Shamrock Shakes are only available at McDonald’s for a few months per year, but you can make your own green, minty, and creamy Shamrock Shake whenever you like with this easy at-home recipe for the fast-food favorite.
Do you just have to take a trip through the drive-thru as soon as you see the first ad for Shamrock Shakes at McDonald’s appear? For me, this green milkshake is a sure sign of Spring, St. Patrick’s Day, and the eventual end of the cold winter, so I’m usually first in line to get one.
McDonald’s shakes are pretty good, right? Thick, creamy, and super sweet, a McDonald’s Shamrock Shake is delicious, and also kind of a splurge. Fast food milkshakes can be expensive, but you can do it yourself for much less.
It’s not expensive to make a milkshake at home with a few simple ingredients. You can easily replicate all the sweet and minty flavor and the bright green color of a Shamrock Shake in your own kitchen. Complete with whipped cream and a cherry on top, this shake is a perfect copycat recipe. Grab your blender and let’s go!
I have more amazing copycat recipes! Try my Popeye’s Chicken Sandwich or Olive Garden Breadsticks.
Key Ingredients in a Shamrock Shake
The ingredients listed in the recipe card are enough to make two servings. Adjust if you need to serve just one, or more!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Vanilla Ice Cream: The base for any delicious milkshake is quality vanilla ice cream.
- Whole Milk: To make a super creamy Shamrock shake, whole milk is preferred. Use 2% if that’s what you have on hand though.
- Mint Extract: At the store, there are two types of mint extract. One is called just “mint” and the other is peppermint. For this recipe, the mint extract will give you the correct flavor. Peppermint tastes more like candy canes, while mint extract tastes like shamrock shakes!
- Green Food Coloring: You can use gel food coloring or liquid, but you definitely need to make your Shamrock Shake green. It’s not the same if you don’t.
- Whipped Cream, Green Sanding Sugar, and Marchino Cherries: Create a beautiful and delicious topping for your shake with these fun ingredients. For best presentation, use maraschino cherries with the stems on.
How to Make a Shamrock Shake
This easy milkshake recipe will be ready in just a few minutes!
- To a blender, add vanilla ice cream, milk, mint extract, and food coloring. Blend until smooth.
- Divide the milkshake between glasses, then top each with whipped cream, sprinkle with sanding sugar, and decorate with a maraschino cherry on top.
Tip!
Be careful with the food coloring! Add a very small amount to start, and add more if needed. Too much will make the color too dark.
More Sweet Drinks to Make
We have a whole section of beverages on the blog that is growing all the time. Try these next:
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate
- Iced Strawberry Tea
- Banana Oatmeal Smoothie
- Easy Whipped Coffee
- Christmas Milkshake
- Christmas Punch
FAQs
Shamrock Shakes are a seasonal menu item. In the US, Shamrock shakes are available at McDonald’s starting about 1 month before St. Patrick’s day, and often disappear just after the holiday. In 2021, Shamrock shakes were available between February 15th and March 17th.
This green drink has a sweet, creamy, mint flavor.
I haven’t tried it this way, but I do think that you could make this recipe using your favorite creamy non-dairy frozen dessert and oat milk or cashew milk. It won’t be quite as creamy as the dairy version, but it will still be delicious!
If you are looking for a refreshing and delicious shake, this shamrock shake recipe is the best! It is the perfect way to beat the winter blues in style!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Shamrock Shake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups vanilla ice cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon mint extract not peppermint extract
- Green food coloring
- Whipped cream
- 3-4 drops green sanding sugar
- 2 maraschino cherries with stems
Instructions
- To a blender, add vanilla ice cream, milk, mint extract, and food coloring. Blend until smooth.
- Divide the milkshake between glasses, then top each with whipped cream, sprinkle with sanding sugar, and decorate with a maraschino cherry on top.
Notes:
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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