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Mint & Chocolate Brownie Cookies with Crème de Menthe Hot Chocolate for mint chocolate lovers [VIDEO]

Andes Mint Thins add a nice effect to these deep, dark, melt-in-your-mouth Mint & Chocolate Brownie Cookies. Pairing with Crème de Menthe Hot Chocolate make these a perfect combo for mint chocolate lovers!


In terms of polarizing foods and flavors, I find that there is still none quite as polarizing as the mint chocolate flavor. At least in my house anyway. I have managed to convert my brothers into lavender dessert-appreciators, but when it comes to mint chocolate, I still get the “tastes like toothpaste” comment regardless of the recipe I try. It’s why I so seldom make mint chocolate anything.

Personally I am not so averse to mint chocolate as a flavor, as long as it’s “done right”, if you will. This means the peppermint must not be too heavy-handed, and by the end it should round out with a satisfying flavor of chocolate. In fact, I am not ashamed to admit I enjoy the occasional scoop of Haagen-Dazs mint chip ice cream. And now I have discovered another mint chocolate treat I absolutely adore: These Mint & Chocolate Brownie Cookies.

And you know what surprised me even more? It’s that my brother who dislikes mint chocolate actually enjoyed these cookies too! He did not miss the chance to tell me these were not his favorite cookies by far, because of the presence of mint, but I’d see him sneaking pieces to polish off lol.

I feel like the chopped Andes Creme de Menthe Thins did the trick here. Instead of using purely mint chocolate chips (the green ones), my decision to use Andes chocolates as a topping probably gave the overall chocolate flavor of these cookies a boost. Rather than getting attacked by a minty blow, all the extra chocolate counter-balances things. This is probably one of the reasons why these Mint & Chocolate Brownie Cookies are super addictive.

This recipe makes a soft cookie that’s a cross between a brownie in its melt-in-the-mouth fudgy way, and a chewy cookie. It’s incredibly satisfying, with a nice coffee undertone, but mostly it’s a rich cocoa powder-based cookie through and through, with a pleasant hit of mint flavor because of the addition of chopped Andes thin mints. Note that the Andes mint thins were only used as a topping in an attempt to keep things balanced. I used a combo of dark chocolate buttons from Auro and semisweet chocolate chips from Guittard in the cookie itself. This lovely mix really hit the spot for me, and clearly for my mint-averse brother as well! There’s just something about these cookies, you guys.

Pushing the mint-chocolate madness to the max, I even made myself some Creme de Menthe Hot Chocolate using the same Andes mint thins because I had a lot left over. There was simply no excuse not to try the recipe, and guess what? I was plesantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the drink! It is a great way to incorporate mint into your drink if you don’t have or want to invest in peppermint extract. Actually, by using Andes mint thins, it’s much easier not to go overboard with the mint flavor. (Plus, you can eat the leftover chocolates lol.)

If I wanted to make a mint chocolate-lover happy, I would make them this drink.

Obviously for people who are not mint chocolate fans, this combo could feel a little like overkill. Yet I have a feeling you could get them to try one (or two) of these Mint & Chocolate Brownie Cookies because they really are so much more than just mint and chocolate. There’s also that richness the coffee seems to bring out more, and the brownie-like bite to these cookies. I obviously can’t force you to like mint chocolate but I seriously urge you to try these cookies, making the necessary swaps if you must.

Recipe notes

  • USE GOOD UNSWEETENED DUTCH-PROCESSED COCOA POWDER FOR BEST FLAVOR. Personally I used Hershey’s Special Dark 100% Cacao Dutched Cocoa for this, but I also like using Bensdorp. It doesn’t have to be an expensive brand, just a brand that tastes good for you really. Do not use natural cocoa powder for this recipe because a chemical reaction may occur and the cookies may not come out right.
  • USE REGULAR CHOCO CHIPS IF YOU DISLIKE MINT THINS. Rather than folding the Andes mint thins into the dough, I only chose to make them as toppings for the cookie. For me, this adjustment keeps the mint component from being overwhelming. If you really must make a swap, simply use regular chocolate chips or chunks to top your cookies.
  • USE A COMBINATION OF CHOCOLATES FOR THE COOKIES. Whether or not you end up using Andes mint thins for the topping, I encourage you to use a combination of non-melting chocolate chips and chocolate chunks in the cookies themselves. This way, you’ll get pockets of melty chocolate within the cookies, and also be able to bite into firm pieces of chocolate chips as you eat. (The Andes mint thins will provide an extra “cool” aspect to the eating experience though!)

