Shamrock Shake: the simple, delicious McDonald’s copycat recipe-ideas

Who doesn't love ordering an irresistibly minty, creamy shamrock shake from McDonald's around St. Patrick's Day? The only problem is that McDonald's only features them for a limited time. Here's the good news – with this easy McDonald's copycat shamrock shake recipe, you can satisfy your shamrock shake cravings all year round.

This version is ultra-creamy, making it even tastier than the classic McDonald's version. All you need to make the perfect homemade shamrock shake is five ingredients and a blender. Here's what you need to know to make the best shamrock shake ever.

What is a Shamrock Shake?

Shamrock shakes are a classic seasonal McDonald's milkshake that the fast-food giant features around St. Patrick's Day, usually starting around the end of February and running through March. It's bright green and mint flavored. McDonald's has carried the shamrock shake since the 1970s.

Shamrock Shake Ingredients

Shamrock shakes only have a couple of ingredients.

The most important ingredients are ice cream and peppermint extract.

You'll also need some heavy cream to make the shake ultra-decadent, as well as some food coloring to make it green.

How to Make Shamrock Shake

To make the perfect shamrock shake, all you need to do is pop all the ingredients except for the whipped cream into a blender. Blend everything until smooth, then transfer the shake to your serving glass. Top it off with some whipped cream and desired a cherry, and some chocolate shavings.

Shamrock Shake Variations

Add other flavorings to your McDonald's copycat shamrock shake like chocolate syrup, strawberry, or cherry syrup.

Instead of vanilla ice cream, you can use other flavors like chocolate, mint (for extra mint flavor), strawberry, or cherry.

You can use coconut cream and plant-based ice cream to make a vegan, dairy-free shamrock shake.

Add a shot of vodka, rum, or whiskey to make your shamrock shake boozy.

For a healthier shamrock shake, leave out the ice cream and substitute it for Greek yogurt and use whole milk instead of heavy cream. Just be sure to add some crushed ice so you can get that classic milkshake texture.

You can leave the food coloring out – it won't change the flavor of the shake.

Tips for the Best McDonald's Copycat Shamrock Shake

If desired, you can garnish your shamrock shake with chocolate shavings.

Ice cream is essential for making an authentic copycat shamrock shake, but you can use reduced-fat ice cream if you prefer.

How to Store Shamrock Shake

Shamrock shakes are best enjoyed when they're freshly made, however, you can store them for a few hours in the fridge. If you want to store it longer than a few hours, place it in the freezer.

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients except the whipped cream into a blend.

Blend until smooth.

Pour the shake into a serving glass. Top with whipped cream.

Notes

Use liquid food coloring to color your shamrock shake.