Homemade Thin Mints
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My homemade thin mints are reminiscent of the classic Girl Scout Thin Mints we all know and love. But with my recipe, you can now enjoy them year-round and not have to wait for Girl Scout Cookie season!
The cookie base is crisp and slightly crumbly and the peppermint flavor provides a cool and refreshing contrast to the richness of the chocolate. The dark chocolate coating enrobes each cookie, giving them a smooth, velvety, and glossy finish.
The notes of cocoa and mint fill the kitchen as they bake and the aroma is just totally irresistible! Similar to my Chocolate Andes Mint Cookies, you just can’t wait to take a bite!
I love storing these cookies in the freezer, and popping one or two out when the craving strikes. The satisfaction of making them at home adds an extra layer of enjoyment, making each bite even more special. Adults and kids alike will love these iconic cookies!
Why this recipe works
- Thin Mints are undoubtedly the most popular Girl Scout Cookie, and my copycat recipe is just as good, or BETTER!
- Rolling out the dough prior to the chill time helps the dough firm up quicker and makes it easier when it comes time to cut out the cookies.
- The chill time helps prevent the cookies from spreading and holds their shape.
- The peppermint extract is key (not mint extract) to get the classic thin mint flavor.
Sure, it’s convenient to use a round cutter OR a wavy/scalloped cookie cutter but what if you don’t have one lying around? Here is what you can use instead:
- A drinking glass with a thin rim, preferably a small 2 inch glass for these cookies.
- An empty tin can (like from a small tomato paste can) or small soda can.
- Cut slices from a log for a slice and bake option: I tested this version out with these cookies and it works well, the cookies just dont look as perfect as using a cookie cutter, but flavor is the same! 🥳
Ingredients
For the ingredient measurements and entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- Flour: the base ingredient for the cookie dough. It provides structure and helps bind the ingredients together. I have not tested this recipe with any other flour besides all purpose.
- Dutch processed cocoa: I choose this cocoa because I have found it provides a smoother texture and more intense chocolate flavor in the thin mints.
- Cornstarch: I wanted to add a bit of cornstarch in my recipe to help reduce the spread of the cookies and give them a tad bit more thickness.
- Peppermint Extract: Be sure to use peppermint extract, and not mint extract. Peppermint extract provides the refreshing mint flavor that is characteristic of Thin Mint Cookies and you’ll also add some to the chocolate coating.
- Other ingredients needed: salt, baking powder, eggs, butter, vanilla, and sugar.
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the blog post to the recipe card.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Beat butter and sugars.
- Add eggs and extracts.
- Add the dry ingredients gradually.
- Divide the dough in half and roll out into 1/4 inch thickness between 2 sheets of parchment.
- Refrigerate or freeze.
- Cut out cookies and bake.
- Once cooled, dunk in chocolate mixture!
Expert Tips
- Chill the Dough: The chilled dough is easier to handle and less likely to spread excessively during baking, resulting in cookies with a better shape.
- Use a Round Cutter OR a wavy/scalloped cookie cutter: whatever you choose, choose a cookie butter with a diameter of about 2 inches to cut out the cookies. This size is similar to the classic Thin Mint Cookies.
- Peppermint Extract: like I mentioned above, be sure to use peppermint extract, as opposed to mint extract. Mint extract has a spearmint flavor to it, and the peppermint suits these cookies much better.
- Make ahead: since these cookies do require chill time, you might be thinking you want to make the dough in advance!
- The rolled out dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- Freeze the cookie dough prior to rolling for up to 3 months. When frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight, bring to room temperature so you can roll it out, if dough is too soft pop it back in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, then continue to cut and bake.
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- Store baked cookies up to 7 days in the fridge or 2-3 months in the freezer.
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Homemade Thin Mints
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2/3 cup dutch process unsweetened cocoa
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3/4 – 1 tsp. peppermint extract (not mint extract) (use less or more depending on how peppermint-y you want your cookies)
Chocolate coating
- 20 oz. dark chocolate melting wafers (you can also use high quality semi sweet chocolate but I like how the wafers set up.)
