Name: McDonald's Shamrock Shake Copycat
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 cups vanilla ice cream; 1/2 cup whole milk; 1/4 tsp mint extract; green food gel coloring; whipped cream; green sanding sugar; maraschino cherry

Every year, around this time, McDonald’s brings back their super popular Shamrock Shake. McDonald’s Shamrock Shake is made with creamy vanilla soft serve, blended with Shamrock Shake syrup, and topped with delicious whipped topping. We love it so much, we had to figure out how to make it at home so that we can have it all year long.

The shamrock shake is minty and refreshing. Its beautiful light green color makes it the perfect drink for St. Patrick’s Day but is so yummy, you’ll want to drink it all year long. You can make it with vanilla ice cream or chocolate. Either way, it’s sure to be a favorite in your home.

Before I share our McDonald’s shamrock shake copycat recipe, let me share a few tips about the ingredients.

What is the best vanilla ice cream to use?

You can use any vanilla ice cream, but we choose one that has no sugar added and is reduced fat. It really depends on your taste. Homestyle or French vanilla does taste closer to McDonald’s soft serve to us. Make sure that you leave it out of the freezer for 10-15 minutes so that it isn’t too hard to scoop.

Can I use peppermint extract?

No, you should not substitute mint extract for peppermint extract. You’ll want to buy a mint extract, not peppermint extract. The flavors are very different. Mint extract has more of a spearmint flavor.

Can I use green food dye instead of gel food coloring?

I prefer to use gel food coloring (it also happens to be all we had in the house), but you can definitely use food dye. You’ll probably only need a couple of drops of food dye since it’s much stronger.

What type of milk is best?

You can use your preferred milk for this recipe. I personally like to use whole milk.

What if my mixture is too thick or too thin?

If your McDonald’s shamrock shake copycat is too thick, just add a little bit more milk. If it’s too milky, just add a bit more ice cream. It’s easy to fix!

How much will this copycat recipe make?

The measurements I’ve provided in the recipe below will make around 12 oz (maybe a little more). I usually double the recipe and it’s enough for my three daughters.

Where did you get those cute cups and straws?

I got them on Amazon! The cups are 12 oz cups with dome lids. They also come in a 16oz size. I find that 12oz is the perfect size for the shamrock shake copycat. The reusable straws are BPA-free and come in a pack of 12 (six different colors). They also come with a cleaning brush which is extra convenient!

Have any additional questions I haven’t answered? Make sure to leave those in the comments below!

I’ve tried to show the steps in the photos above for you, to make it a bit easier to make your McDonald’s shamrock shake copycat recipe:

Step 1: Add milk, ice cream, mint extract, and green coloring gel into a blender.

Step 2: Blend until fully combined

Step 3: Pour into a cup.

Step 4: Top with whipped cream.

Step 5: Sprinkle green sanding sugar.

Step 6: Add a maraschino cherry.

shamrock shake copycat