Chocolate Mint Cookies have a chewy chocolate cookie base and a thick and creamy mint frosting, topped with a rich chocolate ganache to finish. They are a showstopper and a hit on every Christmas cookie tray!
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These Mint Chocolate Cookies one of my new favorite Christmas cookies, featuring one of our favorite flavor combinations: mint and chocolate!
I’m lucky enough that our whole family is mint-obsessed, so we are all thrilled when a batch of these makes an appearance (although it does mean I have to share…).
They’re based off of my Mom’s Double Chocolate Cookies recipe for the base, with these Fudgy Mint Chocolate No-Bake Cookies as my other inspiration.
These cookies make a great edible gift for mint chocolate lovers too; they’re like Andes Mints but in chewy chocolate cookie form.
With the vibrant green color in the frosting, these cookies are perfect for St. Patrick’s Day and around Christmas time.
You can customize this recipe to suit your preferences, whether that’s using a different kind of extract or a different kind of chocolate.
For more amazing desserts with mint and chocolate flavors, try my Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, No Bake Mint Chocolate Bars, Mint Chocolate Truffles Recipe, and these Fudgy Mint Chocolate No Bake Cookies!
Ingredients Needed:
- Butter: use unsalted butter to ensure your cookies are rich and chewy, and also in the frosting to give it a creamy texture. If you only have salted butter, you may want to halve or omit the added salt.
- Sugars: granulated white sugar will sweeten the cookies and give them a chewy texture. Powdered sugar adds sweetness and structure to the frosting.
- Extracts: vanilla extract adds a warm sweetness to the cookies, balancing the chocolate flavor. The mint extract gives the frosting that fresh mint flavor.
- Egg: to bind the ingredients together.
- Flour: use all-purpose flour for these cookies.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: to give the cookie base a rich chocolate flavor.
- Baking Soda and Salt: to help the cookies rise and enhance all the flavors.
- Milk: to aid the consistency of the frosting.
- Green Food Coloring: use food coloring to achieve that great green color for the frosting. This is optional, and you can skip it if you like.
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips: for the base of the chocolate ganache. You can use chopped chocolate instead of chips if you prefer.
- Oil: to make the ganache spreadable.
How to Make Mint Chocolate Cookies
These cookies are full of chocolate and minty flavor! Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
- Cream butter and sugar: Cream the butter and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add vanilla and egg: Add the vanilla and egg and beat until combined.
- Add dry ingredients: Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix until a dough forms.
- Make cookies: Bake cookie dough balls into cookies, then let them cool.
- Add frosting: Make green frosting, then top the cookies with an even layer. Let them chill in the freezer.
- Add chocolate ganache: Make the chocolate ganache and spoon it over frozen cookies. Serve or leave at room temperature to thaw completely.
Mint Chocolate Cookies FAQs
The green food coloring is optional here and is only used to give the frosting a green color. The cookies will still have a rich chocolate flavor and minty taste without it. You can even use another color with another flavor extract if you prefer!
Absolutely! Freeze the cookie dough balls in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet, and once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. They can be baked frozen; just add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
Once the cookies have cooled completely on a wire rack, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator or in the freezer. The cookies will last up to a week in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer. Flash-freeze the cookies on a baking tray, then store them in a Ziploc bag with parchment paper in between each one so they don’t stick together.
Tips and Notes
- Electric Mixer. The easiest way to make cookies is to mix the cookie dough in the bowl of a stand mixer. A hand mixer can also be used, but may have a tougher time with the thick dough.
- Room-temperature ingredients. To achieve the perfect chewy and gooey cookie texture, ensure that your butter and egg are at room temperature before mixing.
Chocolate Mint Cookies Variations
- Swap the chocolate. Use dark chocolate or white chocolate chips, depending on your preference for the topping.
- Swap the extract. Peppermint extract and spearmint extract will give you a different flavor for these cookies, so experiment and use your favorite! You can also use almond, orange, caramel, strawberry or any other kind of extract you have.
- Food coloring. While green food coloring gives a festive touch to these cookies, feel free to experiment with different colors or leave the coloring out altogether.
Serving Suggestions
These Mint Chocolate Cookies pair wonderfully with Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, and No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream, enhancing the minty and chocolatey flavors for an indulgent dessert.
