It's Official: McDonald's Shamrock Shake Is Returning
The Shamrock Shake has evolved over the decades since its inception. According to the Broward Palm Beach Times, the original shake combined lemon-lime sherbet with vanilla ice cream before eventually becoming mint-flavored. In 2017, the still-minty shake became garnished with green granulated sugar and a bright red cherry (per Fox News). That same year, McDonald's also released several variations of the shake, including one with chocolate that became an inspiration for a straw that maximized the chocolate Shamrock Shake experience (per Cosmopolitan). Today, the simple shake consists of vanilla soft serve with mint syrup and a whipped topping.
The brainchild of Hal Rosen, a McDonald's franchise owner in Connecticut, the McDonald's Shamrock Shake was first made in 1967 and began being served more widely in regions throughout the United States in 1970 (per Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Virginia). Four years later, proceeds from sales of the shake were used to help build the country's first Ronald McDonald House (a place for families to stay when a child is receiving care in a nearby hospital) in Philadelphia.
In 2012, the sought-after shake became a nationwide seasonal menu item (per Fox News). A portion of the sales of the shake continue to be donated to support Ronald McDonald House Charities around the country, from New England to Florida to Texas and across the Midwest.
What is the Shamrock Shake?
Fan of McDonald's Shamrock Shake are in luck. The fast-food chain announced that the minty green ice cream concoction will be returning on February 20 alongside its cookie-filled cousin, the Oreo Shamrock McFlurry. The Shamrock Shake comes in small, medium, and large sizes and ranges in price from $3.69 to $4.79 (per Restaurant Clicks). It also clocks in between 460 and 790 calories (per Prevention).
While there may be nothing quite like the real deal, you can try to make homemade versions of the shake, from a vegan Shamrock Shake recipe to a protein-packed Shamrock Shake recipe made with almond milk and baby spinach. If you want points for aesthetic authenticity, you can try to match the shake's exact shade — McDonald's shared the Shamrock Shake hex code in 2022, per Live 5 News.
And, of course, what would a St. Patrick's Day-inspired drink be without options for spiking it? Make a homemade, Guinness-infused Shamrock Shake Smash, or swing by McDonald's, grab a shake, and take bartenders' advice on how to turn your soft-serve-based shake hard (via Culture Trip).