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Embrace the St. Patrick’s Day spirit with a delicious homemade Shamrock Shake, a refreshing take on the fast-food favorite. Made with creamy vanilla ice cream, milk, mint extract, and a dash of green food coloring, this easy-to-follow single serve recipe lets you recreate the minty, vibrant green milkshake at home. Perfect for satisfying your sweet cravings or adding a festive touch to your holiday celebrations, our guide makes it simple to enjoy this iconic treat any time you desire.
If you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a Shamrock Shake, why not complete your festive menu with more of our single serving recipes? Try our hearty Irish Stew, creamy Colcannon, and crusty Irish Soda Bread, each perfectly portioned for a delightful meal for one. These recipes are designed to bring traditional Irish flavors to your table, making your celebration both authentic and enjoyable.
Why You’ll Love This Milkshake Recipe
- Quick and Easy: It takes less than 5 minutes to blend up this refreshing treat.
- Minimal Ingredients: You only need a few simple ingredients – vanilla ice cream, milk, mint extract, and green food coloring.
- Customizable: Adjust the amount of mint extract and green food coloring to suit your taste.
- Seasonal Treat: It’s a fun and festive way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
- No Special Equipment Needed: All you need is a blender!
What Is A Shamrock Shake?
A Shamrock Shake is a mint-flavored milkshake that is typically served at McDonald’s restaurants around St. Patrick’s Day. The shake is made with vanilla ice cream, mint syrup, and whipped cream.
The Shamrock Shake was first introduced by McDonald’s in 1970. The shake was created by Jim Delligatti, a McDonald’s franchise owner in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Delligatti was inspired to create the shake after seeing a mint milkshake at a local diner.
The Shamrock Shake has since become a highly-anticipated, seasonal offering, available at McDonald’s during the weeks leading up to St. Patrick’s Day.
Ingredients And Substitutions
This is not McDonald’s Shamrock Shake recipe. According to McDonald’s website, they use vanilla soft-serve ice cream, “Shamrock Syrup”, and whipped cream.
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Vanilla ice cream: Vanilla is the traditional flavor but you might like to try using chocolate ice cream, or mint chocolate chip ice cream instead. For a vegan version, swap the traditional ice cream for a dairy-free option and use a vegan whipped cream. If you’ve got extra ice cream, use some to make a delightful Guinness Float!
- Milk: The choice of milk can be flexible based on dietary needs. Almond, soy, and lactose-free milks are all great substitutes.
- Green food coloring: This gives the shake its pretty green color.
- Mint extract: Be sure to use mint extract instead of peppermint extract for the best flavor. Peppermint extract is very strong and will give the shake a more intense flavor.
- Whipped Cream, Sprinkles, and a Cherry: For topping.
If you have any ingredients leftover from this Shamrock Shake recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Recipe Variations
- Healthy Shamrock Shake: Use a frozen banana, spinach, and mint leaves with almond milk for a healthier version.
- Mocha Shamrock Shake: Add a tablespoon of instant coffee or espresso powder for a caffeinated twist.
- Shamrock Protein Shake: Add a scoop of vanilla protein powder and replace the ice cream with Greek yogurt for a protein-packed shake.
How To Make A Shamrock Shake
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a Shamrock Shake. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Place ice cream in a blender.
- Add milk.
- Add extract and food coloring and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a tall glass
- Top with whipped cream, a maraschino cherry, and green sprinkles for a festive appearance.
Expert Tips
- Choose High-Quality Ice Cream: Select a creamy, premium ice cream for an indulgent Shamrock Shake experience.
- Healthier Milk Options: For a lighter version, substitute whole milk with low-fat or almond milk, which makes the shake less creamy but still delicious.
- Mint vs. Peppermint Extract: Use mint extract, not peppermint, for that authentic Shamrock Shake flavor. Peppermint extract will give it a candy cane-like taste.
- Moderation with Mint Extract: Start with a 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract; it’s potent. For more minty flavor, add gradually. Just a few drops can make a big difference.
- Shamrock McFlurry Twist: Add crushed Oreo cookies to the blender to mimic the popular Shamrock McFlurry.
- Easily Scalable Recipe: Need more servings? Simply double, triple, or quadruple the ingredients based on your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use a small amount of spinach or matcha powder for natural green color.
Yes, you might like to add Creme De Menthe or Baileys Irish Cream for a boozy milkshake.
While fresh mint could be used, it may not provide the same intense mint flavor that extract does.
Simply replace the dairy milk with a plant-based milk, use dairy-free ice cream, and opt for vegan whipped cream.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this Shamrock Shake or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Shamrock Shake For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups vanilla ice cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 10 drops green food coloring
- ½ teaspoon mint extract — feel free to add a drop or two more if you prefer a more minty flavor. Just be careful, a little goes a long way.
Optional Ingredients
- whipped cream
- a maraschino cherry
- green sprinkles
Instructions
- Add the the ice cream, milk, food coloring, and extract to a blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
- Top with whipped cream, a maraschino cherry, and green sprinkles if desired.
Notes
- Choose High-Quality Ice Cream: Select a creamy, premium ice cream for an indulgent Shamrock Shake experience.
- Healthier Milk Options: For a lighter version, substitute whole milk with low-fat or almond milk, which makes the shake less creamy but still delicious.
- Mint vs. Peppermint Extract: Use mint extract, not peppermint, for that authentic Shamrock Shake flavor. Peppermint extract will give it a candy cane-like taste.
- Moderation with Mint Extract: Start with a 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract; it’s potent. For more minty flavor, add gradually. Just a few drops can make a big difference.
- Shamrock McFlurry Twist: Add crushed Oreo cookies to the blender to mimic the popular Shamrock McFlurry.
- Easily Scalable Recipe: Need more servings? Simply double, triple, or quadruple the ingredients based on your needs.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Just like a shamrock shake but better! And without the insane amount of sugar. Perfect for those who need to use lactose free ingredients.
That color is absolutely amazing! And the recipe is perfect for this time of the year – makes you want to crave warmer days so much!
Best idea ever to give my kids an extra special treat. I’ve never thought of making these at home!
We’ve already made these twice since finding the recipe! They are delicious and SO much better than McDonald’s!
My son loves Shamrock Shakes but is always disappointed when they are gone. With this great recipe we make them all year long!
We love this copycat version of the Shamrock Shake!! So good and we can have it whenever we want, no need to get in the car!
Shamrock Shake “season” is one of my favorites of the year. Thanks for sharing your version of this classic!