Oreo Shamrock Shake Cookies
These soft and chewy cookies Oreo Shamrock Shake Cookies combine the refreshing mint flavor of a McDonald’s Shamrock Shake with the crunch of Mint Oreos for a fun and festive treat. Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, Easter brunch, Spring, or whenever you’re craving a delicious twist on a classic dessert!
Back in the day I would really look forward to the day that the shamrock shake came out at McDonalds. When it comes to using the flavor of mint in desserts, you’re either in our out and I am totally in!
The Shamrock shake is essentially a vanilla milkshake with mint flavoring and a green color. It’s even better when Oreo cookies are mixed in. To be honest though, I haven’t had one in over 10 years because I really try to keep things balanced around here. This year I was craving the taste of one and decided to turn the iconic taste into soft and chewy cookies with a hint of crunchy texture and a refreshing mint flavor.
☘️They pair well for dessert after Reuben Cabbage Rolls or Sous Vide Corned Beef for St. Patrick’s Day!
And if you love these cookies, you’ll also love making Lemon Crinkle Cookies, Texas Sheet Cake Cookies, Doubletree Chocolate Chip Cookies and Peanut Butter Collagen Protein Cookies!
🍪Key Ingredients for the BEST Shamrock Shake Cookies
Each ingredient plays a key role in achieving the soft and chewy texture of these Shamrock Shake cookies, while enhancing the mint Oreo flavor for the best tasting St. Patrick’s Day dessert.
- All-Purpose Flour – Provides structure and stability, ensuring the cookies hold their shape while staying soft.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder – Helps the cookies rise slightly, keeping the edges crisp while maintaining a tender center.
- Salt – Enhances the overall flavor and balances the sweetness of the mint chocolate Oreo cookies.
- Unsalted Butter – Adds richness and moisture, creating a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the cookies while contributing to their soft and slightly chewy consistency.
- Egg – Binds the ingredients together, ensuring the dough stays cohesive and the cookies don’t crumble.
- Vanilla Extract & Peppermint Extract – The perfect combination for a Shamrock Shake-inspired flavor, reminiscent of the classic McDonald’s treat.
- Green Food Coloring – Optional, but enhances the festive Shamrock green hue, making these St. Patrick’s Day cookies stand out.
- Mint Oreos – Crushed into chunks, they add a deliciously crunchy texture and bold mint chocolate flavor, transforming these into the ultimate Shamrock Shake cookies.
🥣How to Make Oreo Shamrock Shake Cookies Step by Step
1️⃣ Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking. If you haven’t already, set out your butter and egg to bring them to room temperature for better mixing.
2️⃣ Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3️⃣ Cream the butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is crucial for achieving a soft and chewy cookie texture.
4️⃣ Add the wet ingredients: Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, beating until fully incorporated. If using, add the green food coloring and continue mixing until the dough reaches a uniform green shade.
5️⃣ Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined. Avoid overmixing, as this can make the cookies dense instead of soft and chewy.
6️⃣ Fold in the Mint Oreos: Gently stir in the crushed Mint Oreos, distributing them evenly throughout the dough. For best results, leave some larger chunks to add texture and crunch to the cookies.
7️⃣ Scoop and chill the dough: Use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to form dough balls, about 3 tablespoons each, and place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour (or up to 48 hours). Chilling helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
8️⃣ Bake the cookies: Arrange the chilled cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set but still slightly soft.
9️⃣ Cool before serving: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
🍪Tips For Cookies With Mint Oreos
Here are some important things you need to know when making this recipe:
- Oreo cookies: I used mint Oreos in this recipe but if they are out of season, you can use regular Oreos. If using plain, add a few extra drops of peppermint extract to the dough.
- Two flavor extracts: This recipe uses both vanilla and peppermint extract to create the refreshing taste of mint along with the taste of vanilla ice cream like you would get at McDonalds.
- Dry dough: Because you are adding dry crunchy cookies to the cookie dough, it will be a bit more crumbly than regular dough. Just make sure everything is mixed well and pack the dough into the cookie scoop to prevent pockets of air.
