Shamrock Chocolate Linzer Cookies made with buttery crisp chocolate cookies sandwiched with a silky white chocolate ganache tinted green for St. Patrick’s Day!
A simple way to celebrate holidays like St. Patrick’s Day is to make festive cookies at home! These are delightful treats with fantastic chocolate flavor and creamy ganache filling. You’ll need a
Recipe Highlights
- Festive Shamrock Surprise: A cute shamrock cutout reveals vibrant green ganache, creating a stunning contrast against the dark chocolate cookies—perfect for St. Patrick’s Day.
- Rich Chocolate + Creamy Irish Cream Filling: Buttery cocoa cookies sandwich a silky white chocolate ganache infused with Irish cream or mint for a smooth, indulgent bite.
- Impressive Yet Doable: These bakery-style sandwich cookies look elegant and gift-worthy, but are simple to make with basic ingredients and a little chill time.
Ingredients for Shamrock Linzer Cookies
All-purpose flour (1 ⅛ cups / 140 g) provides structure and stability so the cookies hold their shape when cut and sandwiched.
Unsweetened cocoa powder (½ cup / 50 g) adds rich chocolate flavor and gives the cookies their deep, dark color.
Powdered sugar (¾ cup / 75 g) sweetens the dough while keeping the texture tender and delicate.
Cold unsalted butter (¾ cup / 90 g, cubed) creates a buttery flavor and crisp, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Large egg (1) binds the dough together and adds richness.
Heavy cream (2 ½ TBSP / 35 ml) adds moisture for a smooth, workable dough.
Irish cream liqueur (1 ½ tsp, optional) enhances the cookies with a subtle, complementary flavor note.
White Chocolate Irish Cream Ganache (Filling)
White chocolate (5.3 oz / 150 g, chopped) forms the sweet, creamy base of the ganache filling.
Heavy cream (3 TBSP / 50 g) melts the white chocolate into a smooth, silky consistency.
Irish cream liqueur (1 tsp, optional) or mint chip flavor (½ tsp) adds a festive flavor accent to the filling.
Green food coloring (as needed) tints the ganache a vibrant shamrock green for a festive finish.
Tips for making the cutest St. Patrick’s Day Cookies
Full instructions in the recipe card below, but here are a few tips for the baking process!
- Keep the Butter Cold
Using cold butter is key to creating that tender, shortbread-like texture classic to linzer cookies, giving these chocolate rounds a delicate, crisp bite. - Balance the Sweetness with Cocoa
The unsweetened cocoa powder isn’t just for color—it deepens the chocolate flavor and balances the sweetness of the white chocolate ganache filling. - Heat Cream + Irish Cream Together
Warm the heavy cream and Irish cream in the same saucepan before pouring over the chocolate to ensure even flavor distribution and a smooth ganache that won’t separate. - Chill Cut Cookies Before Baking
After cutting the shamrock centers, chill the trays briefly to help the cookies hold their sharp shapes and prevent spreading in the oven.
Storing Green Linzer Cookies
Store the assembled cookies in a single layer in an airtight container to prevent cracking or sticking. If stacking, place parchment paper between layers to protect the shamrock cutouts and ganache. Keep at room temperature for up to 2 days in a cool, dry place, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let chilled cookies sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving to soften the ganache and restore their tender texture.
Can I freeze these Shamrock Linzer Cookies?
Yes, these cookies can be frozen and hold up well with proper storage. For best results, freeze the baked and cooled cookies unassembled, layered between parchment in an airtight container, for up to 2 months, then thaw and fill with fresh ganache.
Assembled cookies can be frozen in a single layer until solid, then stored with parchment between layers for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving. Avoid opening the container while thawing to keep the shamrock cutouts and ganache intact.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
Can I skip the Irish cream?
Yes, you can replace it with mint extract or my favorite, Mint Chocolate Chip Flavoring!
Why did my cookies spread too much?
Most likely causes of cookies spreading are if your butter was too warm or the dough wasn’t chilled long enough. Cookies can also spread if you overmix the ingredients.
Can I skip the cocoa powder?
You can, but you’ll need to replace it with additional flour. The chocolate base provides contrast that makes the green shamrock stand out visually.
How do I get clean shamrock shapes?
Dip the cutter in flour between cuts and press straight down without twisting.
Can I use gel or liquid food coloring?
Gel coloring is strongly recommended, liquid coloring can loosen the ganache and dull the color.
Enjoy more festive St. Patrick’s Day recipes here:
- These Mint Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies are made with just 4 ingredients—easy, minty, chocolatey, and totally irresistible!
- Celebrate with this soft, chewy St. Patrick’s Day Cookie Cake loaded with chocolate chips, green M&M’s, and a playful ring of green buttercream frosting—perfect for little leprechauns (and big ones too)!
- Mint Chocolate Cookies are buttery shortbread treats dipped in rich chocolate and sprinkled with chocolate chips—festive green minty goodness perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!
- Get festive with these St. Patrick’s Day Sprinkle Cookies—vanilla pudding cookies rolled in colorful green sprinkles, perfect for parties and sweet celebrations!
- These Lucky Charms Sugar Cookies are soft, sweet, and totally festive for St. Patrick’s Day—cream cheese sugar cookies topped with buttery frosting and a crunchy sprinkle of Lucky Charms!
- Our recipe for Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars pack all the classic mint-and-chocolate flavor into one easy, chewy bar—perfect for a festive St. Patrick’s Day treat.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with these Shamrock Chocolate Linzer Cookies—buttery, crisp chocolate cookies sandwiched with silky, green-tinted white chocolate ganache!
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