Description
Lucky leprechaun shortbread cookies from Ireland blend buttery richness with festive green sprinkles. Emerald-tinted treats promise delightful St. Patrick’s Day celebrations you cannot resist.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups (590 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt
- Green sprinkles
- M&Ms
- White chocolate
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for optimal baking conditions.
- Creaming: Whip butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the cookies.
- Wet Ingredients: Incorporate egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, blending thoroughly to ensure flavor uniformity.
- Dry Mixture: Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl to eliminate lumps and create a consistent dry ingredient blend.
- Dough Formation: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mixing until a cohesive dough forms without overmixing.
- Cookie Shaping: Craft one-inch dough balls, rolling in green sprinkles or pressing green M&Ms into the surface for festive St. Patrick’s Day decoration.
- Baking Process: Arrange cookies on the prepared baking sheet with adequate spacing, then bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until edges turn golden brown.
- Finishing Touch: Allow cookies to cool briefly, then optionally drizzle with melted white chocolate for an additional decorative element.
Notes
- Butter Temperature Matters: Use softened butter at room temperature for smooth, even mixing and optimal cookie texture.
- Gentle Mixing Technique: Fold dry ingredients gently to prevent tough cookies; overmixing develops excess gluten that creates dense, chewy results.
- Sprinkle Placement Strategy: Add green sprinkles or M&Ms just before baking to ensure they stick and maintain vibrant color during the baking process.
- Cooling Crucial Step: Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to prevent breaking and help them set properly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg