Description
These soft mint Shamrock Shake Sugar Cookie Bars are a fun and easy treat for St. Patrick’s Day. White frosting, green sugar, and a cherry make them look like the popular McDonald’s shamrock shake.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookie Bars
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon mint extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 6 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- green sanding sugar
- 1 – 10 ounce jar maraschino cherries with stems
- ½ teaspoon mint extract
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- green gel color
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with foil and spray it with nonstick baking spray.
- Beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the egg and extracts and beat again.
- Add the baking powder, salt, and half the flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Add the rest of the flour and beat until mixed in. If you are using a hand mixer, you may need to use the back of a spoon or your hands to knead the dough until stiff.
- Use a butter knife to add the green gel color to the desired shade. Again if using a hand mixer, it will take time to mix the color in. Using a spoon or stand mixer does work better.
- Press the dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 14 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
- Beat the butter, extracts, and salt until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and heavy cream alternately until everything is mixed in. Beat on high for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cookie bars. Lift the foil out of the pan and cut the bars into 24 squares. Top with green sanding sugar and a cherry that has been patted dry.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is soft when you start to beat the sugar.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients. The dough will be stiff.
- If you are using a hand mixer, you will need to mix it for a lot longer until the dough comes together.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes