St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookies

I love holidays and the treats that go with them. St. Patrick’s Day Cookies is one of my favorites! When my girls were growing up, on March 17th of every year, we made green bread, green gelatin, green pancakes, and green milk. And of course, sugar cookies with green frosting and sprinkles. Life is so good when kids help you in the kitchen.

A fun thing about cookies, you can tailor them to match each special holiday or family event. Try pink for Valentine’s Day, a combination of red, white, and blue for July 4th, and orange for Halloween, for example. You could use the child’s favorite color for a birthday celebration, or a couple’s wedding colors for their anniversary.

These St. Patrick’s Day cookies are soft and chewy and stay fresh for days! Add the creamy cream cheese frosting and yes, it’s a little piece of heaven!

With all the negativity going on in the world, please remember to have fun. This recipe only makes 12 cookies give or take. It all depends on how thick you roll them out. Cookies are such a versatile dessert. These are designed for St. Patrick’s Day with the green color, but cookies can be made with nuts, chocolate, raisins, and so much more to make them delicious.

St. Patrick’s Day Cookies

The next time you’re looking for a good sugar cookie recipe, give this recipe a try! I’ve made sugar cookies for Christmas, which is what gave me the idea for St. Patrick’s Day. The dough is so good that you’ll want to scrape the sides of the bowl! You can even chill the flour mixture to make it easier to work with (that’s also mentioned in the recipe).

Items You May Need In The Kitchen:

• Mixing Bowls
• Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Cookie Sheets
• Parchment Paper
• Cookie Spatula
• Cookie Cutters
• Sprinkles For Decorations

Ingredients – St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookies Recipe

• Granulated White Sugar: Used to maintain moisture, creating a softer cookie, and adds sweetness and flavor.
• Sour Cream: Used to add more flavor to the Sugar Cookies. It has a 20% fat content. The cream is mixed with a lactic aid that creates that sour taste we all love and helps to thicken the cream.
• Salted or Unsalted Butter (softened): Due to the fat content, butter helps to produce softer Sugar Cookies and enriches the flavor; it helps to keep the cookies from crumbling. Butter prevents the eggs or any moist ingredient from evaporating, which creates moist, soft, and velvety Sugar Cookies. Due to the added salt in this recipe, you don’t need to use butter that contains added salt, if desired.
• Egg: Great source of protein, helps to bind the bar together which creates moist and soft Sugar Cookies. Increases browning during the cooking process. Adds a deliciously rich flavor and helps to extend the life of the cookies.
• Vanilla Extract or Almond Extract (I use vanilla): Adds and enhances the flavors of the butter, sugar, sour cream, egg, flour, and baking soda..
• Baking Soda: Adds carbon dioxide to the dough which helps to create a delicious soft and chewy cookie.
• Salt: Used to enhance the flavors of the other ingredients and to offset the flavor of the sugar.
• All-Purpose White flour (I use bread flour): You can use all-purpose flour, but I find the Sugar Cookies come out fluffier with white bread flour. And, my bread flour has more protein than other flour varieties, which I appreciate when making any of my pastries or bread recipes.

Ingredients – The Best Cream Cheese Frosting

• Butter (softened): Due to the fat content, butter helps to produce a softer cream cheese frosting and enriches the flavor.
• Cream Cheese (softened): Helps to thicken the frosting; adds a mild smooth flavor.
• Powdered Sugar: Helps to create a smooth consistency; adds sweetness; the preferred sugar in baked goods.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds and enhances the flavors of the butter, powdered sugar, and cream cheese.
• Sprinkles (color of choice): Little bits of chocolate-flavored candies, typically made with white chocolate that does not melt. Sold in a variety of colors. Adds a fun flare to the Sugar Cookies that can’t be beat!

St. Patrick’s Day Cookies

Step One – Gather Ingredients – Preheat Oven – Grease Cookie Sheets

Gather the ingredients so you’re ready to make the cookies. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease your cookie sheets, or place parchment paper on them.

Step Two – Combine Wet Ingredients – Cream Until Smooth

Combine the sugar, sour cream, butter, eggs, vanilla or almond extract, cream until smooth.

Step Three – Add Baking Soda and Salt

Add the baking soda and salt. You can use the paddle attachment to help make this step easier if you’d like.

Step Four – Gradually Add Flour – Mix Until Smooth

Gradually add the flour and mix until smooth.

Step Five – Roll Out Dough or Place in Plastic Wrap

If you want to roll out the cookies later, place the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.

Step Six – Place Dough on Lightly Flour Surface

When ready to cut out the cookies, place the dough onto a lightly floured surface or powdered sugar-covered countertop. Please flour or use powdered sugar on your rolling pin as well. I just learned this new trick from my daughter about powdered sugar (it doesn’t dry out the cookie dough).

Step Seven – Use Cookie Cutters – Cut Dough 1/4 in Thick

I like my cookies about 1/4 inch thick when I roll out the dough. I prefer a thicker softer cookie. A thin cookie will not be as soft, so you decide how you like your cookies. Use your cookie cutters and cut the dough.

Step Eight – Bake for 10-15 Mins – Make Cream Cheese Frosting

Place the cookies on the cookie sheets. Bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of your cookies. My 1/4 inch thick cookies need 15 minutes to bake. Let them cool on the cookie sheet before removing them to frost. It’s time to make the best cream cheese frosting!

The Best Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until it is creamy and fluffy.

Frost the cookies. Decorating the cookies is so much fun! After frosting them, sprinkle with “Sprinkles,” if desired.Place the uneaten cookies in the refrigerator because they have cream cheese on them.

Finished Product

I love watching the little ones frost these cookies and use a spoon to spread the colored sprinkles. Life is so fun when you make cookies! Look how awesome the finished sugar cookie dough looks on the baking sheet.

St. Patrick’s Day Cookie Recipe

How do I store the baked cookies?

I store mine in the refrigerator because I frost them with cream cheese frosting. If you frost them later, keep the cookies in a Tupperware-type airtight container on your countertop.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes, you can freeze the dough tightly wrapped in a freezer bag for 1-2 months. Thaw the cookie dough in the refrigerator the day before you plan to make your cookies.

Why Do My Sugar Cookies Spread?

The sugar cookie isn’t supposed to spread, but sometimes it does! Cookies spread because there is too much flour. It’s also best to wait until the cookie dough is chilled, this helps it bake better!

Does It Matter What Kind of Flour You Use?

Lots of cooks like all-purpose flour when baking. Those who make lots of pastries will use pastry flour. For me, bread flour has proven to work great for all my recipes calling for flour. About the only time, I use a different flour is when I grind my own wheat to make whole wheat flour.

Can I Make My Cookies a Different Thickness Than the 1/4″ You Suggest?

I’ve learned over the years that 1/4″ cookies have the texture my family likes. Thinner cookies will tend to be more hard and crunchy, and the thicker ones will be very soft. Note, for thicker cookies you may need to cook them longer to make sure all the dough gets cooked through.

Would it Work to Make the Cookies and Apply the Frosting Later?

Yes, you can do that. To make sure the cookies stay as soft as possible, I’d plan to make the frosting and apply it within a day or two. Much longer and the cookies could dry out and get hard.

What ingredients are in sugar cookies?

There are a few basic ingredients that are commonly used in the making of sugar cookies. The first is flour, which provides structure and helps bind the other ingredients together. Other common ingredients include sugar, butter or oil, eggs, and leavening agents such as baking powder or baking soda. Many recipes also call for vanilla extract or other flavorings, as well as a variety of different spices.

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Final Word

Please let me know if you make these sugar cookies. Don’t you love the smell of cookies baking in the oven? These St. Patrick’s Day sugar cookies are an easy recipe to teach our kids and grandkids how to cook from scratch. Stay safe, stay well. May God Bless this world, Linda