A close look at the cookies with green food coloring
The cookies without food coloring are in the middle row
St. Patrick’s Day isn’t complete without a shamrock for good luck.
Children who like to help out in the kitchen will love to make these cookies.
You can either use vanilla or peppermint extract and they are just as cute if you want to leave out the food coloring.
Cooking time depends on how thick you slice the dough. The recipe suggests at least 8 minutes in the oven but mine took about 10 to 12 minutes.
The cookies are very similar to shortbread and children will like the green sugar rims.
Check back for more recipes as our salute to St. Patrick’s Day continues!
Shamrock Cookies 3/4 cup butter (1-1/2 sticks)
2/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract or vanilla
Few drops green food coloring
2 cups all-purpose flour
Green colored sugar
Directions
1. In a large mixer bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until softened (about 30 seconds). Add sugar and salt and beat until fluffy.
2. Add the egg, peppermint extract or vanilla, and a few drops of green food coloring. Beat mixture well.
3. With mixer on low speed gradually add flour to butter mixture and beat well.
4. Dough will be dry, similar to a pie dough. Mold it together and divide dough into 3 equal parts. Shape each part into a roll about 1 inch thick and about 8 inches long. Roll each in green colored sugar. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.
5. Unwrap rolls. Slice crosswise so the slices are 1/4 inch thick. To shape each shamrock, place 3 slices of dough with sides touching in a shamrock shape on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cut a stem from a fourth slice and attach to the shamrock (save the rest of this slice for cutting other shamrock stems). Gently push the slices together so each leaflet curves in slightly.
6. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. With a pancake turner lift the cookies onto a cooling rack to cool.
Makes 32 cookies.
- adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
