Shamrock Sugar Cookies

by Suzanne on March 11, 2013

Shamrock sugar cookies @www.you-made-that.com

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, you don’t need to be Irish to love little green iced shamrock cookies. I made these shamrock cookies because I’m a sucker for sugar cookies and I’m loving practicing decorating cookies using royal icing and the flooding technique. I plan to do more practicing so I’m hoping my friends and family will not get tired of eating these little cookies. You know I’ve talked about Bridgett’s blog Bake at 350 before because I use her sugar cookie recipe, and her great ideas plus directions on how to decorate cookies. But did you know she has a cookbook of her own, well she does and it’s fabulous.

Shamrock sugar cookies @www.you-made-that.com I’ve wanted to try decorating cookies like this for a while now, I’m still learning myself but each time I try I get a little better.

Shamrock Sugar Cookies

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Ingredients:
1 cup of butter, cold and cut into chunks
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
3 cups unbleached all-purpose-flour sifted
2 tsp. baking powder

Directions:

Step 1:Pe-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place butter and sugar the bowl of a stand mixer put the flat paddle attachment on and beat until creamed well.
Step 2: Add the egg and extracts to the butter and mix.
Step 3: Add the 3 cups of sifted flour and baking powder to the creamed butter mixture and turn on low until the dough forms. Dough may be crumbly and you may need to knead it by hand. Mine has always come together with the mixing of the machine.
Step 4: Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick and cut into desired shapes.
Step 5: Place cookie shapes out onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet and freeze for about 5 minutes while you get more cookies cut. Repeat until all the dough is cut into shapes.
Step 6: Bake the first batch of cookies you put into the freezer for 9-12 minutes. Then let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat with other cookies.

While cookies are cooling make the royal icing.

Ingredients for icing:
4 Tbsp. meringue powder
scant 1/2 cup of water
1 lb. of powdered sugar (sifted)
1/2 – 1 tsp. corn syrup
a few drops of flavored clear extract (optional)
green food color

Directions:
Step 1: Put meringue powder and water in a large mixing bowl, I use a stand mixer. Using a paddle attachment mix until the mixture is frothy looking
Step 2: Add the sifted powdered sugar, the corn syrup, and extracts if desired.
Step 3: Beat the frosting at medium-high for 5 minutes until shiny and stiff peaks form. The stiff frosting is perfect for outlining the cookies with tip #3 and then you will need to thin the frosting with a teaspoon of water at a time until you get a nice flowing consistency (a bit runny in my opinion).
Step 4: Tint the icing to the desired color shade and outline the cookies.
Step 5: Follow step 3, by thinning the icing and flood the cookie, not too much. You may use a toothpick to help spread the icing to the edges of your outline. Let air dry until completely dry. Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container.

Please check out Bridget’s blog or University of Cookie for more videos and tutorials.

Tagged as: cookies, holiday, St. Patrick's Day

1 Patty March 11, 2013 at 9:58 am: Lovely shamrock cookies and what a fantastic giveaway !
I’m going to do my baking for Saint Patty’s day this week and I may have to add a batch of shamrock cookies into my plan 😉
2 Laura (Tutti Dolci) March 11, 2013 at 10:26 am: Beautiful cookies, Suzanne! They are picture perfect :).
3 Lisa {AuthenticSuburbanGourmet} March 11, 2013 at 12:50 pm: What perfect cookies! Perfect for the impending “green” holiday. I bet they did not last long at your house. 🙂
4 Erin @ Texanerin Baking March 11, 2013 at 2:16 pm: What a great giveaway! I’m assuming it’s US only, but I’d enter if I could. 🙂

And your cookies look great! I’ve always admired such cookies but never tried because I’m a little afraid of royal icing. And I need to get myself a shamrock cookie cutter for next year! They’re so cute.
5 Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts March 11, 2013 at 2:33 pm: These cookies look so perfect! Love the shamrocks!
6 Susan C March 11, 2013 at 7:55 pm: Follow on Facebook
7 Susan C March 11, 2013 at 7:55 pm: Follow on Twitter
8 Susan C March 11, 2013 at 7:59 pm: Follow on Pinterest
9 CCU March 11, 2013 at 8:12 pm: Gorgeous looking cookies my friend 😀

Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
10 Sandra's Easy Cooking March 11, 2013 at 10:13 pm: Delicious Cookies…beautifully decorated and made! Also awesome giveaway…
Thanks for sharing deliciousness here and have a wonderful week!
11 Leslie March 12, 2013 at 12:24 am: Thank you for doing the fun giveaway.
12 Leslie March 12, 2013 at 12:24 am: I subscribe via email.
13 Joan@Chocolate and More March 12, 2013 at 5:40 am: These cookies are so cute! I need to find more reasons to play with royal icing! I follow you pretty much everywhere and of course I pinned these cookies!
14 Shelly March 12, 2013 at 9:03 am: Very pretty cookies!
15 Shelly March 12, 2013 at 9:04 am: I like you on FB.
16 Shelly March 12, 2013 at 9:04 am: I follow you on Pinterest.
17 Shelly March 12, 2013 at 9:05 am: I subscribe via email.
18 Maureen March 12, 2013 at 12:26 pm: These are absolutely darling for St Patrick’s day.
19 Liz Blunt March 12, 2013 at 1:23 pm: What a great, easy recipe – I’d like to try my hand at these cookies!
20 Liz March 12, 2013 at 2:32 pm: Besides chocolate, frosted sugar cookies are the hubby’s favorites! Your shamrocks are perfect! What a great giveawy!
21 Liz March 12, 2013 at 2:32 pm: I follow you on FB
22 Liz March 12, 2013 at 2:33 pm: I follow you on Twitter
23 Liz March 12, 2013 at 2:33 pm: I follow you on Pinterest
24 Jessica@AKitchenAddiction March 12, 2013 at 3:56 pm: These look perfect Suzanne!
25 Jessica@AKitchenAddiction March 12, 2013 at 3:57 pm: I subscribe via e-mail
26 Carol | a cup of mascarpone March 12, 2013 at 4:02 pm: Suzanne, these are so darn cute for St. Patty’s Day! You do a beautiful job with your cut-out sugar cookies!!!
27 The Café Sucré Farine March 12, 2013 at 4:08 pm: So pretty Suzanne, you’re getting VERY good at that decorating technique!
28 erin March 12, 2013 at 5:14 pm: So cute! Love these shamrock cookies!
29 erin March 12, 2013 at 5:15 pm: I like you made that on facebook.
30 erin March 12, 2013 at 5:15 pm: I follow on pinterest.
31 erin March 12, 2013 at 5:16 pm: I pinned it!
32 Valerie March 12, 2013 at 6:25 pm: Wow, Suzanne – your sugar cookie decorating skills are impressive! (I have yet to master the outline!) 😀 Love these festive shamrock cookies!
33 Lora @cakeduchess March 12, 2013 at 9:04 pm: Such a cute cookie shape and your decorating skills are great, Suzanne:)The icing color is so pretty for spring baking. Love this giveaway!
34 Jen Laceda @ Tartine and Apron Strings March 12, 2013 at 9:08 pm: I hope to win this awesome cookie set!
35 Jen Laceda @ Tartine and Apron Strings March 12, 2013 at 9:09 pm: I follow YMT on Pinterest!
36 Jen Laceda @ Tartine and Apron Strings March 12, 2013 at 9:09 pm: I follow YMT on Twitter!
37 Jen Laceda @ Tartine and Apron Strings March 12, 2013 at 9:13 pm: I pinned your picture-perfect cookies on Pinterest!
38 Tessa March 12, 2013 at 9:50 pm: Adorable cookies! I follow via email :).
39 Holly March 13, 2013 at 5:48 pm: Lovely cookies and a great contest!
40 Amy Tong March 13, 2013 at 5:57 pm: Your shamrock sugar cookies are gorgeous. They are so festive for St. Patrick’s day! As much as I baked…I don’t think I’ve ever decorated a sugar cookie, what a shame. I would love to win her book and this awesome prize pack and get started. 🙂 Thanks for hosting the giveaway. 🙂

amy [at] utry [dot] it
41 Amy Tong March 13, 2013 at 5:58 pm: following you on Facebook.

amy [at] utry [dot] it
42 Amy Tong March 13, 2013 at 5:59 pm: Following you on Twitter (@utry_it)

amy [at] utry [dot] it
43 Amy Tong March 13, 2013 at 6:00 pm: Following you on Pinterest.

amy [at] utry [dot] it
44 Amy Tong March 13, 2013 at 6:02 pm: Pinned and here’s the link to my pin:

http://pinterest.com/pin/53269208065061327/

amy [at] utry [dot] it
45 Kiran @ KiranTarun.com March 13, 2013 at 10:37 pm: I need you to bless me with your cookie decorating skills. I can barely bake, let alone decorate 😉
46 Jean (Lemons & Anchovies) March 14, 2013 at 6:35 pm: Those cookies are gorgeous, Suzanne. I have absolutely no decorating talent so I’m always envious of people who can do this. This cookbook might just banish the fears I have about cookie decorating! 🙂
47 Priscilla @ShesCookin March 14, 2013 at 7:03 pm: I love plain sugar cookies, too, and you did a fine job of decorating them! I rarely bake sweets since its only hubs and I, but I’m sure someone will love these decorating accoutrements 🙂
48 Alexandra March 16, 2013 at 11:19 am: I’m already your follower on Facebook. I used to decorate cookies like this for a living before I got married in a cute bakery in So. Cal. I miss it!
49 Alexandra March 16, 2013 at 11:20 am: I follow you on Pinterest too! Love your pins 🙂
50 Alexandra March 16, 2013 at 11:22 am: Pinned the third image… I’m always looking for more inspiring holiday ideas.
51 Alexandra March 16, 2013 at 11:27 am: Subscribed via email
52 Maureen | Orgasmic Chef March 17, 2013 at 6:43 am: You are so clever! These look perfect.
53 Adrienne March 17, 2013 at 3:04 pm: I’m so glad I discovered this blog! So cute and those cookies look delish!
54 Adrienne March 17, 2013 at 3:08 pm: I followed you on pinterest, facebook, and twitter. Also I pinned one of the images and subscribed to your e-mail. Thanks!