Lucky Charms Cookies are just as "magically delicious" as the cereal itself! They are delightfully buttery with a strong vanilla flavor that complements the cereal and marshmallows. When baked, they remain nice and soft in the center while the edges have a subtle crisp. This recipe is truly a showstopper fit for any event or bake sale.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 30-minute chill time, 10-minute bake time
- 🍴 Servings: 26
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Sweet, buttery vanilla cookies with crispy edges, soft centers, and bursts of sugary marshmallow crunch.
- 🍚 Best Served With: A cold glass of milk or as a fun dessert platter treat for parties and bake sales.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, bake ahead and store airtight for up to 3 days, or freeze the dough balls and bake fresh when needed.
Summarize and Save This Content On
If you enjoy treats with a nostalgic flair, then you have come to the right place. These Lucky Charms sugar cookies taste just like the beloved cereal and are perfectly festive for St. Patrick's Day! I love the cute presentation with the extra marshmallows on top, as well as the lovely texture that keeps the cookies from being too hard or dense.
This rainbow cheesecake and these green cookies are also great treats to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You can make them with your kids: If you're looking for a homemade treat that your kids can help you make, I also recommend these Lucky Charms cookies. They're so fun!
- The marshmallows won't melt: I leave some marshmallows in the cookie dough, but most of them are added after baking, so they hold their shape.
- It's budget-friendly: This recipe is inexpensive, too. You won't have to worry about spending a fortune on ingredients for these cookies, as all the items are pantry staples or cheap.
Ingredients
The ingredients you'll need for the best Lucky Charms cookies ever. You can find them at any grocery store, and you will probably have almost everything at home right now.
- Sugar: I use a combination of white and brown sugar in this Lucky Charms cookie recipe to get the right texture. Brown sugar keeps them soft and chewy, while granulated sugar helps the edges become golden brown and slightly crisp.
- Vanilla: This is one of the most important ingredients for flavor. These cookies are meant to be vanilla-forward, so I highly recommend that you go with pure vanilla over imitation. If you love vanilla, you'll love this easy vanilla bundt cake, too.
- Lucky Charms cereal: I crush the cereal before adding it to the cookie dough so it incorporates better. You get subtle texture and flavor in every bite!
- Lucky Charms marshmallows: Some will remain in the cookie dough, while the rest will be added after they bake. I separate them from the cereal to make the process easier.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Add chocolate chips: You may use any variety of chocolate chips that you like, but I prefer white chocolate, so the colors of the marshmallows still pop. Don't add more than ½ cup.
- Add seasonal sprinkles: Fold in ¼ to ½ cup of sprinkles! Use green for St. Patrick's Day, pastel for Easter, or rainbow for fun.
- Add a drizzle: Take the presentation up a notch with a cany melt drizzle. White, light pink, light blue, etc would complement the Lucky Charms cookies.
How to Make Lucky Charms Cookies
Here are the instructions you'll need for this Lucky Charms cookie recipe. It's so easy to follow! Before you get started, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F.
Step 1: Make the cookie dough. After you cream the butter and sugar, and add eggs and vanilla, you can combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl before you mix them altogether. Then, fold in ½ cup of the marshmallows.
Step 2: Form cookies and chill. Scoop 1 ½ to 2 tablespoon cookie balls and put them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Place them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill.
Step 3: Bake and add marshmallows. Once the oven is preheated, pop the pan into the oven and bake the cookies for 8-20 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown. Then, gently press the remaining marshmallows into the tops of the cookies.
Step 4: Cool and serve. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes or so, and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely before you enjoy one with a Kahlua hot chocolate.
Expert Tips
- Chill the cookie dough overnight: Even though the Lucky Charms cookie dough only needs to be chilled for 30 minutes, longer or even overnight is better. The result is better as the cookies don't spread as much.
- Don't crush the marshmallows: When you crush the cereal, don't crush the marshmallows. You'll want them left whole to make your cookies extra adorable.
- Storage directions: Refrigeration can cause the marshmallows to harden, so they're better stored at room temperature. Keep them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You may freeze them for up to 2 months and thaw them on the counter for a couple of hours before serving.
If you enjoy cookies made with cereal, you'll love these Fruity Pebbles Cookies.
Serving Suggestions
- You can't go wrong with a scoop of ice cream and a warm cookie. These Lucky Charms cookies even make great ice cream sandwiches. Use your favorite store-bought vanilla or a homemade flavor like sprinkles ice cream or birthday cake ice cream.
- If you plan to add these cookies to a St. Patrick's Day dessert board, some other options you can add are Bailey's truffles and Bailey's brownie bites.
- Even though this Christmas hot chocolate is branded for December, the green color will also work for St. Patrick's Day. Hot chocolate and a Lucky Charms cookie are a good match!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! It helps with the structure of the cookies and prevents dry parts. Whole cereal can create air pockets, causing the cookies to bake unevenly.
Most likely, they are overbaked. This leads to cookies that are dry and crumbly. As they cool, they will harden instead of remaining soft, causing them to fall apart and be crispy rather than chewy.
Of course! Freeze the dough into balls and then transfer them to a freezer bag with parchment paper layers. Keep the dough frozen for up to 3 months! Bake them straight from the freezer, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Lucky Charms Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter 1½ sticks, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup Lucky Charms cereal finely crushed, just the cereal pieces, not marshmallows
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Lucky Charms marshmallows divided
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes with a hand mixer (or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment). Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, crushed cereal, baking soda, and salt.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in ½ cup of the marshmallows with a silicone spatula.
- Scoop dough into 1.5 to 2 tablespoon-sized balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes or overnight.
- If chilled overnight, gently press each dough ball to about ¾-inch thick before baking to encourage even spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden and centers look slightly underbaked.
- Immediately press the remaining marshmallows into the tops of warm cookies.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- Freeze the Lucky Charms cookie dough to use whenever you like! Add 1-2 minutes to the baking time and bake them straight from the freezer.
- If possible, chill the cookie dough overnight. The more time it gets in the fridge, the less the Lucky Charms cookies will spread in the oven.
- Overbaked cookies can be dry and crumbly. It's fine to slightly underbake these because the centers will set as they cool. Pull them out once the edges start to slightly brown.
Leave a Reply