Shamrock Shake
This copycat McDonald’s St. Patrick’s Day milkshake is creamy, decadent, and minty. A Shamrock Shake is easy to make and better than the original.
Skip the drive-thru line and make your own homemade shamrock shake. You will not be disappointed!
I always get excited when this time of year rolls around, and our local McDonald’s offers this beloved classic. What I found, though, is that it’s just as simple to make your own exactly the way you like it!
You can make it as thick or thin as you like, as minty as you like, or with only a hint of mint. Decorate it with the kids, and have some fun with it!
What is It?
A Shamrock Shake is a green colored vanilla mint-flavored milkshake. It’s traditionally topped with whipped cream.
If you live in the USA, Canada, or Ireland, you can visit your local McDonald’s restaurant in February and March and pick up this decadent milkshake. It is only available once a year, during St. Patrick’s Day.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy and quick to make in less than 5 minutes
- Kid-friendly
- Customize to suit your preferences
- It’s a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
- Don’t have to leave your house to grab this sweet treat
- Tastes like the original
- Creamy, minty, cold, and sweet
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whole milk – Make sure it’s very cold
- Mint extract – Do NOT use peppermint extract
- Green food coloring
- Whipped cream
- Sprinkles of your choice
- Maraschino cherries
How to Make a Shamrock Shake
- Step One: Place ice cream, milk, mint extract, and green food coloring in a blender.
- Step Two: Blend until smooth. Add mint extract and/or food coloring until you achieve the desired taste and color.
- Step Three: Pour the shake into glasses, top with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry, and serve chilled.
What to Serve with Them
Variations and Substitutions
- Make it dairy-free using nut milk, oat milk, and dairy-free ice cream.
- Use vanilla frozen yogurt instead of vanilla ice cream.
- Make a boozy version by adding ¼ cup of Bailey’s Irish Cream.
- Switch out the milk for half and half for an even more decadent creamy treat.
- Use chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla ice cream.
- Leave out the mint extract if you aren’t a fan.
Storage Instructions
I recommend drinking your Shamrock Shake fresh. You can store it in the fridge for up to a day, but it will get thinner the longer it sits.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- If you prefer a thick shake, use heavy cream instead of milk.
- If you are concerned about the shake being too minty, start with ½ teaspoon of mint extract. If you want more, increase by ¼ teaspoons at a time until you reach your desired minty flavor.
- If you want the whipped cream to hold its shape longer, use stabilized whipped cream (like Cool Whip).
Why Use Mint Extract versus Peppermint Extract
Mint extract has a milder mint flavor than peppermint and will give you more of that classic taste we know and love. Peppermint extract is fine, too, but it will have a stronger flavor, similar to a candy cane.
Topping Ideas
- Whipped cream – Try homemade Cool Whip.
- Green and white sprinkles
- Maraschino cherries
- Chocolate sauce
- Crushed Oreo cookies
- Mini chocolate chips
- Mint chocolate chips
Milkshake Recipes
- Caramel Coffee Milkshake
- Nutella Coffee Milkshake
- Coconut Coffee Milkshake
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Coffee Milkshake
- Reese’s Coffee Milkshake
- Orange Julius
Try my Irish Brown Bread and Air Fryer Irish Soda Bread.
For more copycat recipes, try Big Mac Sauce, Copycat Arby’s Roast Beef Sandwich, Copycat McDonald’s Sausage Egg McMuffins, Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls, and Copycat Popeye’s Chicken Sandwich.
Follow me on Instagram @simplystacieblog, Facebook at Simply Stacie, TikTok @simplystacierecipes or Pinterest at @simplystacie and let me know how you liked this recipe and my other recipes.
Shamrock Shake
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Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups vanilla ice cream
- ¾ cup very cold whole milk
- 1 tsp mint extract
- Green food coloring
- Whipped cream
- Sprinkles of your choice
- Maraschino cherries for topping
Instructions
- Place ice cream, milk, mint extract, and green food coloring in a blender.
- Blend until smooth. Add additional mint extract and/or food coloring until desired taste and color have been achieved.
- Pour the shake into glasses, top with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry. Serve chilled.
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.
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Thank you. I will give it a try. Sounds good!!!
That sounds too delicious for words, have to try it. Thank you.
Thanks Gail! I hope you like it!
Is there any way to make this with less fat grams? If there’s not it’s okay lol I just won’t be able to try it myself personally lol.
Yes!
Use Low-Fat or Non-Dairy Ice Cream – Swap full-fat vanilla ice cream for low-fat, reduced-fat, or frozen yogurt. Alternatively, use a banana-based ice cream (blended frozen bananas) or a light non-dairy ice cream like almond or coconut-based varieties.
Choose a Lower-Fat Milk – Instead of whole milk, use 1% or skim milk. You can also use unsweetened almond, oat, or cashew milk for an even lighter option.
Reduce the Ice Cream & Add Yogurt – Replace half the ice cream with plain or vanilla Greek yogurt for a protein boost with less fat.
Go Easy on the Whipped Cream – Use light whipped topping or a coconut-based whipped cream instead of regular whipped cream.
Try a Protein Shake Base – Blend vanilla protein powder with ice and low-fat milk instead of ice cream for a high-protein, lower-fat version.