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This healthy Shamrock Shake tastes better than the kind you’d buy at a drive-thru. It’s a nutritious, mint-flavored milkshake that is naturally green– no food dye required!

shamrock shakes topped with mint leaves and chocolate.

Why You’ll Love It

It’s naturally green. Instead of relying on green food coloring like the McDonald’s version, this copycat recipe gets its green hue from simple ingredients, like spinach and avocado. You can’t taste it at all, so it’s the perfect treat for St. Patrick’s Day! (No gel food coloring required.)

It’s easy to make. Just toss a few ingredients into a blender, and blend until smooth. Then you’ll add the ice and blend again until it has a slushy texture, just like a milkshake! Unlike the version that is available only for a limited time, you can make this one anytime a craving strikes.

It’s a delicious treat. This smoothie recipe tastes like a sweet, mint-flavored dessert, without using refined sugar or vanilla ice cream.

It’s easy to customize. If you’re not a fan of avocado, you can skip that and use a frozen banana for creaminess, or add a spoonful of almond butter, instead. Either will add a dairy-free creaminess, without relying on ice cream.

Ingredients You’ll Need

shamrock shake ingredients labeled in glass bowls.

The spinach will add a green color, but you can’t taste it at all! The peppermint extract will add a minty flavor, but you can also use a few fresh mint leaves, if you prefer. (Any other mint extract available at your grocery store should work here, too.)

You can use any milk as the base of this recipe, including whole milk, almond milk, or coconut milk, if you need a dairy-free option. 

How to Make a Healthy Shamrock Shake

1. Blend. 

In a high-speed blender, combine the almond milk, avocado, spinach, pitted Medjool dates (or maple syrup), and peppermint extract. Blend until the dates are totally pulverized, and the mixture has a creamy texture, almost like a green pudding.

Note: If you don’t have a high-speed blender, omit the dates and use 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, instead. This will be much easier to blend!

shamrock shake ingredients blended in a blender pitcher.

2. Add the ice. 

Once the mixture is smooth, add the ice and blend again to achieve a slushy texture, or your desired consistency. Keep in mind that the more ice you add, the more diluted the flavor will become.

 Taste the smoothie and make any adjustments, as needed. You can add more mint extract for a minty flavor, or a little more maple syrup for extra sweetness.

ice added to smoothie and blended together.

3. Enjoy!

Pour the smoothie into a glass and serve it right away for the best taste and texture. To make it look like McDonald’s shamrock shake recipe, garnish it with whipped cream and a cherry, or a few green sprinkles, if you keep them on hand. 

Storage Tip: Smoothies don’t always store well in the fridge overnight, so if you have leftovers, pour them into a popsicle mold and freeze them for a treat later! 

shamrock shake poured into a glass with a slushy texture.

Variations & Frequently Asked Questions

How long are Shamrock Shakes available for? 

This seasonal milkshake is usually available starting in late February through March, but you can make this homemade version anytime!

Can I make a mint chocolate chip flavor? 

Yes, you can add a few chocolate chips to this recipe in the final step (when you add the ice) to distribute bits of chocolate throughout the smoothie. Or, try drizzling some chocolate syrup on top, for an easy mint chocolate flavor. 

Why is the smoothie so thick?

This recipe calls for minimal liquid, since the ice added later might dilute the flavor slightly. You can always add a little extra milk or water to help thin out the consistency, if you need to!

Looking for more St. Patrick’s Day ideas? Try Sweet Spinach Muffins, Mint Matcha Cookies, or Pistachio Ice Cream for more delicious recipes.

shamrock shake with green straw and mint leaves.

Healthy Shamrock Shake

4.97 from 26 votes
This Shamrock Shake is a delicious alternative to the McDonald's version! It gets its naturally green hue from spinach, but you can't taste it at all.
prep5 mins cook0 mins total5 mins
Servings:1

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3/4 cup almond milk (or water)
  • 1/4 avocado , pitted
  • 1 cup fresh baby spinach
  • 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 5 Medjool dates , pitted (or 2 T maple syrup)
  • 1 to 2 large handfuls of ice

Instructions

  • Combine the almond milk, avocado, spinach, peppermint extract, and dates and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the any flavoring as needed, but keep in mind that the flavor will be diluted slightly when you add the ice in the next step.
  • Add the ice and blend again, until the smoothie is as thick as you’d like. Serve right away.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for the whole batch. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 1078mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 80g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: shamrock shake

If you try this copycat Shamrock Shake recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. I create healthy recipes made with simple ingredients to make your life easier.

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Comments

  1. My kids love this shake so much and request it often! Sometimes I use kale if that’s what I have on hand. I also sometimes add in half a frozen banana and some Greek yogurt and hemp hearts for extra protein and make a meal out of it for myself. My kids often request a handful of chocolate chips thrown in at the end to make it a mint chocolate chip shake. So good. Tastes like an unhealthy dessert but I feel great making it for my kids.

  2. My son and I love this recipe! It tastes like mint ice cream. I use dairy milk for his as he prefers it and can pick up the taste of my nut milk in everything. He’s having a second serving now. We will make this a few times this week as we get ready to celebrate St. Pat’s Day. We’ve tried a different recipe from another site that uses banana instead of the avocado and all we could taste was the banana. This one is the one to use!

  3. This was SO GOOOD! Made it with dates that i soaked first and added half cup plain yogurt. It was Awesome! Thank you

  4. I’ve never had the original, but my husband loves it, so I made him this and he said it was yummy. I did have to make some adjustments, because I didn’t have enough spinach, so I used a little bit of Romaine and I went a bit lighter on the peppermint, which he said could have been stronger, so if you have all the ingredients, I definitely recommend following the recipe😊. I thought it tasted like mint chip Ice cream, so I sprinkled some cacao nibs on mine.

  5. One of my kids’ favorite shakes/smoothies. I usually throw in some carob chips or chocolate chips at the end of blending. It’s so creamy and delicious and tasted like a dessert! I also added flax to make it a meal.

  6. I’m not a fan of “flavorings” or extracts. I used a couple handfuls of fresh mint leaves instead. Yummy!