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Shamrock Sugar Cookies Recipe Easy Homemade Royal Icing Tutorial

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These shamrock sugar cookies feature a buttery, soft yet slightly crisp texture topped with smooth, glossy royal icing, perfect for festive occasions like St. Patrick’s Day. The recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients and includes a detailed royal icing tutorial.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345 grams) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt
  • 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons (7 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) almond extract (optional)
  • 4 cups (480 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons (30 grams) pasteurized egg whites or meringue powder
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 3 to 5 tablespoons (45 to 75 ml) water
  • Green gel food coloring, a few drops

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes until fluffy and pale.
  3. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract and almond extract if using.
  4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed or folding gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
  5. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly flour work surface and rolling pin, roll dough to about ¼ inch (6 mm) thickness.
  7. Use shamrock cookie cutter to cut shapes and place on parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart.
  8. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges just begin to turn light golden.
  9. Let cookies sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
  10. To prepare royal icing, combine powdered sugar, pasteurized egg whites or meringue powder, lemon juice, and 3 to 5 tablespoons water in a bowl. Beat on medium speed until stiff, glossy peaks form (5-7 minutes). Add green gel food coloring dropwise until desired color is reached.
  11. Transfer icing to piping bags fitted with small round tips. Outline cookie edges and flood with thinned icing (add water 1 tsp at a time to reach flooding consistency). Let icing dry completely for 4-6 hours or overnight.
  12. Optional: After base icing dries, pipe details like shamrock veins with thicker icing.

Notes

Chill dough for at least 1 hour or overnight to prevent spreading and keep cookie shapes crisp. Use pasteurized egg whites or meringue powder for safer royal icing. Adjust icing consistency by adding water dropwise. Let icing dry completely before stacking or storing. For dairy-free version, substitute butter with coconut oil or margarine. For gluten-free, use gluten-free flour blends. Avoid overbaking to keep cookies soft inside with crisp edges.

Nutrition

Keywords: shamrock sugar cookies, royal icing, St. Patrick's Day cookies, festive cookies, homemade sugar cookies, easy sugar cookies, holiday baking

Find it online: https://tessierecipes.com/shamrock-sugar-cookies-recipe-easy-homemade-royal-icing-tutorial/