How to Make Thin Mints

Make cookie season a thing of the past.

We all know and love the classic Thin Mint Cookie. But what do you do when minty cravings strike out of season? Make your own homemade Thin Mints, of course. Mix up a batch of chocolate sugar cookies and dunk them in peppermint-laced chocolate to enjoy a homemade version of the iconic cookie — even when no green box is in sight.

1 MIX THE DOUGH

To make the cookie middles, mix up a batch of chocolate sugar cookies flavored with just a hint of peppermint.

In a mixing bowl, beat 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter for about 30 seconds with an electric mixer at medium speed. Add 1 cup granulated sugar and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until just combined.

2 CHILL & ROLL DOUGH

Divide dough into two equal parts and use your hands to form each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Chilling the dough is essential to keeping the cookies from spreading while baking.

Working with one disc at a time, remove from the refrigerator and roll to 1/4-inch thickness.

TIP

When rolling the dough, sprinkle cocoa powder on your work surface and rolling pin instead of flour to avoid creating white spots on your cookies.

3 CUT COOKIES CIRCLES

Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut the dough into circles. Transfer cut circles to a baking sheet with a small spatula. Re-roll the remaining dough scraps and continue to cut circles until all the dough is used.

4 BAKE & COOL COOKIES

Bake cookies at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes. The cookies will still appear soft and that's ok. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5 MELT CHOCOLATE

Coarsely chop 14 ounces good-quality semi-sweet chocolate. Place in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Add 1/2 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil. Heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract.

TIP

To melt chocolate in the microwave, place chopped chocolate in a small microwaveable bowl. Heat at 50 percent power for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and stir. If not completely smooth and melted, return the chocolate to the microwave and continue heating at 50 percent power for 30 to 45 seconds at a time until melted, stirring after every interval.

6 DIP COOKIES IN CHOCOLATE

One at a time, dip each cooled cookie in chocolate. Place each cookie in the melted chocolate, push down with a fork to submerge completely, and use the fork to lift the cookie out. Gently tap the fork on the side of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off.

Place dipped cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper.

7 LET SET

Allow cookies to stand until chocolate is completely set. Then eat and enjoy!

Get the printable recipe here.

TIP

Place the baking sheet of cookies in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to help the chocolate set more quickly.

About Kitchen Is My Playground

Tracey is the creator of the popular blog The Kitchen Is My Playground, which she founded in 2011. Her goal is to share recipes with other home cooks looking to create flavorful (and somewhat adventurous) food for their families and friends. Connect with her on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter or Google+.