ISO: Cookie with Mint Flavoring?

[JoanN]

Grandson coming to visit for his 12th birthday. Loves peanut butter, chocolate, and mint. Got the peanut butter covered: Elvis Cake for the birthday cake and Carole Walter’s Peanut Butter Rolls in the cookie jar. I’d like a mint-flavored cookie, preferably with chocolate, to add to the cookie jar. I’m not trusting what I’m finding online; Ritz crackers dipped in melted mint chocolate chips? I don’t think so. And I once fell prey to a recipe on 101cookbooks.com that supposedly emulates a Girl Scout cookie thin mint. It was a disaster.

Anyone have that, as they say, tried and true mint cookie that my grandson would ask for again?

[JoanN]

Thanks to everyone who pointed me toward the Oreo Truffle thread and to those who recommended they be made with Mint Oreos. I could only find the mint ones in Double Stuf, so it must have looked pretty funny as I twisted apart each Oreo and scraped off half the filling with a small spatula. My grandson's name is Nicholas, so I piped his initial in white chocolate. I haven't tasted them yet since I don't much care for minty dessert things, but they look so spectacular I don't even care what they taste like. I'm so thrilled with them that I couldn't even wait to post until later this evening when Nico arrives and puts them to the taste test. Thanks, again, to you all.

[MMRuth]

So beautiful Joan! I'm sure he'll love them - particularly the customization.

[fayehess]

How about making a think crisp chocolate cookie, and then filling with a mint ganache?
Just bring heavy cream to a simmer with a few fresh mint sprigs, let it sit with the sprigs until it cools and strain. Using 2 parts chocolate to cream, gently reheat and add finely chopped best quality belgian bittersweet chocolate off the heat. Stir to melt. fayefood.com

[geminigirl]

i've made the regular truffles and they were amazing, can't wait to hear how you like the mint. ANother suggestion is a brownie recipie from Maida Heater's book - she puts peperrmint patties in the batter and they are really good. I tried making boxed brownie mix and layering patties in the middle once, and when you do it this way when you cut into the brownies you see the mints. In her recipie I think she melts the mints with the chocolate so you don't see the mint but taste the flavor...

[pcdarnell]

I found some mint chips in the grocery store recently. They are red and white stripes, but soft like a chocolate chip, not a candy. I have a chewy double chocolate chip cookie recipe ( chocolate cookie with chocolate chips) and I substituted one cup of the mint chips for one of the cups of chocolate chips and it was fabulous. They tasted just like the GS thin mints. I have the recipe at home; if you are interested I can bring it tomorrow.

[JoanN]

Thanks for the offer, but I seem not to be able to find any of these specialty chips or chunks in any of the dozen or so food shops I frequent. I guess there's just not much call for them around here.

[Lisbet]

Here is another minty cookie recipe.....It says "Christmas Cookie", but that isn't the only excuse that you need to make them ! Good for any occasion !

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/minty-chocolate-christmas-cookies-recipe.html

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/... (Thin Mint)

[shaebones]

One of the girls at work brought these in for a lunch dessert last week on St Patty's day. They were a BIG hit!!!
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/rec...

[pitu]

a tip I picked up when the 101cookbooks girl scout cookies were being heavily discussed:
Peppermint oil (instead of extract) gives the cooler flavor that's in York Peppermint Patties and GS Thin Mints. Health food stores sell it, and a drop in a gallon of water (or in a bathtub) makes a freakishly cooling drink in the summer.
I cheated with the faux GS cookies from 101, with Anna's (store-bought) wafers dipped in my own chocolate/mint oil . . .

[JoanN]

I remember that as well and bought the Boyajian peppermint oil specifically to make those cookies. You went the correct route in making them with Anna's wafers. I made the dough from scratch and found the cookie itself to be a b**ch, with the dough rolled so thin, to get onto the baking sheet without totally ruining it's shape. And the baked cookies had a very unpleasant texture, almost gritty. Not a good memory.

[MMRuth]

Something else I thought about upon awaking this morning - what about little ice cream sandwiches - mint ice cream between two chocolate cookies?

[JoanN]

That really is a good idea, and I'll be he'd love them. Unfortunately, my freezer is screaming "Ouch," and I was hoping for something that would be cookie-jar appropriate. Nonetheless . . . .

Thanks, everyone, for your terrific suggestions. I'm sure I'll find something here that will work--and I certainly wasn't finding it on my own.

