Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 ¼ cups (400 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 ½ cups (450 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 5 – 6 tablespoons warm water (adjust as needed)
  • ¼ teaspoon mint extract (optional)
  • Emerald Green gel food colouring, as needed

Instructions:

  1. Cream the Fats: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3–5 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
  2. Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined. Do not overmix.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Form the Dough: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture on low speed until the dough just comes together into a cohesive ball. Stop mixing immediately.
  5. Chill (Crucial Step): Divide the dough into two flat discs, wrap each tightly in cling film, and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 60 minutes.
  6. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. Roll and Cut Shapes: Roll one disc of chilled dough to a thickness of about 5–6 mm (¼ inch). Use St. Patrick's Day cutters to cut out shapes. Place the shapes onto the prepared baking sheets, spaced well apart.
  8. Second Chill (Pro Tip): For perfect edges that won't spread, place the entire baking sheet of cut-outs into the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
  9. Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The edges should be just beginning to turn a pale golden brown.
  10. Cool Completely: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool fully. Do not decorate warm cookies.
  11. Make the Icing Base: Whisk together the sifted icing sugar and meringue powder. Slowly add the warm water and mint extract, beating on medium-high speed for 5–7 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  12. Colour and Separate: Separate the icing into bowls. Tint the majority with Emerald Green gel colour. Leave a small amount white for contrast, if desired.
  13. Achieve Consistencies: Keep a portion of the green icing stiff (like toothpaste) for outlining. Thin the remaining green icing with a few drops of water until it reaches '10-second consistency' for flooding.
  14. Decorate and Set: Use the stiff icing to pipe an outline around the edge of each cooled cookie. Allow the outline to dry for 10–15 minutes. Use the flooding icing to fill the centre. Allow the cookies to set completely at room temperature (2–4 hours) before stacking or storing.