These easy St. Patrick’s Day cookies are a soft, no chill sugar cookie recipe. The cookie dough is rolled in green sugar and decorated with colored cereal marshmallows and have that nostalgic shamrock shake flavor.
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Sugar cookies are my very favorite cookie! As a lifetime baker and busy mama, I have decades of sugar cookie making behind me. I make dozens of cut out cookies for holidays like Christmas, Easter and Halloween, but sometimes I crave all the classic sugar cookie flavor in a quick and simple recipe.
I'm sharing my favorite no chill, made with melted butter, no icing decorated sugar cookies that are perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, much like my vanilla mint cookie bars.
two sugar bugs has dozens of sugar cookie recipes with all my secrets for making them. From sprinkle cookies to lemon sugar cookies to strawberry sugar cookies, I've got you covered on flavors!
Jump to:
- 💗 why you will love this St. Patty’s day sugar cookie recipe
- 💭 where do I get green sugar?
- 🛒 ingredients and substitutions
- 🥣 how to make no chill sugar cookies
- 🧰 recommended equipment
- 💬 frequently asked questions
- 👩🏻🍳 expert tips for the best drop cookies
- 🫙 how to store
- more decorated cookie ideas
- 📖 recipe
- Easy St. Patrick's Day Sugar Cookies
💗 why you will love this St. Patty’s day sugar cookie recipe
- Easy ~ the dough mixes in one bowl with no mixer needed.
- Texture ~ these cookies have a soft centers and chewy edges.
- Flavor ~ with vanilla and a hint of mint, these cookies have that classic vanilla-mint aka shamrock shake taste.
- No waiting ~ these drop sugar cookies are made with melted butter and need no chill time. Meaning you'll be eating them in about 30 minutes!
💭 where do I get green sugar?
Many grocery stores or craft stores {like Michael’s or Hobby Lobby} sell colored sugar in the cake decorating/baking section.
But I have good news for you, you can make your own colored sugar at home. It’s super simple to do!! → place the sugar in a zip top bag and add a few drops of food coloring to the sugar {I use this Chefmaster gel coloring} and zip the bag closed. Then use your fingers to massage the food coloring into the sugar. This will allow you to make the sugar the perfect color shade of your liking!
🛒 ingredients and substitutions
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
- Granulated sugar ~ granulated {or white} sugar brings that classic sugar cookie flavor. Used in the cookie dough and to roll the cookies in before baking.
- Unsalted butter ~ gets melted, so no planning ahead. If you only have salted butter, eliminate the salt in the recipe.
- Kosher salt ~ just a touch to balance the flavors. If you only have table salt, use half the amount.
- Large egg yolks ~ provides structure and brings the sugar cookie dough together. Save the whites for an egg white omelette or to make meringue cookies.
- Vanilla ~ adds the classic sugar cookie flavor. You can use vanilla bean paste as a substitute.
- Mint extract ~ just a touch of peppermint extract gives the cookies a little something special in flavor; it reminds me of the Shamrock shake flavor. If you aren't a fan of or don’t have mint extract you can leave it out with no other changes.
- Baking powder ~ helps to create thick and chewy holiday sugar cookies. I recommend an aluminum free baking powder.
- All-purpose flour ~ for structure. If you don't use a scale for measuring {this is the scale I use and love}, make sure to use the spoon and level method to ensure you don't have too much flour. {Fluff the flour in the container, then spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife}.
- Dehydrated cereal marshmallows ~ the tiny marshmallows are used for decorating the cookies. My local market carries the dehydrated marshmallows, but you can also buy them online. If you are more patient than me, you could also pick them out of a box of Lucky Charms cereal.
🥣 how to make no chill sugar cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a medium bowl, add the granulated sugar, melted butter and kosher salt and stir until well combined.
Now stir in the egg yolks, vanilla and mint extracts, making sure everything is very well combined.
Next add the baking powder and mix to combine. Finally stir in the flour until just combined.
Take roughly 2 tablespoons of dough {I use a 30 scoop, about 48g dough per cookie} and roll it into a ball, then roll in the green sugar, roll in your hands again and roll a second time in the sugar. Place on the prepared baking pans, spacing 2 inches apart. Then lightly flatten each cookie with a flat bottomed cup and top with the colored marshmallows.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, the edges will be set and the centers may still look a little soft.
“Scoot” the cookies with a biscuit cutter or cup when they are hot out of the oven, if desired.
🧰 recommended equipment
Mixing bowl and spatula ~ I'm a big fan of these glass nesting bowls, but also love a stainless set of nesting bowls I've had since my wedding.
Kitchen scale ~ for the most accurate measuring of your ingredients. I use this OXO scale, but if you are looking for a more economical option this Escali digital scale is also a great one.
Light colored baking pans ~ lighter colored pans help cookies to bake more gently, which equals a softer cookie.
Parchment paper ~ I'm a big fan of parchment paper for baking. It helps the drop sugar cookies bake more evenly, helps to keep the cookies from spreading and sticking and makes for easy clean up. King Arthur makes some great precut parchment sheets.
Good cookie spatula ~ I love, love, love using a fish spatula to remove cookies from the baking pan!
Cooling rack ~ allows for air to circulate around the baked cookies, which helps them cool and firm up.
Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest! Use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of this page.
💬 frequently asked questions
can you decorate these easy sugar cookies with buttercream?
