Copycat McDonald’s Shamrock Shake

This McDonald’s Shamrock Shake recipe lets you enjoy the seasonal fan-favorite milkshake at home! It tastes just like the real thing using only 4 ingredients.

The McDonald’s Shamrock Shake is back, but, as always, only for a limited time. 

What if I told you that you can easily recreate the indulgent drink at home with just four ingredients?

Forget about going for a McDonald’s run or opening the food delivery app. With this quick and easy copycat Shamrock Shake recipe, you can enjoy the creamy and minty beverage any time you want!

It’s as delicious as the real thing, made richer and creamier with half and half. Once you try this mint and vanilla blend, it’ll be hard to return to fast-food milkshakes.

What is Shamrock Shake?

With its beautiful green hue, anyone will surely be enticed to try the Shamrock Shake immediately. If you haven’t had one yet, it’s a mint vanilla milkshake from McDonald’s, but what makes it extra special is it’s a seasonal treat. 

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, fans of this green drink are in luck as McDonald’s brought the Shamrock Shake earlier than last year. 

However, why not surprise yourself (or anyone else you know who’s also a Shamrock Shake fan) with the indulgent treat right now? And no, I don’t mean you’ll go to the drive-thru, visit McDonald’s, or have the drink delivered.

I meant, make the Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s in the comfort of your own home!

You can make it any time of the year and even tweak the recipe to suit your cravings. 😋

Why You’ll Love This Copycat Recipe

• Year-Round Enjoyment: This copycat recipe for McDonald’s Shamrock Shake allows you to enjoy the delicious green drink anytime you want! You can also make a big batch and serve the milkshake on your get-togethers. Scroll down to learn how to make a spiked Shamrock Shake. 👇
• 4 Ingredients Only: You won’t need to shop for ingredients with hard-to-pronounce names to recreate the Shamrock Shake at McDonald’s. Just grab high-quality ice cream, half and half, mint extract, and green gel food coloring. Can you imagine how much you can save in the long run compared to getting take-outs and deliveries?
• Can Be Modified: Play with different variations when you make the fan-favorite Shamrock milkshake at home! If you don’t mind a slight difference in flavor, you can also substitute the ingredients to cut down the calories or make the drink dairy-free. 

What Does McDonald’s Shamrock Shake Taste Like?

You know it’s a hit when it only appears for a limited time, yet people still get excited about it. It’s a green drink that sparks glee!

But does Shamrock Shake taste good? If you love mint treats, yes, but if not, give the shake a chance. 

The Shamrock Shake tastes like a creamy vanilla milkshake with just the right intensity of mint flavor to keep the sips interesting. Keyword: Just the right intensity of mint flavor.

And since you’re the one blending your milkshake, you can totally adjust the amount of mint extract and keep it from “tasting like toothpaste.” 😉

The mint flavor complements the richness of the vanilla milkshake (which basically tastes like melted vanilla ice cream), making the shake both refreshing and indulgent. 

Now, the most important when judging homemade milkshakes… the texture. 

The texture of this DIY McDonald’s Shamrock Shake is smooth and creamy, thanks to half and half. 

Instead of milk, this milkshake blends the ice cream with half and half. 

Ingredients For Shamrock Shake McDonald’s Copycat Recipe

• Vanilla ice cream – Use full-fat, high-quality vanilla ice cream. Nobody wants a watery, flavorless shake. 
• Half and half – This gives our homemade fan-favorite Shamrock Shake that extra richness and creaminess. 
• Green food coloring gel – You can also use liquid food coloring, but a drop or two of gel-based food color will suffice to give your Shamrock milkshake that signature, social media-ready green hue. 
• Mint extract – Our controversial milkshake flavoring. But hey, since you’re looking for a McDonald’s Shamrock Shake copycat recipe, you’re likely a mint dessert fan! 
• Sprigs of mint – Just a couple of sprigs to garnish our glass of DIY Shamrock Shake. Scroll down for more garnish and topping ideas.

Tools Needed To Prepare Shamrock Shake From McDonald’s

• Blender for combining the ingredients

Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Shamrock Shake at McDonald’s

Mint cookies

The Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s is not the only one back on their menu this month. The Oreo Shamrock McFlurry is also already available! 

This gave me an idea: Combine the two in one luscious drink! 🤤

Add pieces of mint Oreos to the blend and garnish the Shamrock Milkshake with whipped cream and more crushed Oreos! 

Vanilla ice cream substitute 

If you love mint chocolate chip ice cream, why not give your McDonald’s Shamrock Shake a chocolatey twist? 

Swap vanilla ice cream with chocolate ice cream and omit the green food coloring. 

Alternatively, you can just drizzle chocolate syrup in your serving glass to give your homemade Shamrock Milkshake a camera-ready presentation. 

You can also add the syrup to the blend, but green plus dark brown?

I doubt you’ll get an appealing color on your shake. 

Mint extract substitute

If you want a sweeter take on your homemade Shamrock Shake, swap mint syrup with peppermint extract or creme de menthe syrup.

It will taste more like peppermint candy canes!

How to Make Shamrock Shake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1 to 2 drops of green food coloring gel
• 4 drops mint extract
• Sprigs of mint for garnish, optional

Tools you need:

• Blender

Instructions:

STEP 1: Add the ice cream and half and half to the blender.

STEP 2: Add the food color and mint extract.

STEP 3: Blend for half a minute or until combined.

STEP 4: Pour the Shamrock milkshake into a glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve and enjoy!

What To Serve With Shamrock Milkshake

Don’t forget to serve your Shamrock Shake with whipped cream on top for that mouthwatering “milkshake from a diner” look. And the cherry on top? A literal cherry, of course! 🍒

You can also add different toppings, such as crushed cookies, candy bars, chocolate chips, pretzels, colored sprinkles, nuts, dried fruits, and mini marshmallows.

But me? I like pairing my milkshake with all things savory. 

Instead of fast-food burgers and fries that can get too greasy to enjoy, let me introduce you to our Big Mac tacos (yep, another McDonald’s-inspired recipe) and accordion potatoes (this one is viral!).

You can also enjoy the luscious mint vanilla shake with air fryer hand pies and tater tots.

Or, for a feast ready for St. Patrick’s Day, you’ll love the green shake with Crockpot Shepherd’s pie and whiskey oatmeal cream pies.

Tips About Making McDonald’s Shamrock Shake

• The secret to the smoothest blend? Use softened ice cream for your Shamrock milkshake! Take it out of the fridge 10 minutes before starting the recipe. 
• Using half and half makes this Shamrock Shake irresistibly thick and creamy. But if you want it even thicker, add more ice cream until you reach your desired consistency. 😋
• Serving Shamrock Milkshake at an adults-only party? Add Creme de Menthe liquor for a Grasshopper-inspired concoction. Vanilla-flavored vodka is also excellent for a grown-up Shamrock Shake. Just don’t add too much alcohol, as it can thin out the shake’s consistency.

How To Store McDonald’s Shamrock Shake

This copycat McDonald’s Shamrock Shake is best enjoyed immediately after making it, unless you prefer a super melted milkshake, of course. 

If you made too much, you can freeze the excess and reblend it with more milk or half and half before serving the next day. 

Some say you can freeze the milkshake for months, but I doubt it’ll be as tasty after thawing. 

What Flavor Is the Shamrock Shake at Mcdonald’s?

When the Shamrock Shake was created in 1967, it didn’t taste like the minty treat we enjoy nowadays. Instead, it was described as a vanilla milkshake with citrus flavors. (By the way, if this made you crave something rich but citrusy, go check out our lemon lime cupcakes!)

Then, in 1983, the Shamrock Shake got its signature mint flavor.

I mean, judging by its color alone, I think most people will expect that it will have a minty flavor than citrus, right?

Why Does McDonald’s Have Shamrock Shakes?

McDonald’s annually adds Shamrock Shake to their menu between February and March.

The fast food chain created the delicious mint drink to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and attract more customers during this holiday. And ever since its debut in 1970, it has been a fan-favorite seasonal item. 

FAQ About McDonald’s Shamrock Shake

When does McDonald’s Shamrock Shake come out?

The McDonald’s Shamrock Shake first came out in 1970. Since then, the drink has returned annually every February. 

Is the Shamrock Shake back in 2024? 

Yep! McDonald’s announced that the Shamrock Shake is back on the menu this 2024. Its return was two weeks earlier than last year! 

Does McDonald’s still have Shamrock Shakes?

Yes. McDonald’s still serves the seasonal Shamrock Shake, usually weeks before St. Patrick’s Day.

What are the flavors of the Shamrock Shake?

The original Shamrock Shake is a mint-flavored milkshake, but McDonald’s also offered other Shamrock drinks like the Chocolate Shamrock Shake, Shamrock Chocolate Chip Frappe, and for those who prefer things hot, there are the Shamrock Hot Chocolate and Shamrock Mocha. 

Can you use milk for the Shamrock shake?

Of course! If you don’t have half and half, you can use milk in your homemade Shamrock Shake. Using half and half will just give your vanilla mint shake a creamier consistency. 

Conclusion

And there goes another McDonald’s copycat recipe. 

This McDonald’s Shamrock Shake is a 4-ingredient delight that tastes as luscious as the real thing. Say goodbye to extra expenses (and calories) from additional fast food items (because, let’s be honest, if you get this McDonald’s milkshake, you’ll likely buy other foods to go with it 😛) or long queues at the drive-thru. 

Just recreate the iconic shake at home and enjoy the delicious combo of vanilla and mint, one sip at a time. 

You can also experiment with different blends like chocolate Shamrock Shake or Oreo Shamrock Shake. 

Looking for similar recipes like this McDonald’s Shamrock Shake? You’ll love these:

• McDonald’s Yogurt Parfait
• Grimace Milkshake
• Mint Chocolate Irish Cream Liqueur
• Salted Caramel Milkshake
• Barbie Milkshake