- 1 tsp. oil (canola or vegetable)
- 1/2-1 tsp. peppermint extract (use less or more depending on how peppermint-y you want your cookies)
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- *Note: you will need to chill the rolled out cookie dough for at least 3 hours in the fridge or 1 hour in the freezer. Make sure to clear a space in the fridge or freezer so once it's time to get chillin, the open space will be ready!
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Beat together the butter and sugars using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and peppermint extract.
- Mix again until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add in the dry ingredients.
- Mix on a medium-low speed until incorporated and dough comes together.
- Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, place half of dough down on a piece of parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper over the top. Roll into 1/4" thickness. Repeat this with the other half of dough. Dough might be just a little sticky but it's easy to work with.
- Leave the dough between the parchment paper and place on a baking sheet. You can stack both pieces of rolled out dough since they're protected by the parchment. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or freezer for 1 hour. You can chill for up to 48 hours prior to baking, just be sure it's covered.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Remove the top layer of parchment paper. Cut out the cookies using a 2-inch circular or scalloped cookie cutter.
- Place cookies on prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Gather and re roll the scraps, chill dough if you feel it has gotten warm, and continue to cut out the cookies and bake with remaining dough.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. (Note: These cookies may have slightly soft texture at first, but get that nice crisp crunch as they cool and even better if you freeze them!)
- Add the melting wafers and oil to a microwave safe bowl.
- Melt in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Then add the peppermint extract and stir to combine.
- Using a fork, dunk cooled cookies into the chocolate being sure to coat the cookie completely. Gently tap off and excess chocolate and place the cookies back on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Allow the chocolate to set. To store, I like to place them in the freezer because I think they're best cold! 😍 Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Storage: store baked cookies up to 7 days in the fridge or 2-3 months in the freezer.
- Make ahead: the rolled out dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- Freeze the cookie dough prior to rolling for up to 3 months. When frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight, bring to room temperature so you can roll it out, if dough is too soft pop it back in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, then continue to cut and bake.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
This was an Amazing rendition of thin mints and I will definitely be making more. A pretty good likeness to the real thing and I agree it tastes great after cooling down even without the chocolate coating. But the coating takes it to the top. Please make sure you’re using unsalted butter and you can cut a little back on corn starch if you want. Also it burnt when I baked for 10 minutes so I baked 6-8 minutes. I made one serving and it was plenty for the family of 4! Put the chocolate covered trays in the fridge to set faster and enjoy.
good tips!! thank you so much!
This was truly Amazingly delicious and my kids said it may be better than the actual Girl Scout thin mints! Thank you so much!!
They’re okay. I think maybe operator error. To me the cookies did not crisp up as much as I would’ve liked. Tastes more brownie like. And for some reason all I can taste is the salt. Very little peppermint shines through in the cookie so I might try it with no salt next time. The coating is good, again hard to get that peppermint to shine through but it’s hard to taste anything over the salt. Don’t taste like thin mints to me. If you have any suggestions as to why mine didn’t crisp up and why the salt taste might be shining through in mine, maybe it was me.
Hi! thank you for making them, but so sorry you had some trouble with the salt. I am wondering what type of salt you used? I used diamond crystal kosher salt, if you used a regular table salt that is maybe why they seem salty? I would reduce down to 1/4-1/2 tsp. if not using a kosher salt. It’s a general rule to substitute half as much table salt for kosher salt, but maybe I should note that in the recipe, thank you so much for pointing that out. Regarding the peppermint taste, I listed in the recipe you can use more or less depending on how peppermint-y you want the cookies. Some people are sensitive to it, so I gave a range. And lastly, the cookies maybe have needed an extra minute of bake time to crisp up, you can try omitting the cornstarch, or my favorite is freezing the cookies! Once again, thanks for making my recipe & so sorry you had some issues. – xo, Tawnie
I thought it was kosher salt but it’s possible I maybe didn’t as I don’t have the original bottle anymore. I will try the recipe again with less salt or buy kosher just to be sure and then I’ll try omitting the cornstarch! Thank you for the tips! I appreciate it!!
Anytime 🙂 thanks so much!!
Delicious chocolate mint cookies. They are even good without the chocolate coating straight out of the oven. Kid, teen, and adult approved! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you soo much!! I am so happy everyone enjoyed them. Thanks for leaving a review! xo, Tawnie