A tea twist on the famous McDonald’s Shamrock Shake! The matchafication of food is skyrocketing, with the most recent craze being adding whisked matcha to milkshakes. So, why not add matcha to the Shamrock Shake to make a matcha shamrock shake!

It’s deliciously minty with a subtle earthy matcha flavor and it’s super easy to make at home. Maybe this will be your next favorite sweet treat!

Here’s how to make a matcha Shamrock Shake at home!

What is the Shamrock Shake?

The Shamrock Shake is McDonald’s classic and iconic seasonal green milkshake for St Patrick’s Day. It’s famously green and minty, with a mound of whipped cream on top.

The restaurant usually releases it sometime around the first week of February and is available through St. Patrick’s Day and throughout March while supplies last. It’s a fan favorite, even though it is polarizing between mint lovers and haters.

The Taste: It’s deliciously minty and sweet, just like the fan favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream without the chocolate chips. The milkshake primarily tastes like sweet ice cream, followed by a blast of refreshing mint.

How Unhealthy is a Shamrock Shake?

Well, it’s ice cream, milk, and whipped cream, you can do the math, haha.

According to McDonald’s, one small Shamrock Shake is 500 calories. That’s a good chunk of a full meal! It also has 63 grams of sugar and, surprisingly, 11 grams of protein.

The Shamrock Shake is definitely not a healthy treat, but if you’re going to indulge, go all in. If you’re craving a Shamrock Shake and are health-conscious, though, there are tons of recipes online for a healthy version; I’ve even seen high-protein ones.

What is in a Shamrock Shake?

According to McDonald’s, they make the Shamrock Shake with vanilla soft serve, milk, Shamrock Shake syrup, and whipped cream. It’s basically a mint milkshake made with vanilla ice cream and green food coloring.

It’s impossible to get your hands on the Shamrock shake syrup since McDonald’s doesn’t sell it. So for a close homemade version, we use vanilla ice cream, mint extract, and green food coloring to get the same flavor and appearance.

Many people also top it off with a maraschino cherry even though the original one doesn’t come with it.

What is a Matcha Shamrock Shake?

The matchafication of foods seriously needs to be studied, lol. I’ve seen people add whisked matcha to In-n-out milkshakes, other matcha lattes from cafes, and other to-go items. But I’m here for it!

Since adding matcha to outside beverages and even desserts is trendy right now, I thought, why not add it to a Shamrock Shake? Matcha and mint is a known combination, like in a mint matcha latte, so this has to taste good.

A matcha shamrock shake is just the mint milkshake with whisked matcha added to it. It’s basically a giant affogato with a lot more ice cream, topped with more whipped cream.

What Does a Matcha Shamrock Shake Taste Like?

This matcha Shamrock Shake tastes earthy, sweet, and minty, but mostly sweet. The matcha flavor is very subtle, especially since it’s dominated by the ice cream and sugar.

It adds a subtle earthiness, though, and takes away some of the sweetness of the ice cream so it’s a little more balanced. But if you’re looking for a very matcha forward drink, this milkshake is not for you.

Similar to how a small pinch of salt enhances the sweetness, a little bit of matcha helps make the drink less sickly sweet. It’s definitely more of a dessert than a drink, and I would only make this if you’re craving something sweet.

How to Add Matcha

You can either add matcha directly into your milkshake, or whisk it separately and add it on top.

I prefer whisking the matcha so it has a smooth texture, but you can also sift matcha powder directly into your milkshake before it’s blended and combine it in the blender for convenience. Just make sure to sift it in!

If you blend them directly together without sifting, you may get some clumps which will give you a grainy texture.

How to Whisk Matcha

If you whisk your matcha before adding it, you’ll need a matcha tea bowl and a bamboo whisk. These are traditional tea ceremony tools used to prepare matcha correctly.

Follow my step by step matcha whisking tutorial if you need some more guidance!

Otherwise, to whisk matcha, prepare your bamboo whisk by soaking the tines in warm water for 2-3 minutes until soft.

Then, sift matcha powder into your bowl and add water. Using your whisk, whisk the tea in a zigzag motion until a foam forms on the surface. Keep going until the foam has miniscule bubbles and it’s slightly thick and opaque.

You can also whisk matcha without a whisk using tools you have around your house.

How to Make a Matcha Shamrock Shake

Here’s what you’ll need to make a yummy matcha Shamrock Shake at home:

• Matcha Shamrock Shake:
• 2-3 scoops vanilla ice cream (about ½ – 1 cup)
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ tsp mint extract
• 4-6 drops green food coloring
• 1½ tsp matcha powder
• ¼ cup water
• Homemade Whipped Cream:
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp sugar or agave

Matcha Shamrock Shake Recipe

1. Make Whipped Cream. Whip heavy cream and sugar using an elextric frother or mix until stiff and fluffy.
2. Scoop Ice Cream. Use an ice cream scoop and get 1 golf ball sized scoop (it can be a little bigger than this, too) of ice cream. Add it straight into your blender cup.
3. Blend Milkshake. Add milk, food coloring, and mint extract into the blender, then blend until well combined. The texture should be thick but pourable. If your ice cream is too soft, the texture will be more liquid than thick.
4. Whisk Matcha. Sift matcha into a bowl, add water, then using a bamboo whisk, whisk until the tea has a nice foam on the top. See my matcha whisking tutorial for guidance.
5. Assemble Drink. Add the Shamrock Shake into a tall glass, then add the whisked matcha on top. Top with your whipped cream and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
6. Mix and Enjoy!

Other Matcha Shake Inspiration

There are also so many other shakes you can add matcha to, including healthy smoothies or shakes, not just ice cream! Here are some shakes to try with matcha next:

• Banana milk matcha shake
• Cookies and creme matcha milkshake
• Vanilla matcha milkshake
• Protein matcha shake
• Chocolate matcha shake
• Date matcha shake

Tips:

Here are some tips for making a delicious matcha Shamrock Shake at home!

• Use Really Frozen Ice Cream: Make sure your ice cream is hard or frozen well, melted ice cream won’t give you that signature thick milkshake texture. If your milkshake is runny, freeze it and blend it again until you get the thick texture.
• Buy a Shamrock Shake: For convenience, you can buy the Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s and simply add whisked matcha on top. It’ll taste the same!
• Use Vanilla Bean Ice Cream: Vanilla bean ice cream is so much more fragrant than regular vanilla ice cream and will make a huge difference in your milkshake.