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Copycat McDonald’s Shamrock Shakes

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McDonald’s Shamrock Shakes are a hot item in March, but what if you’d like to enjoy the flavor of your favorite frosty milkshake year round? Here’s a delectable copycat recipe that is sure to please your tastebuds and satiate your craving quickly!

myo-shamrock-shakes

Copycat McDonald’s Shamrock Shakes

You’ll Need:
2 cups vanilla ice cream (or Frozen Vanilla Greek Yogurt!)
1-1/4 cups milk
1/4 c. Heavy Cream (COMPLETELY Optional– but so GOOOOD)
1/4 tsp. mint extract (not peppermint… just mint)
up to 8 drops green food coloring

This one is pretty easy, just measure everything directly into the blender and blitz. Alternatively, you could use the Mason Jar Blender

If you prefer the nice dark green color of the Original version you’ll need to add up to 8 drops. We opted to avoid the additional coloring and just go for the flavor. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry for authenticity.

Copycat McDonalds Shamrock Shake

Boozy Shamrock Shake (for Adults Only)

You’ll Need:
2 cups vanilla ice cream (or Frozen Vanilla Greek Yogurt!)
1-1/4 cups milk
1/4 c. Heavy Cream (COMPLETELY Optional– but so GOOOOD)
1 oz each of creme de menthe liqueur, Baileys Irish Creme liqueur and vanilla vodka
up to 8 drops green food coloring

This one is pretty easy, just measure everything directly into the blender and blitz. Alternatively, you could use the Mason Jar Blender

If you prefer the nice dark green color of the Original version you’ll need to add up to 8 drops. We opted to avoid the additional coloring and just go for the flavor. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry for added deliciousness.

Why Make Your Own?

For our family, this is one of those recipes that we make ourselves due to the actual content in the “real” thing. Undoubtedly, I like the flavor, but I’m not particularly impressed with the list of ingredients in the actual product.

According to McDonald’s every shake contains 93 Grams of Sugar, that’s 23 Teaspoons! It should be noted, that’s about 1/2 cup of sugar, per shake.

b101-too-much-sugar

Each shake contains a whopping 54 ingredients in all. Just in case you’re wondering, here are the ingredients for the original McDonalds’s Shamrock shake.

VANILLA REDUCED FAT ICE CREAM

Ingredients: Milk, Sugar, Cream, Nonfat Milk Solids, Corn Syrup Solids, Mono- and Diglycerides, Guar Gum, Dextrose, Sodium Citrate, Artificial Vanilla Flavor, Sodium Phosphate, Carrageenan, Disodium Phosphate, Cellulose Gum, Vitamin A Palmitate.

SHAMROCK SHAKE SYRUP

Ingredients: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Water, Sugar, Natural Flavor (Plant Source), Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Yellow 5, Blue 1. May contain small amounts of other shake flavors served at the restaurant, including egg ingredients when Egg Nog Shakes are available.

WHIPPED CREAM

Ingredients: Cream, Nonfat Milk, Corn Syrup, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Contains Less Than 1%: Mono-And Diglycerides, Carrageenan, Polysorbate 80, Beta Carotene (Color), Natural (Dairy and Plant Sources) and Artificial Flavor, Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E) to Protect Flavor. Whipping Propellant (Nitrous Oxide).

MARASCHINO CHERRY

Ingredients: Cherries, Water, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Malic Acid, Citric Acid, Natural (Plant Source) and Artificial Flavors, Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate (Preservatives), Red 40, Sulfur Dioxide as Preservative (Contains Sulfites).
Ingredient Information Source: McDonald’s Website

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / songbird839

Melissa 'Liss' Burnell, Founder of Budget101

👩‍🍳 About the Author

Melissa “Liss” Burnell is the founder of Budget101.com, a trusted frugal living resource online since 2001. With over 25 years of hands-on experience in meal planning, debt reduction, and DIY homemaking, she’s helped millions of families live well for less.

A mother of two, Liss first made waves by cutting her family’s grocery bill to under $200/month—then teaching others how to do the same. She is the author of two bestselling ebooks on feeding a family on a tight budget, available on Amazon.

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3 thoughts on “Copycat McDonald’s Shamrock Shakes”

  1. my grandson saw this recipe with me and said it looks yummy. we need to get a new blender but better do so and get to making this.
    thanks,
    cynthia

    Reply
  2. This was really good, I wanted to convert it to a slightly healthier version with some protein so I used Plain Greek Yogurt instead of Ice cream (I froze it first!). I added 1/4 c of heavy cream to add in the ice cream flavor to the shake and it came out really great. It’s a McModified McShamrock LOL.

    Reply

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