Lucky Charms Cookies

Name: Lucky Charms Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 61 min
Ingredients: 120 g Butter, softened ((1 stick)); 120 g Caster sugar/superfine sugar ((½ cup + 2 tablespoons)); 2 Teaspoons Vanilla extract; 1 Medium Egg; 250 g All-purpose flour ((2 cups)); ½ Teaspoon Baking powder; Small Pinch Salt; 70 g Butter, softened ((5 tablespoons)); 225 g Icing sugar/powdered sugar ((1 + ¾ cups)); ½ Teaspoon Vanilla extract; 1 Tablespoon Milk; ¼ Teaspoon Green gel food colouring ((or more as needed)); 2 Handfuls Lucky Charms marshmallows

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These Lucky Charms cookies are a fun, vibrant twist on classic cookies and they're perfect for St. Patrick's Day! Soft, buttery sugar cookies topped with gorgeous green icing and sprinkled with iconic Lucky Charms marshmallows.

plate of iced lucky charms sugar cookies

If you're in need of some last-minute St. Patrick's Day cookies, these Lucky Charms cookies are sure to do the trick! They can be ready from scratch in just over an hour and you'll only need simple ingredients to make them.

If you're ready to get baking, read on for my ingredient and equipment notes, top tips and step-by-step images. Enjoy!

Ingredient Notes

Butter: Butter is the backbone of these cookies, giving them a lovely rich flavour and tender texture. I always go for unsalted butter then add salt separately but you can use salted butter if you prefer. Make sure your butter is softened before you start baking so that you can mix it into the sugar easily.
Caster sugar: Caster sugar, also known as superfine sugar, will give the cookies a better mouthfeel. However, if granulated sugar is all you have, that will work fine too.
Vanilla extract: I use two teaspoons of vanilla in my sugar cookies as the dough can be quite bland otherwise. Some people like to use half vanilla and half almond extract in sugar cookies so you can do this if you prefer a more complex flavour.
Egg: The egg acts as a binder in this recipe, helping to hold everything together.
Flour: Plain/all-purpose flour gives the cookies their structure. Don't use self-raising flour here as we'll be adding baking powder separately.
Baking powder: Just a touch, to slightly lift the cookies without making them cakey.
Salt: A small pinch of salt enhances all the other flavours in the cookies. Sea salt, table salt and pink salt all work well.
Icing sugar: Icing sugar, also known as powdered sugar, gives the topping its sweetness and smooth texture. Sift it first to avoid any lumps in your icing.
Milk: A splash of milk will help to thin out the icing to a spreadable consistency. You can use whole, skimmed or plant-based milk.
Green food colouring: The green food colouring gives these cookies their St. Patrick's Day vibe. I recommend gel colouring as it's more concentrated than liquid, meaning you'll need less of it and it won't thin out your icing. Start with a little and add more as needed until you get your desired shade- you can always add more but you can't take it away!
Lucky Charms Marshmallows: For a pop of colour and a bit of crunch. Lucky Charms can be quite tricky to get hold of in the UK these days but I bought mine from B&M. If you can't find them, the knock-off brand Marshmallow Mateys are a good replacement.

Equipment

Baking tray: You'll need one large baking tray that can fit all 15 cookies or two smaller trays. Make sure to line your tray with baking paper to prevent the cookies from sticking.
Mixing bowls: A large one for the cookie dough and a small/medium one for the icing.
Utensils: You'll need a wooden spoon for mixing the cookie dough, and a few smaller spoons for mixing and spreading the icing.
Rolling pin: To roll the dough out evenly.
Cookie cutter: Use a 3-inch round cutter (or bottom of a glass) for best results. If you use a different size, you may not get the right amount of cookies plus the baking time will vary.
Food scale: For best results when baking, I recommend using gram measurements.

overhead image of st patricks day sugar cookies with green icing and lucky charms marshmallows on top

How to make Lucky Charms cookies

Step 1: In a large bowl, mix together 120g of softened butter and 120g of caster sugar. Once that's nicely mixed, add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1 medium egg. Mix well until smooth.

Step 2: Next, add 250g of plain flour, ½ teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt to the bowl and mix. When it's beginning to stick together, use your hands to press everything into a ball.

Step 3: Cover the cookie dough and pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

Step 4: After 30 minutes have passed, take the dough out of the fridge and gently knead it in your hands to get rid of any cracks. Then roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it's about ¼-inch thick.

Step 5: Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out your shapes and place them onto a lined baking tray. Reroll any scrap pieces of dough until everything is used up. You should get around 15 cookies in total.

Step 6: Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes, until they are firm to the touch around the edges and slightly soft in the middle. They'll become firmer as they cool down, so resist the urge to bake them until golden brown, otherwise, you'll end up with super crunchy cookies.

Step 7: Let them cool completely before removing them from the tray.

Step 8: Once the cookies have cooled, prepare your buttercream icing by mixing together 70g of softened butter, 225g of icing sugar, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of milk. Stir in a small amount of green food gel colouring, adding more as needed until you get your desired shade.

Step 9: Using a teaspoon or small spatula, spread some icing onto each cookie. Top with a sprinkling of Lucky Charms marshmallows, pressing them in gently to help them stick.

Step 10: Let the icing harden then enjoy your cookies!

Top Tips

Don't skip chilling the dough. This is essential for the cookies to hold their shape as they bake.
Try using a shamrock-shaped cookie cutter instead of a round one for super festive St. Patrick's Day cookies.
The buttercream icing can be swapped out for a simple glace icing. To make it, just mix 200g of icing sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk together then stir in your food colouring.
Swap vanilla extract for peppermint extract in the icing for a fresh flavour that complements the green colour.
If your cookie dough is too sticky to roll out, add more flour. If it's too dry or crumbly, gently knead it in your hands to warm it up and if that doesn't help, add a small splash of milk.

iced green lucky charms cookies on a white worktop

FAQs

How long will Lucky Charms cookies last?

If you store them in an airtight container, they will stay fresh for about 4-5 days. You can keep them in a cool, dry place such as a kitchen cupboard.

Can I add Lucky Charms to the dough?

I wouldn't recommend this. The colours will bleed into the dough and create a tie-dye effect rather than a striking contrast.

Can I make the dough in advance?

Yes. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Just make sure it's well-wrapped or covered to prevent it from drying out.

I hope you like my Lucky Charms sugar cookies recipe! If you make them at home, please let me know what you think by leaving a rating and comment below. Enjoy!