Shamrock Sugar Cookies Recipe

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Shamrock Sugar Cookies with Green Sprinkles

Although my husband gladly prepares our St. Patrick's Day feast including Glazed Corned Beef, boiled cabbage and potatoes, and Irish Soda Bread, he always designates me as the chief pastry chef for this meal.  I've often thought of making a trifle for dessert, but instead go for something green.  I've prepared chocolate cupcakes with green icing, Pistachio Bundt Cake, and Grasshopper Pie.  Last year I made a batch of my tried and true sugar cookie dough and turned them into little shamrocks with green sprinkles.  So cliche, yet so yummy!

My favorite Leprechaun!

As I shared over at Love Feast Table during the Christmas season, my sugar cookie recipe comes from Aunt Ethel.  Not my actual aunt, but a part of the family nonetheless. Aunt Ethel's cookies are present for most holidays and birthday celebrations in our home.  The dough is soft and pliable and results in a delicate cakey cookie that begs to be cut into seasonal shapes and topped with sprinkles or decorated with icing.  So despite the fact that my Shamrock Sugar Cookies might not be Irish, they are a nice ending to our St. Patrick's Day feast.  Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Printable Recipe for Aunt Ethel's Sugar Cookies

Aunt Ethel's Sugar Cookies Recipe

     adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book  (copyright 1977)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1. Cream the butter, shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla thoroughly.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
3. Blend butter mixture and flour mixture together.
4. Divide dough into 2 discs.  Cover each with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
5. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
6. Remove dough from refrigerator and allow to sit on the counter for 15-30 minutes, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
7. On a board that has been lightly floured with a mixture of flour and confectioner’s sugar, roll dough until it is 1/4 inch thick.  Cut with your favorite cookie cutter.
8. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Top with colored sanding sugar, if desired.
9. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until cookies are a delicate light golden color.
10. Cool on a wire rack.  If desired, decorate with Easy Cream Icing.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cutter  

Linked to Love Feast Table's Fancy Friday, St. Patrick's Day Round Up, Lamb Around's Not Baad Sunday, Recipe Swap Sunday, Potluck Sunday, More the Merrier Monday,  Tatertots and Jello's Weekend Wrap Up Party, Kitchen Fun, Sweets for a Saturday,