- Mix just until combined: When adding the dry flour and Oreos, mix JUST until combined to keep the mixture from overworking and becoming tough.
- Food coloring: I used 6 drops of green food coloring for this recipe to keep with the green theme but you do not need to use any at all!
- Chill the dough: Once you make the dough, scoop it onto parchment lined baking sheets and let it chill in the fridge for AT LEAST one hour. If you bake them without chilling, they could spread too much and lose their soft and chewy flavor.
- Cookie size: I used a standard ice cream scoop to make the shape as I wanted a large cookie. You can make them smaller, just use a little less baking time.
- Perfect baking: For the best texture, slightly underbake the cookies. You’ll know they are done when the edges are lightly browned and the centers are a bit soft but set. They will finish cooking and setting out of the oven. This recipe made about 12 cookies. I actually only had 11 but I fully admit to eating too much of the dough!
🍀Fun Variations
- 🍫 Double Chocolate: For a richer bite, mix in semi-sweet or white chocolate chips along with the crushed Mint Oreos. The extra chocolate adds a creamy contrast to the crisp cookie texture.
- 🌾 Gluten-Free: Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to make these cookies gluten-free friendly. Be sure to check that your Mint Oreos are gluten-free or substitute them with a similar gluten-free cookie.
- 🌿 Extra Minty: Love an even bolder mint flavor? Add chocolate peppermint chips or drizzle the finished cookies with melted mint chocolate for an extra refreshing touch.
🧊Storing and Freezing
Storage Instructions: Once the cookies are completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing Baked Cookies: To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once frozen solid, transfer the cookies to a freezer-safe bag or container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw them at room temperature or reheat briefly in the oven for a freshly baked taste.
Freezing Unbaked Cookies: Portion the dough into individual balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container. The frozen dough can be stored for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, there’s no need to thaw the dough. Place the frozen dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake according to the original recipe instructions, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time if needed.
❓FAQ
Yes, if you can’t find Mint Oreos, use classic chocolate Oreos and add an extra ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract to the dough to maintain the signature Shamrock Shake flavor.
Yes, chilling the dough for at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours is important. It helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much and enhances the chewy texture.
Absolutely. The food coloring is just for aesthetics and won’t affect the flavor. The cookies will still have the delicious mint and vanilla flavor without the green hue.
For the perfect balance of crunch, break the Oreos into small chunks rather than grinding them into fine crumbs. You can do this by placing them in a zip-top bag and crushing them gently with a rolling pin.
To achieve extra soft and chewy cookies, slightly underbake them by removing them from the oven when the edges are set, but the centers look slightly soft. They will continue to bake as they cool.
If you don’t have peppermint extract, you can use mint extract, but keep in mind that it has a slightly different flavor. You can also crush Andes Mints or use chocolate mint chips to enhance the minty taste.
Dry cookies can happen if the dough is overmixed, too much flour is added, or they are overbaked. Make sure to measure your flour correctly using the spoon-and-level method and mix just until combined to maintain the best texture.
Oreo Shamrock Shake Cookies
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- Electric Mixer, or Stand Mixer
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Scoop
- Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter 2 sticks softened
- 1 ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Peppermint Extract
- 6 drops Green Food Coloring
- 14 Mint Oreos crushed
Instructions
- Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking. If you haven’t already, set out your butter and egg to bring them to room temperature for better mixing.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is crucial for achieving a soft and chewy cookie texture.
- Add the wet ingredients: Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, beating until fully incorporated. If using, add the green food coloring and continue mixing until the dough reaches a uniform green shade.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined. Avoid overmixing, as this can make the cookies dense instead of soft and chewy.
- Fold in the Mint Oreos: Gently stir in the crushed Mint Oreos, distributing them evenly throughout the dough. For best results, leave some larger chunks to add texture and crunch to the cookies.
- Scoop and chill the dough: Use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to form dough balls, about 3 tablespoons each, and place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour (or up to 48 hours). Chilling helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
- Bake the cookies: Arrange the chilled cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set but still slightly soft.
- Cool before serving: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
