Shamrock Shake Recipe (No food coloring!) - The Kitchen Girl (2024)

FAQs

Did the Shamrock Shake recipe change? ›

Initially, the shake was lemon/lime flavored with vanilla ice cream, lemon/lime sherbet, and vanilla syrup. By 1973, the shake was merely a green colored vanilla shake, eliminating the lemon/lime sherbet. It is now mint flavored.

The McDonald's Shamrock Shake is back for a limited time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its invention. The mint-flavored shake is made up of vanilla ice cream, Shamrock Shake syrup, and whipped cream. A small Shamrock shake packs 460 calories and 63 grams of sugar.

In a small Shamrock Shake from McDonald's, there are 500 calories, 14 grams of fat, 82 grams of carbs and 63 grams of sugar. That's just a small. The large has 800 calories and 103 grams of sugar. But fear not, fellow sweet tooth sufferers: Here's a healthier version that you can make at home!

Smooth vanilla soft serve, fluorescent mint syrup, a fluffy swirl of sweet whipped cream... That's right folks — McDonald's iconic Shamrock Shake is back for the season.

And just to jog your memory, the Shamrock Shake is a slightly minty combo of vanilla soft serve, mint syrup, and a sweet whipped topping, while the Oreo Shamrock McFlurry adds crushed Oreo cookie pieces to the OG Shamrock Shake.

The Shamrock Shake was created in 1967 by Hal Rosen, a Connecticut McDonald's Owner/Operator who made the delicious, mint shake in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. It later debuted in select locations across the U.S. in 1970 and was an instant success.

Mint extract: Mint extract gives the shake its signature minty freshness. It packs a powerful punch, so use the extract sparingly. Food coloring: About nine drops of green food coloring will dye your milkshake a gorgeous emerald hue.

Specifically, the McDonald's Shamrock Shake gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease. First, the McDonald's Shamrock Shake is not labeled or advertised as gluten-free. However, according to the company website, milk is the only allergen listed for the Shamrock Shake, and for all other McDonald's shakes.

The only thing making this concoction — a “smooth and creamy mint-flavored shake,” according to McDonald's — green is the combination of two artificial food dyes known as Yellow 5 and Blue 1.

Shamrock Shake Syrup

Ingredients: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Water, Sugar, Natural Flavor, 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.

Is the Shamrock Shake actually mint? ›

(NEXSTAR) – Being one of the few green things on the McDonald's menu, it's always a notable event when the Shamrock Shake makes its annual appearance. The shake, made from vanilla soft serve and minty syrup, first debuted at U.S. McDonald's locations in 1970.

These cherries are marinated in a combination of sulfur dioxide and calcium chloride, which is used to dye the cherry completely white. It is then soaked in Red40, a food dye that has been linked to cancer and learning impairments in children.

But, as it turns out, McDonald's creamy, frozen treats aren't actually called “milkshakes.” Why? Because they're technically not milkshakes, at least in some states. This isn't a regional preference like “pop” vs. “soda”—it actually comes down to dairy regulations across states.

McDonald's legendary Big Mac is getting bigger in 2024...and we have the official scoop. Say hello to the Double Big Mac, available at participating McDonald's restaurants nationwide for a limited time starting Jan. 25. The Double Big Mac is double the fun with four 100% all-beef patties.

McDonald's menu to have new additions: Shamrock Shake and Oreo Shamrock McFlurry. The return of the Shamrock Shake is near. The mint-flavored, green-tinted shake, which annually returns to McDonald's menu, will be available starting today, Monday, Feb.

Quick recap of the Shamrock Shake

It was first introduced as a green shake flavored with mint syrup. It went through a journey of being lemon-lime flavored, to no flavor, to its current state of mint-flavored. It made the most sense to match the drink's color to mint.

But, according to Vox, the Shamrock Shake wasn't always the minty, creamy concoction so many know and love today. There are accounts of the shake using lemon-lime sherbet, having a plain vanilla flavor accompanied by green food coloring and finally, becoming the mint-flavored drink we know today in 1983."

Later commercials more openly advertised the shake's minty flavor. (In the early '80s, McDonald's even pushed a Shamrock Sundae featuring green minty syrup.) And today, McDonald's is still touting the periodic popularity of its mint-flavored shake — now often sold alongside the relatively new Oreo Shamrock McFlurry.

On Thursday, the fast-food chain revealed that the seasonal green-colored drink will officially arrive in stores this week. The drink, which features vanilla soft serve blended with mint syrup, then layered with a whipped topping, was brought back about two weeks earlier than last year, ABC News reported.