive celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- seeds scraped from 1 whole vanilla bean
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- salt, to taste
- optional: gel food coloring for tinting
- optional: sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla bean seeds and mix for an additional 1-2 minutes. Incorporate the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
- Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on low until a soft dough forms. If too sticky, add additional flour if needed.
- Divide the dough in half and roll each portion out on floured parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Use flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Dust one rolled-out dough lightly with flour, cover with parchment, and stack the second dough on top. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the top dough from the refrigerator and cut into desired shapes. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
- Arrange the cookies on baking sheets with adequate spacing and bake for about 11-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- For frosting, beat the butter and vanilla seeds until creamy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla, mixing thoroughly. Adjust sweetness with a pinch of salt if needed. Divide and color the frosting as desired with gel food coloring.
- Decorate cookies using the frosting and top with sprinkles, if you like.
- Store decorated cookies at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Unfrosted cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerated for 1 week.
Notes
Ensure butter is at room temperature for easier mixing.
Use food coloring and sprinkles to add a festive touch to your cookies.
These cookies can be made ahead of time and stored unfrosted.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg