• Bring the egg and stick of butter to room temperature.
• In a mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside while you mix together the wet ingredients.
• In a large mixing bowl add the softened butter with the sugar. Using an electric hand mixer, cream these together on medium for 2 minutes.
• Add the egg and mix for one minute. Add vanilla & other optional extracts & mix.
• Add ½ of the flour mixture & beat on medium for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining flour mixture & mix for 2 minutes or until combined.
• This dough will be dense, thick, & crumbly at this point.  See the image above.
• Add 5 drops of food coloring to the sugar cookie dough to get a light green color. Mix with the electric mixer until combined.

  Continue adding 2-3 drops of color until you reach the color you desire. I recommend adding 5 drops, to begin with, which gives you the color as seen above.

  SEE THE IMAGES ABOVE FOR COLORS TO BE EXPECTED.
• Place the green sugar cookie dough in your refrigerator and chill for 30-60 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray.
• Begin by lightly dusting a large cutting board or your clean kitchen counter with flour. Add a dusting of flour to your rolling pin also.

  Roll out the dough so that its thickness measures about ½". 
• Cut out the dough using your shamrock cookie cutter. Place on the prepared baking sheet once at a time. These cookies will not spread so you do not need much space between them.
• Repeat rolling & cutting until your baking sheet is full. Once the oven is preheated at 350° you can begin baking them.
• Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.

  Once baked remove them carefully from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Use a spatula and remove the cookies carefully to a baking rack for them to continue cooling.

Optional Buttercream Frosting

• In a small mixing bowl add the softened butter and half the powdered sugar. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer to combine. Scrape the edges with a spatula.
• Add remaining powdered sugar and beat to combine. Add the mint extract if you are making the Shamrock Shake flavor - or add vanilla or almond extract instead.
• Mix and beat until fluffy and smooth. If it seems a bit thick add drops of milk & beat until you get your desired consistency.

  ** Powdered sugar and butter can vary by brand. You may need to add additional powdered sugar to get it as thick & sweet as you wish. This will be a thick frosting that will harden on the edges after it sets out for a while.
• Spread the frosting on the cookies carefully. Add green sugar sprinkles too if desired.