These Saint Patrick’s Day Tie-Dye Cookies are soft sugar cookies dipped in a green tie-dye icing and garnished with chopped pistachios. I used this cookie cutter set to create triangle shapes. I like to have a few different sizes when I make sugar cookies because sometimes you want a large cookie and sometimes you just want a little snack!
A couple months after the holidays, I start to miss those cut out iced sugar cookies. So, I am usually looking for an excuse to make them and this year that was Saint Patrick’s Day. Sometimes I will get the hankering earlier on and make them for Valentine’s Day even.
This sugar cookie recipe has been my go-to recipe since college. I love how tender they are and the subtlety of the almond and vanilla flavorings.
These cookies are such a festive Saint Patrick’s Day dessert. You can dress them up or down and even change the flavoring. The flavorings are totally optional though, if you do not like almond or vanilla. You could even replace it with pistachio flavoring if you want to go all in on the green pistachio theme.
How to do tie-dye icing on tie-dye cookies
To create a tie-dye cookies icing effect you place drops of food coloring into plain white icing and swirl it with a toothpick. Then you dip a cookie into the glaze and let the excess drip off. This technique results in each cookie having a unique tie-dye icing design.
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Tips for tie-dye icing
I used two shades of green for these Saint Patricks Day Tie-Dye Cookies, but you can also use this technique with other colors. However, do not use too many colors otherwise you will end up with a muddled color or the effect will not be as distinct.
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Tips for making sugar cookies
I like to brush away excess flour with a pastry brush before rerolling scraps to avoid introducing extra flour and changing the consistency of the dough. Try not to overwork the scraps or the cookies will be less tender.
I like to put flour in a powdered sugar shaker to quickly and easily flour a surface. I use a large french rolling pin and roll on a cold surface, like granite or marble to keep the dough chilled. Always chill your cut out cookies before baking to prevent spreading in the oven. I like to chill trays for at least 10 minutes in the freezer before baking.
Tips:
- Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days.
- I like to brush away excess flour with a pastry brush before rerolling scraps to avoid introducing extra flour and changing the consistency of the dough. Try not to overwork the scraps or the cookies will be less tender.
- Put flour in a powdered sugar shaker to quickly and easily flour a surface.
- Do not use too many colors otherwise you will end up with a muddled color or the effect will not be as distinct.
📖 Recipe
Saint Patrick’s Day Tie-Dye Cookies
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (170g, 1 ½ sticks) room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 2 eggs room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (320g) plus more for rolling
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Tie-Dye Glaze
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoon milk plus more as needed
- 3 tablespoon light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract optional
- food coloring I recommend at least two colors
- pistachios finely chopped
Instructions
Prepare the dough (this can be started the day before)
- Combine butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand mixer). Cream the butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Add the eggs, almond and vanilla extracts and beat well until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Whisk well to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions. Do not overmix. Dump the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form a disc. Refrigerate for at least two hours (or 30 minutes in the freezer).
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about a ¼-inch thick. Punch out shapes with cookie cutters. I used this triangle cutter set. Place similar size cookies on the same tray and place in the freezer for at least 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake trays for 5-8 minutes, just until the edges are lightly golden brown. Let cookies sit on the sheet pans for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Prepare the tie-dye glaze
- Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Add milk, corn syrup and flavoring. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
- Separate the icing into a few different bowls. Start with just one or two drops of food coloring in each bowl. Keep any bowls you are not using covered. Swirl the color into the icing with a toothpick or metal cake tester.
- Dip the cookies top down into the icing and let the excess drip off. Flip over and sprinkle with chopped pistachios or other garnish, if desired. Let icing set before packaging them up.
Notes
- Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days.
- I like to brush away excess flour with a pastry brush before rerolling scraps to avoid introducing extra flour and changing the consistency of the dough. Try not to overwork the scraps or the cookies will be less tender.
- Put flour in a powdered sugar shaker to quickly and easily flour a surface.
These are soon good and light!!