Yes! If you'd like a frosted sugar cookie, frost with my favorite American buttercream. I would bake the cookies without the dehydrated marshmallow and press them into the buttercream frosting once it’s on the cookie.
You can also use the above frosting for decorating with piping tips. This sugar cookie recipe makes drop cookies, so you will be decorating a round cookie.
can I make this small batch recipe?
Absolutely! Just halve the ingredients.
how long do sugar cookies stay fresh?
These St. Patty’s Day sugar cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. To keep them the freshest, make sure your container seals tightly. Adding a slice of bread to the container can help to keep them soft as the bread will release it’s moisture, which helps the cookies stay hydrated and not dry out.
The cookies will stay fresh for a few months if stored in the freezer. See the “how to store” section below for how to freeze cookies.
can I make this cookie dough with sprinkles?
Yes, add ½ cup of sprinkles with the flour!
👩🏻🍳 expert tips for the best drop cookies
- Weigh your ingredients ~ I know I say this all the time, but weighing your ingredients is the most accurate and will give the best results. This is the scale I use in my kitchen. If you need a more economical kitchen scale, this Escali scale is also a great option.
- Use real butter, not margarine for the best tasting cookies; sugar cookie recipes are a good time to splurge on a premium butter like Plugrà or Kerrygold.
- Do not grease your cookie pans, which can make your cookies spread more. Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats instead.
- Bake on lighter colored baking pans as the St. Patrick’s Day sugar cookies will bake more gently, which equals a softer cookie {these USA Pans are my favorite}.
- Don't over bake the cookies. In my opinion, this is the number one reason home baker's cookies don't come out like bakery cookies. To keep the cookies soft and chewy we want the centers slightly underdone. They will continue cooking as they cool and the centers will firm up. Please remember your oven is different than mine and baking times may vary slightly.
- When adding the dehydrated cereal marshmallows, lightly press them into the cookie dough. You may need to lightly press them back in after the sugar cookies bake as well.
- "Scoot" the cookies when they come out of the oven with a large round cookie cutter {I use this Ateco cutter set} or glass if you want perfectly round cookies. Scooting the cookies also helps to make them a bit thicker.
🫙 how to store
Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 - 4 days.
You can also freeze the baked cookies once they have completely cooled. This is by far my favorite way to store cookies! The no chill sugar cookies can go in a zip top bag or an airtight container; they will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months {often longer}.
Allow to defrost at room temperature, this takes about 15 minutes.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these Soft St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
more decorated cookie ideas
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
📖 recipe
Easy St. Patrick's Day Sugar Cookies
recipe created and tested by:
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams in parenthesis DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted (226g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour (292g)
- ⅓ cup green granulated sugar * for rolling (67g)
- Green food coloring if making your own colored sugar
- Dehydrated colored marshmallows if desired
Instructions
- *If making your own green sanding sugar, add ⅓ cup granulated sugar/67g to a zip-top bag and add a few drops of green food coloring (I use a gel based color from Chefmaster). Close the bag and then massage the coloring into the sugar until it's evenly distributed and the shade of green you like. This can be done up to a couple of days prior to baking the cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a medium bowl, add the granulated sugar (1 ½ cups/300g), the melted butter (1 cup/226g) and kosher salt and whisk until well combined. Now whisk in the egg yolks (2 large), vanilla (2 teaspoons) and peppermint extract (½ teaspoon), making sure everything is very well combined.
- Next add the baking powder (½ teaspoon) and mix to combine. Finally stir in the flour (2 ⅓ cups/292g) with a spatula until combined.
- Take roughly 2 tablespoons of dough (I use a 30 scoop/48g dough per cookie) and roll it into a ball, then roll in green sanding sugar, roll in your hands again and roll a second time in the sugar mixture. Place on the prepared baking pans, spacing 2 inches apart. Then lightly flatten each cookie with a flat bottomed cup. (The dough can be quite soft. If you are having trouble working with it, let it rest 2-3 minutes and it should be easier to work with). Top the middle of each cookie with 4-5 colored marshmallows, if desired, lightly pressing them into the dough.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes, the edges will be set and the centers may still look a little soft.
- Cookies can cool completely on the baking sheet or can be moved to a wire cooling rack after 5 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
Michelle says
These St Patty's daty sugar cookies are so festive! Love the addition of the marshmallow for a pop of color!
Tasia says
Thank you Michelle!
Jill says
Delicious and the cookies were easy to make. I didn't color the sugar, but the vanilla and mint flavor is fantastic. Thank you for another easy recipe!
Sweet E's Bake Shop says
Amazing! St. Patrick’s Day just got sweeter! These beautifully decorated sugar cookies bring festive charm to every celebration!
Sweet E's Bake Shop
Tasia says
Thank you!
Kathleen says
Gonna make some of these this weekend and send to my son in college! He'll be thrilled!
Tasia says
I love that Kathleen!
Nancy says
These were very tasty and very festive! The peppermint made them an interesting cookie instead of just a boring sugar cookie. They were nice and soft, too, which I like! My only problem was that the dough was quite sticky and I had to add more flour in order to make the balls.
Tasia says
Hi Nancy, I am so happy to hear you enjoyed these sugar cookies! I'm curious if you weighed your ingredients and if you let the dough rest 2-3 minutes after mixing?