A glass of milk is always a classic choice to pair with cookies too, or try my Cold Brew Coffee for an afternoon pick-me-up!
More Amazing Cookie Recipes To Try
Chocolate Mint Cookies
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1¼ cups flour (163 grams) fluffed and levelled
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (30 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 1½ cups powdered icing sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ½-1 teaspoon mint extract (depending on your tastes)
- green food coloring (optional)
Ganache
- ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate 130 grams
- 1 tablespoon oil
Instructions
Chocolate Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- With an electric mixer, cream together butter and granulated sugar until smooth, about 3-4 minutes. Add vanilla and egg and beat until combined.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix until a dough forms (it should hold together easily, and may be tacky but not too sticky).
- Roll into 16 1¾" balls (a little bigger or smaller is fine). Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the center of the cookie is slightly glossy but the edges are set.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely.
Mint Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat together powdered sugar, butter, milk, mint extract and food coloring if using. Add additional powdered sugar to thicken if needed, or a splash of milk to thin if too thick.
- Spread evenly over cooled cookies and place in the freezer for at least 15 minutes while you melt the chocolate.
Chocolate Ganache
- In a medium bowl, stir together chocolate and oil. Heat in the microwave in 30-40 second intervals, stirring well each time, just until melted.
- Spoon over frozen cookies (having the cookies frozen makes it a lot easier to control where the chocolate goes without it running off). Serve or leave at room temperature to thaw completely (the chocolate will remain firm).
Notes
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Dairy-free: you can make this recipe with hard vegan margarine and dark chocolate to make the recipe dairy-free.
- Gluten-free: you can use gluten-free oat flour to make this recipe gluten-free, just ensure there has been no cross-contamination.
- Whole wheat: I often make this cookie recipe with 100% whole wheat flour and no one ever notices – it’s a great way to pack in extra fibre!
- Frosting: obviously, we love chocolate and mint and that’s why we use mint extract. However, any flavor of extract will work here! Feel free to experiment with the flavor of these cookies.
Storage:
Store: Once the cookies have cooled completely on a wire rack, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator or in the freezer. They can sit at room temperature for an hour or two, but we don’t want the chocolate or frosting to get too warm. The cookies will last up to a week in the refrigerator, or up to 2 months in the freezer. Flash-freeze the cookies on a baking tray, then store them in a Ziploc bag with parchment paper in between each one so they don’t stick together.Nutrition Information
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Mema says
Made these twice now and so yummy! Followed the recipe exactly and put in the refrigerator to chill while I preheated the oven. Cookies keep their shape and turn out perfect.
Marleen Wild says
I am wondering about the nutrition information on this cookies, is that per cookie or for the whole recipe?
maryann says
I made today, but haven’t tasted yet so I’m not gonna rate until I’ve tasted the finished product. Just wanted to share that the cookies are HUGE! A very big spread occurs with these cookies while baking. I think I’ll try refrigerating dough balls prior to baking next time. I don’t find the mint buttercream to be too minty – but i did use peppermint extract and i always approach with caution. I may have used a scant half tsp of flavoring. But I feel like it was subtle but present.
Carrie says
I love chocolate and mint so I was very excited to make these! Came together easily and the cookie is delicious. The frosting wasn’t my preference (reminded me of toothpaste!) but that’s just my take! Added vanilla extract to the frosting as well to give it a more mild vanilla mint flavor (used just half a tsp of mint and found it very overpowering) Might have preferred peppermint extract. Otherwise a great recipe. Friends and family still enjoyed them!
Debra Berube says
The recipe says 16 – 1 3/4” balls but the photo looks more like a wafer-shaped cookie????
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Debra, the dough balls will spread when they get cooked. Enjoy!
QuiltE says
You got me at Chocolate Mint!!!! OMG!!!
Any reason why one should not use butter in the ganache, instead of the oil?
Dairy Farmer here, so of course, I always use dairy when I can.
Can’t wait to give these a try, very soon.
As always, thanks for sharing all your recipes.
The Recipe Rebel says
You could use butter. ENjoy!
Sandra Shehan says
I love season’s cookies
The Recipe Rebel says
Me too!