[chowser]

Along the brownies lines, when I could find those mini York peppermint baking patties, I made brownies and sprinkled those in. Then, I topped w/ a chocolate mint ganache. Very minty and decadent.

http://www.bakingchipstore.com/index.php?productID=135

While looking for those, I came across this recipe which sounds great:

http://coconutlime.blogspot.com/2007/...

Sadly, I can't find those baking pieces anymore.

[dixiegrlinpa]

Hi, do you still have the brownie recipe that was on the back of the York premier baking pieces bag? I would love to have that recipe.

Thanks
dixiegrl

[chowser]

I wouldn't recommend it, actually. I tried it and didn't like it. I switched to supernatural brownies:

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/recipes/sup_brownies.html

I like man catcher brownies better but thought they were too thick for this:

http://itsinyourunderneath.com/?p=56

[lgss]

I've made sugar cookies with mint in them and mint fudge. One time we made chocolate cake in (new,clean) terra cotta plant pots with fresh mint as if it were planted in them. Kids tend to get a kick out of "mud cake" (often made mixed with pudding) if it has some gummy worms in it...

[amymsmom]

Lately I've been adding extracts - almond, maple, vanilla and/or mint to things I like to eat. Had some good results. How about adding 1/8 -1/4 tsp of mint extract to a plain old toll house cookie recipe, or a chocolate-chocolate chip recipe, and substitute mint chips for regular if you can find them.

[alkapal]

i recently made toll house recipe with mini chips but think i like regular size for a better chocolate "hit."

[TrishUntrapped]

I saw a Martha Stewart show the other night and she demo'd these cookies. I plan on trying them sometime. Look quite good. The link below also has some good comments from people who made them.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/c...

[JoanN]

I actually bookmarked that recipe. Two positive, one very negative had me leary. Maybe . . . .

[mochi mochi]

During Christmas I picked up some Andes Mint Chips and used the Toll House Morsels Cookie recipe but replaced half the bag of mint chips and half a bag of mini morsels. My friends and family really enjoyed the minty chocolate flavor. I don't know if the Andes chips are sold year round or just during the holiday season. I haven't seen it since.

[alkapal]

i got about four bags of the andes mint chips a couple of weeks ago at a super target in cape coral, florida. plenty of stock. i wish there was a super target near me -- they have so many neat condiments and unusual food items.

[MMRuth]

Hmmm - does it need to be a cookie? What about mint truffles?

[nemo]

Along this line, we recently made the Oreo truffles with mint Oreos. Very cool and minty.

[JoanN]

Just checked out that thread on the Oreo truffles and I think that's it. Someone suggested additional mint extract. Do you think that would be overkill? They'll be the same shape as the Peanut Butter Rolls, but I'll turn that into a positive. Thanks for the tip.

[pamd]

I actually made them using the Peppermint Jo-Jo's (trader joes version of Oreos) & they came out great! Unfortunately only in stock at holiday time unless they happen to be left over or you've stocked up.

Anyway, are you near a Wegmans? They have a store version of mint "oreos" too that would work.

Another thing that's really good is Andes mints melted over brownies

[JoanN]

The closest Wegmans is about 25 miles, unfortunately. I'll look around and see what I can find. If all else fails, perhaps I'll just add extract to the cookie mix and pray for the best.

The Andes mints is a good idea, too. He's a sucker for brownies.

Thanks.

[pamd]

I make a batch of my favorite brownies, then unwrap all the Andes while they're in the oven. As soon as I pull them out, place the mints on top, then spread after a minute. Let cool & so good!
I've done it on cookies too, whatever you come up with I'm sure he'll love!

[JoanN]

I think, influenced by the rave reviews on the original thread (and that I can't find the Peppermint Patty bits), that I'll make the Oreo Truffles with mint Oreos. But I can only find the Double Stuf's in mint. In the original thread, momjamin said s/he "found the regular Oreos to produce an easier texture to work with than the Double Stuf."

Could any of you have done these explain just what that might mean? Should I bother to scrape off part of the filling before grinding the cookies, or do you think that's not necessary?

[pamd]

It is a bit too much cream with double stuf, from what I remember reading. What you could do is maybe add some extra cookies in without the cream- like maybe 2/3 regular & 1/3 cookies only? I always use regular so I haven't tried it.

[JoanN]

Thanks, pamd. I'll wing it. Sounds as though the recipe is pretty forgiving.

[JoanN]

Hadn't occured to me. Good idea. I'll look into it.