What an amazing day it was in Minnesota today! 66 degrees!!!! If it wasn’t for the pools of mud all over my yard from the melting snow, it would have been perfect. I pushed kids in swings, strolled them in strollers, hiked to the park and set up the trampoline. There is nothing like a Minnesota winter to make you honestly appreciate spring. I was driving with the windows down in the car this afternoon and Elisabeth says, “Mom, this is the life!” Yes it is my dear.

It’s been many years since I have done anything fun with my kids for St Patrick’s day, so I decided I was going to come out of “really busy Mom” funk and have some fun. Elisabeth and I spent much of the afternoon working on these yummy treats for the lunch boxes tomorrow. I even packed up an extra dozen shamrock cookies in each of their lunch boxes to share with their friends at the lunch table. This recipe is easy and they keep their shape wonderfully when baking.

For St Patties dinner, we are going all green baby! I’m making homemade spinach fettucini, green rolls, lime jello and a green beverage I’m still concocting in my head. Any great suggestions???

Shamrock Cookies

Print Recipe

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 C unsalted butter, room temperature

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 C sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

3 1/2 C flour

1 tsp baking powder

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Instructions

Beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the sugar, then the egg until well combined then add flavorings. Add flour and baking powder to the bowl. Slowly combine until flour is mixed in, then mix well.
Wrap the dough completely in plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, at least two hours.
Divide the dough in half and roll out one portion 1/4 ” thick. Keep other portion in the fridge until ready to work with it. Cut rolled dough into desired shape and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes at 375 degrees. Allow them to cool on the pan for about five minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Frost when completely cooled.