Shamrock Shake Cheesecake

Shamrock shakes are seasonal milkshakes that McDonald’s releases every year around St Patrick’s Day. The green shakes are actually mint flavored – mint and vanilla, not mint chocolate – and are surprisingly refreshing for an indulgent treat, especially if you’re a mint fan to begin with. This Shamrock Shake Cheesecake is inspired by the original Shamrock Shake! It’s a creamy vanilla and mint cheesecake that has a fun green tint to it, making it a great choice for St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

The cheesecake is very easy to make. This particular recipe is baked in a pie crust, which gives it a great ratio of crust to creamy filling. The cheesecake is flavored with both vanilla and peppermint extracts. Peppermint extract is very potent and you should measure it carefully, as a little bit can go a long way. I use no more than 3/4 of a teaspoon in this recipe to ensure that I get a good mint flavor without overtaking the vanilla and cream cheese.

When it comes to the food coloring, you’ll need to estimate how much you should add to get a nice green color. The original Shamrock Shakes aren’t extremely dark green, so you should aim for a lighter color that still stands out. The exact amount you need will depend on the type of food coloring that you are using. I prefer to use gel food coloring because it produces a more intense color with less food coloring, but the liquid variety can also be used.

Once the cheescake is baked, it should be chilled before being served. It’s dense, but not too heavy, and it is creamy enough to satisfy any cheesecake fan. It has a nice balance of vanilla and mint, with just enough mint to be refreshing while still allowing you to taste the vanilla, mint and graham cracker crust. I top mine with a little bit of whipped cream as a nod to the original shakes, along with a tiny straw (biodegradeable if you can!), too.

Shamrock Shake Cheesecake
1 9-inch shortbread or graham cracker pie crust
16-oz cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp peppermint extract
pinch salt
3 tbsp milk
1/4-1/2 tsp green gel food coloring

Preheat oven to 325F. Place the pie crust on a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until very smooth. Beat in eggs, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, salt and milk until completely combined. Add in food coloring (adding additional, if needed) and mix until batter is uniform and an even green color has been achieved.
Pour batter into prepared pie crust and spread into an even layer.
Bake until set, about 30-35 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving.

Serves 8.