Springtime can be a very beautiful time of year.
You start to notice the foliage returning from the winter, the weather starts to get warmer and perhaps most importantly of all – Shamrock Shakes come back to McDonald’s!
St Patrick’s Day is the reason that Shamrock Shakes come back to McDonalds, but luckily you will not need to wait around until the big day until you enjoy this tasty inspired shake.
This year, Shamrock Shakes came back to McDonald’s on the 21st February! However, next year’s exact date is not yet confirmed.
Despite this though, you can always expect the shakes to come out near this date, so don’t panic about missing out on them.
This guide will explain everything you will need to know about Shamrock Shakes at McDonald’s, so if you’re interested in learning more – read on!
Does McDonald’s Really Have Shamrock Shakes?
They certainly do! Luckily we saw this amazing and refreshing beverage return to our McDonald’s stores this year and we can almost certainly expect them to return again next year!
However, it’s not just the Shamrock Shake we have experienced recently. In the crazy times of 2020, we saw McDonald’s release another treat for the season – which was the Oreo Shamrock McFlurry.
McFlurries were already extremely popular, but as soon as people saw the word “Shamrock”, crowds went crazy for the ice cream dessert and even made another return in March.
Indeed, Shamrock products are incredibly popular and were available even earlier this year in certain places in Ireland, coming out as early as the second of February!
When Do McDonald’s Take Shamrock Shakes Off The Menu?
This year, we saw these delicious dessert drinks stay on the menu up until March 17th for the celebrations of St Patrick’s Day.
Typically, the Shamrock Shake is available for around four to five weeks when it appears on the menu.
So when the Shamrock Shakes come back on our favorite Golden Arch menus, you can expect them for about a month.
The most sure fire way to know how long you can expect these great drinks is to check the promotional information.
These often appear as small print on McDonald’s commercials or even in store via posters or on the electronic menus.
What Exactly Is A Shamrock Shake?
For those of you who have not experienced or come into contact with a Shamrock Shake (and if you haven’t, you’re certainly missing out!), you’re probably already wondering what we’re talking about when it comes to a Shamrock Shake.
In short, a Shamrock Shake is a McDonald’s customer favorite. It’s a seasonal beverage which is mint and vanilla flavored to create a green color that we associate with St Patrick’s Day and of course, Ireland.
This genius beverage invention first appeared on our menus back in 1970 and it initially had lemon and lime sorbet, instead of mint which we are so familiar with today. The mint replacement came out in 1983.
This is not to say that everyone is so happy with these shakes. It’s one of those products that you’re either totally in love with, or you despise entirely. It really does come down to personal preference.
Are There Lots Of Calories In A Shamrock Shake?
As you can imagine due to the fact it is a McDonald’s product and made with lots of dairy ingredients, a Shamrock Shake is quite dense in terms of calories.
If you opt for a small Shamrock Shake, you can expect around 460 calories (Kcal). A medium Shamrock Shake will set you back about 560 calories and then the large Shamrock Shake has a whopping 800 calories or so.
Are Shamrock Shakes Expensive?
When it comes to the price, it will largely depend on where you are, what size Shamrock Shake you buy and if you are involved with any promotional deals or campaigns.
Generally though, all of these Shamrock Shakes are under five bucks – but as we said, this is never going to be an exact figure – especially if you want whipped cream added on top of it (yes, you can add extra whipped cream!).
What Exactly Is In A Shamrock Shake?
This unique milkshake is made with a variety of different ingredients. You can expect to see reduced fat vanilla ice cream, with whipped cream and the signature McDonald’s “Shamrock syrup”.
This syrup is essentially a high fructose corn syrup with green dye and a mint flavoring. This gives the shake its famous green tint and unique taste.
After this, you can request an extra helping of whipped cream if you want it!
Can I Make A Shamrock Shake At Home?
Why not! If you are fully in love with McDonald’s Shamrock Shakes, then why not decide to make your own from the comfort of your home!
There’s lots of different recipes you can find online which are pretty much known as McDonald’s “copycat” recipes. If you are interested in this, look it up and follow the instructions.
Below however is what you can expect from most of these copycat recipes:
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Real mint (or mint extract)
- Milk (or cream)
- Green food dye
- A cup and a straw!
The easiest way to make this recipe is by using a food processor or blender. It will allow the dairy ingredients to blend much better with each other.
Once you have done this, you should then place the beverage into your refrigerator at its lowest possible temperature. You do not want to freeze the drink, but rather keep it very cold.
This will allow the cream and ice cream to remain intact, without freezing to the point of becoming solidified.
Once you have done this, you should leave your creation in the refrigerator for around an hour and then serve it in a plastic cup, similar to the ones that they have at McDonald’s, and then enjoy it with a paper straw.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of you will likely have extra questions when it comes to Mcdonald’s Shamrock Shakes. Here’s some of the most common questions and answers!
Can I Freeze A Shamrock Shake?
If you’ve made a large batch of your own copycat Shamrock Shakes, or you want to enjoy your McDonald’s Shamrock Shake at a later time, then you may decide it’s worth freezing.
Yes, you can freeze your Shamrock Shake – however, you need to be aware that freezing the drink will cause it to solidify and you may need to wait until it has slightly thawed before enjoying it as normal.
Once it has thawed, you must consume it in the next hour or so before it perishes.
Do All Countries Have The Shamrock Shake?
Unfortunately not. McDonald’s currently only offers this seasonal beverage in the United States, Canada and Ireland.
This might be a bit upsetting to some of you – but you can make your own if you live outside these areas!
Are Shamrock Shakes Vegetarian?
Shamrock Shakes are suitable for vegetarians but they are not suitable for vegans due to the dairy products involved such as milk and cream.
However, it’s worth asking the specific McDonald’s store you are in if their Shamrock Shake is definitely vegetarian or not if you want to be crystal clear.
Our Final Thoughts
While we are unclear exactly when the Shamrock Shake will be on the menu for next year, we do know that it is usually on offer for about four to five weeks near St Patrick’s Day.
So, if we go by this year’s calendar, we can likely expect to see this amazing drink in our stores around the end of February!
Cooking is great for your mental, physical, and emotional health. What’s the worst that could happen? Find a recipe that you like the sound of and cook it along with me. You might even unlock a new passion!
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