St. Patricks Day Sugar Cookies (Print Version)

Tender sugar cookies with green icing and sprinkles for festive celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

→ Icing & Decoration

09 - 2 cups powdered sugar
10 - 2–3 tablespoons milk
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - Green food coloring
13 - Green and gold sprinkles (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
02 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2–3 minutes.
03 - Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using, until fully incorporated into the butter mixture.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until dough forms and no dry streaks remain.
05 - Divide dough in half, shape each portion into a flat disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ¼-inch thickness and cut shapes using shamrock or round cookie cutters.
08 - Place cut cookies on prepared baking sheets, leaving 1 inch of space between each cookie.
09 - Bake for 8–10 minutes until edges are just beginning to turn golden. Let cool on sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add green food coloring gradually until desired shade is achieved.
11 - Spread or pipe icing onto completely cooled cookies and add sprinkles while icing is still wet. Allow icing to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cookie dough bakes up tender with just the right amount of chew, never tough or dry like some holiday cookies can be
  • You can customize the green shade from subtle mint to bold clover, making each batch uniquely yours
02 -
  • Chilling dough is not optional here because warm dough spreads into thin, sad cookies instead of holding those cute shamrock shapes
  • Overbaking by even a minute can turn these tender treats into crunchy discs, so pull them when edges just begin to color
03 -
  • Rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking helps all cookies cook evenly, preventing some from browning faster than others
  • A small offset spatula makes spreading icing much easier and more precise than using a butter knife

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