Description
Delight in these festive Mint Chocolate Cookies topped with a creamy, colorful mint frosting. Rich in chocolate flavor with a refreshing peppermint twist, these cookies are perfect for holiday celebrations or any time you crave a mint-chocolate treat. The recipe features a smooth mint frosting that can be tinted with natural food dyes and decorated with crushed candy canes, chopped Andes mints, or festive sprinkles for a fun and flavorful finish.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Mint Frosting
- 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar, depending on sweetness preference
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk, to make frosting creamy
- Natural green food dye
- Natural red food dye
Toppings
- Crushed candy canes
- Chopped Andes mints
- Red & green sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large baking pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined to create a smooth base for the dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which usually takes about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add Wet Flavors: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract into the creamed mixture until everything is well combined, smooth, and creamy—about 30 seconds more.
- Combine Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on medium-low speed just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This step helps the dough firm up for easier handling and improves the cookie texture.
- Shape Cookies: After chilling, use a cookie scoop to portion about 2 tablespoons of dough, roll into balls, and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookie edges begin to set and develop a crackled appearance for that signature texture.
- Cool Cookies: Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes. This resting period helps the cookies set firmly at the edges. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Mint Frosting: In an electric mixer bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar on high speed for 1 minute. Stir in the peppermint extract and 1 tablespoon of milk, beating slowly at first and then increasing speed to medium-high until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Add extra milk if needed for creaminess.
- Color Frosting: For festive colors, divide the frosting into two bowls. Add drops of natural green food dye to one bowl and natural red food dye to the other, whisking until the colors are well blended and vibrant.
- Frost Cookies: Once cookies are completely cooled, generously frost them with the prepared mint frosting. Decorate with your choice of crushed candy canes, chopped Andes mints, or red and green Christmas sprinkles for a festive touch.
Notes
- These mint chocolate cookies have a rich dark chocolate base complemented by flavorful peppermint extract, mimicking the taste of a classic peppermint patty.
- The frosting can be customized with natural food dyes to create festive red and green swirls perfect for holiday celebrations.
- Crushing candy canes or chopping Andes mints for toppings adds pleasant texture and enhances the mint-chocolate flavor combination.
- Be sure to chill the dough before baking to ensure the cookies hold their shape and develop a tender texture.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet before moving to a rack to finish cooling; this helps the edges firm up for the perfect bite.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approximate)
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 95 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