  • TAKE THE COOKIES OUT OF THE OVEN WHILE THEY LOOK BARELY DONE. To maintain that brownie-like bite and soft cookie texture, make sure not to over-bake these. 8 minutes is the magic number. I also recommend baking one tray at a time.
  • COOL COOKIES COMPLETELY BEFORE PICKING THEM UP OR MOVING. These cookies are extremely fragile while warm. They will literally fall apart! Let them cool in the tray before moving them to your container or before eating them. Your patience will be rewarded.
  • THESE COOKIES ARE MEANT TO BE CONSUMED IN SMALL DOSES. Portion out these cookies using a maximum 1-1/2 Tablespoons scoop only. If you bake these too big, they will only become very fragile and will have a tendency to break apart when you pick them up, even when completely cooled.

Mint & Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (53 grams) light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon espresso powder
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ cup (21 grams) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (340 grams) combination of chocolate chips or chunks of choice
  • 14 pieces Andes crème de menthe chocolates, sliced to chunks (if making mint chocolate version)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment; set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugars, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder. Beat until the mixture is smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, then beat again until thoroughly combined. The mixture will look a bit grainy.
  • Beat in the cocoa until combined. Gradually fold in the flour, mixing until no more streaks of flour remain. Fold in the chocolate, mixing until well-distributed.
  • Using a 1.5-Tablespoon scooper, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookie mounds at least 1-inch apart.* If the dough begins to stick to the scoop, simply dip the scoop in cold water. If making the mint chocolate version, top the cookie mounds with pieces of the Andes chocolate chunks. (You can also use regular chocolate chips here.)
  • Bake the cookies one tray at a time for 8 minutes. They will look barely done and will fall apart if you pick them up while hot so don’t! Leave the cookies to cool completely right on the baking sheet. Once completely cooled, cookies will firm up but stay soft and a bit fragile if they’re portioned too big*. Serve cookies with Crème de Menthe Hot Chocolate (recipe below).

Notes

*Because these cookies are on the soft side, I do not recommend baking them into a bigger size. The bigger they are, the more fragile they become. They are meant to be enjoyed in smaller doses anyway because they will be very satisfying in their richness despite the size.
Adapted from King Arthur Baking

  • USE A BIT OF HEAVY CREAM FOR A THICKER HOT CHOCOLATE. If you’re one of those people who like their hot chocolate on the thicker side, a bit of heavy cream in the mix will help with that. I personally do not like it too thick so I used all milk. The hot chocolate will still thicken nicely anyway.
  • YOU CAN USE EITHER DUTCHED OR NATURAL COCOA POWDER FOR THE DRINK. There will be slight flavor differences, but either will make the hot chocolate taste good!
  • USE GOOD BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE FOR THE BASE. Because trust me, you will taste it.
  • DO NOT BOIL THE HOT CHOCOLATE MIXTURE. We want to cook this hot chocolate gently until it’s steaming before adding in the bittersweet chocolate and Andes mint thins. The chocolates should melt easily and smoothly in the steamed mixture.
  • WHIPPED CREAM IS OPTIONAL BUT GOOD. The only reason I don’t have some on top of my hot chocolate is because I ran out lol, but these days I appreciate whipped cream on my hot chocolate a lot.

Crème de Menthe Hot Chocolate

Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
  • cups milk
  • ¼ cup heavy cream, or sub with milk
  • 2 Tablespoons (22 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 4 pieces Andes crème de menthe chocolates, chopped
  • Whipped cream and more chopped Andes chocolates, to top (optional)

Instructions

  • In a saucepan, whisk together sugar and cocoa powder. Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until the cocoa powder is mostly dissolved.
  • Place the saucepan over medium low heat and stir frequently, until the mixture is completely smooth and slightly steaming. DO NOT BOIL! Remove from heat.
  • Add in the bittersweet chocolate and the Andes chocolates. Stir constantly until chocolates are melted and mixture is homogenous. Immediately divide the hot chocolate between 2 mugs.
  • Top with whipped cream and more Andes chocolate pieces, if desired. Stir and enjoy with freshly baked Coffee & Mint Chocolate Soft Cookies (recipe above).

Notes

Adapted from Tablespoon.com

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