If you find those chocolate mints in the shiny green wrapper as addictive as we do, be prepared to meet your new favorite cookie. Andes Mint Cookies are a peppermint chocolate lover's dream come true. We're not talking just a double dose of chocolate, we are talking triple, plus all the minty goodness.
Okay, first, we've got the cookie base (the first of the chocolate) which is soft and chewy. Then comes the beautiful, creamy mint chocolate filling - double the chocolate. And to finish it all off, they're topped with whole Andes mint candies -- hello, triple chocolate -- which brings the whole things together in an ultra-delicious melt-you-mouth kind of way.
So, now you know these are majorly chocolatey and boast some serious mint flavor, but you know what else? They require zero rolling and zero chilling. Did I just introduce you to your new favorite recipe? Well, I hope so, and if you love these, you should definitely give our Peppermint Cookies and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies a try.
Andes Mint Cookies are wonderful for holiday gifts, are always a hit at parties, and make for a super fun baking project with the kids (gotta leave Santa something delicious!) But, it does not have to be December to pull this recipe out, if you love chocolate and mint, you'll be baking these cookies all year round.
HOW TO MAKE ANDES MINT COOKIES
You'll start your Andes Mint Cookies by preheating the oven to 350°F and whisking together your dry ingredients.
For the dry ingredients, you'll need all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Add these ingredients to a medium bowl, whisk, and set them aside.
Now, you'll move on to your wet ingredients. The wet ingredients start with granulated sugar and one large egg.
Add the sugar and eggs to either the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl and have your handheld mixer on standby!
Mix these two ingredients together on medium-high speed until the mixture appears light, fluffy, and thickened. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes in total.
Next, add in the pure vanilla extract and peppermint extract and mix until combined.
Now we're on to the good stuff -- the chocolate! For the chocolate, you can use either semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips. For a cookie with deeper, darker chocolate flavor use semi-sweet chocolate chips. For Andes Mint Cookies with sweeter notes, use milk chocolate chips.
Combine your chocolate chips of choice and unsalted butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring in between each stent in the microwave.
As soon as the chocolate appears smooth and completely melted, add it to your egg and sugar mixture, mixing on low. Make sure to drizzle in the warm butter and chocolate slowly, so it does not overheat the eggs.
Now, you'll add in the dry ingredients. Mix on low until everything is well combined and scoop tablespoon-size mounds of the chocolate cookie dough onto a baking sheet prepared with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Be sure you place your cookie dough mounds at least 2 inches apart so that the cookies do not bake into one another. Bake your Andes Mint Cookies at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges appear completely set.
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use the back of a small spoon to create divots in the center of each cookie. Be sure to do this while your cookies are hot out of the oven, so they are easily moldable! Set the cookies aside on a cooling rack until they are completely cooled.
If you love mint as much as we do, check out our Peppermint Ice Cream next!
Once your cookies have cooled completely to room temperature, you can begin on your ganache mint chocolate Center!
Ganache sounds like a complicated confection to whip up in the kitchen, but this one is extremely easy to make.
You'll add heavy whipping cream to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 30 to 45 seconds until the cream is very hot. Carefully remove the cream from the microwave, and add either semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips, depending on how sweet you want your cookies.
Stir the chocolate chips and the cream together until the mixture is completely smooth and the chocolate is melted.
Finish the mint chocolate ganache by adding in a pinch of salt and peppermint extract. Stir, and then add scant tablespoon size drops of the ganache to the center of each cookie.
We promised you a triple chocolate Andes Mint Cookies recipe, and we intend to deliver it fully. The third form of chocolate is the Andes Creme de Menthe candies themselves!
For the Andes mints, you have options, you can use Andes mint baking chips (which can be found in the baking aisle of your grocery store), or you can place whole or halved Andes mints on top of the ganache. It is completely up to you!
Sprinkle or place the thin mint chocolates on the ganache center, and set the cookies aside for about an hour and a half to two hours until the mint ganache center is set and completely cooled.
If you're a big fan of the mint and chocolate combo, you definitely need to give our Peppermint Brownies a try!
HOW TO STORE ANDES MINT COOKIES
As long as you seal your Andes Mint Cookies up in an airtight container they should keep for 3-4 days at room temperature. To keep them fresh longer, freeze them!
To freeze your cookies make sure they are completely cooled, and place them in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Separate the layers with sheets of wax paper, seal them up tightly and freeze. Once the cookies are completely frozen, they can be transferred to a freezer-safe, zip-top bag to save you some freezer space. They will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months.
6 MORE CHRISTMAS COOKIES YOU’LL LOVE
- Reindeer Cookies
- Pinwheel Cookies
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Haystack Cookies
- Peppermint Cookies
- Red Velvet Cookies
Reindeer Cookies
Pinwheel Cookies
Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Haystack Cookies
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Red Velvet Cookies Recipe
These Andes Mint Cookies are 100% for the chocolate and mint lovers out there! Each bite is fully infused with that magical flavor combo.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup of cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips (not Nestle brand -- they do not melt easily)
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 (9-10 ounce) package Andes mints, chopped or halved
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Preheat the oven to 350° and have ready a sheet pan lined with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
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In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside until ready to use.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the sugar and egg until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract and mix to combine.
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Add the butter and ¾ cup of chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl or pitcher and microwave at 30-second intervals. Stir in between each stint in the microwave, and continue until melted.
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Mixing on low, slowly drizzle in the butter and chocolate mixture. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined. Set aside.
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Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds of cookie dough and place on the baking sheet about 2" apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, gently press the center of each cookie with the back of a spoon to create a large divot. Set aside to cool completely.
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Add the cream to a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 30-45 seconds until very hot.
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Carefully remove the cream from the microwave and add 1 cup of chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Add the peppermint extract and salt, and stir once more.
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Spoon a scant tablespoon of the mint ganache onto the center of each cookie. Top with Andes mints and allow to set for 2 ½ to 3 hours.
