Chocolate Mint Cookies Recipe

Active Time:

40 mins

Total Time:

4 hrs

Yield:

30 cookies

If you love the elegant combination of rich, dark chocolate and refreshing mint, you're going to love these cookies. Fans of chocolate-mint desserts like Grasshopper Pie and Chocolate-Mint Snowballs will appreciate the thick, super chocolaty cookies which serve as host to many pieces of chopped mint candies. You know the ones we're talking about—Andes. You can find them in your grocery store's candy section, usually near the peppermints or other after-dinner mints.

As a bonus, these chocolate mint cookies are absolutely gorgeous. The candies stud the cookies' cracked tops with jagged edges. They'd be perfect on a cookie platter or tea party dessert tray.

Here, find out how to make chocolate mint cookies and ways to change them up if you want to try different flavors.

What You'll Need to Make Chocolate Mint Cookies

Besides a few classic baking ingredients—granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, baking powder, and all-purpose flour—you'll need a few ingredients unique to these cookies. Specifically, gather up unsweetened coca, semisweet chocolate chips, whipping cream, and of course crème de menthe chocolate mints (we mean Andes).

ingredients for chocolate mint cookies — Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood

How To Make Chocolate Mint Cookies

The dough for these cookies comes together quickly, but there is a bit of time spent waiting on it to firm up. Plan accordingly, perhaps by making the dough in the morning and baking the cookies in the evening.

Step 1. Cream the butter and sugars

Start this recipe for chocolate mint cookies by creaming the butter and both types of sugar, then add the egg and vanilla, and mix until just combined.

Step 2. Combine dry ingredients

Meanwhile, combine the cocoa, baking powder, flour, and salt in a separate bowl.

making chocolate mint cookies — Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, being sure to let it mix well after each addition. Once all the flour is combined with the wet ingredients, mix in the chocolate chips, cream, and half the chocolate candies. Don't overmix this. You want to stir until just combined.

chocolate mint cookie batter — Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood

Slip a piece of plastic wrap over the mixing bowl, and pop the bowl into the fridge to chill. Give it some time in there, at least 3 hours, or up to overnight. Chilling the dough for at least 3 hours is important to the success of this recipe. Otherwise, you will have cookies that spread a great deal and will not be as attractive once baked and cooled.

Step 3. Ready the oven

After the dough has chilled for several hours, it's time to bake. Take the bowl out of the fridge, and let it sit for about 15 minutes while you're getting everything ready.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then line several baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Step 4. Scoop the dough

Grab a tablespoon or cookie scoop, and scoop out dough balls about 1 1/2 tablespoons large, or a heaping tablespoon. Gently roll each scoop of dough between your hands into a ball. Press the top of the dough ball into the remaining chopped candies, then gently press them into the dough. Place the balls on the parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

cookie dough balls on baking sheet — Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood

Step 5. Bake

Bake cookies, one baking sheet at a time, for 11 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is still a bit gooey. Let cool on baking sheets for about 20 minutes. Serve warm, or move to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Variations

The chocolate cookie base is just that—a perfect base. Our Test Kitchen professionals found the semisweet chocolate chips a nice addition to offset the Andes mint pieces, but you can use any number of add-ins. Try peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or white chocolate chips.

Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions

Want to get a head start on holiday cookie making? Make the cookie dough, and chill, through step 2. But in step 3, don't preheat the oven. Instead, line a baking tray with parchment paper, and scoop the cookie dough into balls, roll them in the chopped candies, place them all on the baking tray (close together is fine), and then slip the whole tray into a freezer. Freeze the cookie dough balls until solid, at least 12 hours.

Once frozen, drop the cookie dough balls into an airtight, zip-top bag, and stash for up to 2 months. (Don't forget to write the name of the cookies and the date on the bag.)

When you're ready to bake them, bring out the bag, place a few cookie dough balls on a parchment paper-lined baking tray, and bake. You'll need to add an additional few minutes to get these cookies done from frozen. Just watch for the edges to be crispy with the center still gooey.

Other Classic Cookies To Try

In search of your next favorite cookie recipe? Consider these, too:

Ingredients

1/2 cup (4 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup (about 4 1/4 oz.) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
1 (4.6-oz.) pkg. thin crème de menthe chocolate mints (such as Andes), coarsely chopped (about 1 cup), divided

Directions

Beat butter and sugars with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until creamy and light in color, 5 to 7 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat on medium speed until well combined, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. With mixer running on low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating until combined, about 1 minute and 30 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Add chocolate chips, cream, and 1/2 cup of the chocolate mints; beat on low speed just until combined, about 30 seconds. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 8 hours. Cover remaining chocolate mints with plastic wrap, and set aside in a cool place until ready to bake cookies.
Remove cookie dough from refrigerator 15 minutes before ready to bake. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line 3 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon portions, and roll each dough portion into a ball. Press top of each dough ball into remaining chocolate mints to coat; place dough balls, candy sides up, at least 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
Bake in preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until sides are set but centers are still a bit gooey, 11 to 12 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets on a wire rack rack 20 minutes. Serve warm or transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely, about 20 minutes.