Double Chocolate Mint Cookies

If you celebrate Christmas, you might partake in the tradition of leaving cookies for Santa when he drops off everyone's gifts. He deserves a treat for all that hard work he does in a single night, you know?

So if you're still looking for a cookie to fill his belly, maybe you should make it these Double Chocolate Mint Cookies!

Ingredients for mint chocolate cookies

• All-purpose flour
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Espresso powder (this enhances the chocolate flavor!)
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Egg
• Pure vanilla extract
• Dark chocolate chips, chocolate chunks or chopped chocolate
• Andes Creme de Menthe Chocolate Mint Baking Chips, or chopped Andes mints

Can I use a different kind of chocolate chips?

I don't recommend it. The Andes mints and sugar in the cookie already provide enough sweetness, and dark or bittersweet chocolate add the right level of indulgent flavor without an overpowering sweetness.

Semi-sweet and milk chocolate make the cookies too sweet for my tastes – but if you're into that sort of thing, go for it! I'm not gonna stop you.

How to make double chocolate mint cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with nonstick silicone mats or parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl with a hand or stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat again until well combined.
4. A little at a time, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until well combined.
5. Set aside 1-2 tablespoons chopped Andes for topping the cookies, fold in chocolate chunks/chips and Andes baking chips.
6. Use a small cookie scoop to drop cookies onto prepared baking sheets. If desired, you can also roll the dough into balls – they will spread more and be more uniform this way. Gently press a few more Andes pieces to the top of each cookie for presentation's sake.
7. Bake for 8 minutes or until the tops have just set. Let cool on pan for a couple minutes, then move to wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

What if I don't have Andes mint baking chips?

Just roughly chop some full-sized Andes mints! I find that around 14 of them is the right amount to get you 1/2 cup for the dough, save a tablespoon or two for topping each cookie for a prettier presentation.

You could even place one on top of the cookie right after they get out of the oven, let it sit for a minute, and then spread it around for a super-simple icing. I highly recommend it.

No mint extract needed

They're not so chocolatey that you feel like you have to sacrifice part of your dinner just to have one. They're also not so minty you feel like you just ate a tube of toothpaste – it's just a refreshing mint flavor that pairs perfectly with the dark chocolate.

You'll notice I didn't add any mint extract to the batter – the Andes Creme de Menthe Chocolate Mint Baking Chips provide exactly the right amount of mint.

To roll or not roll the dough

I prefer taking the extra couple minutes to roll the dough after I've portioned it out because it results in more uniform cookies with the crinkly tops I love so much.

You can see in the photos above what the dough looks like when it's just portioned out with a cookie scoop vs. rolled between the palms of your hands. And in the photos below, you'll see the results after each of them are baked.

They're both delicious, it's really just a matter of personal preference!

How to store these cookies

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes! You can prep the dough up to 3 days ahead of time and keep it stored covered in the fridge until you're ready to bake.

Let the dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, then portion and bake as indicated in the recipe card.

Can I freeze mint chocolate cookies?

You can!

To freeze the dough: prepare the dough, portioning it out into balls and then placing them on a baking sheet in the freezer for 1 hour. Then transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container to store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To bake from frozen, add a few minutes to the bake time. Alternatively, you can let the cookie dough come to room temperature, and then bake according to the recipe instructions.

To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container between layers of parchment paper for up to 3 months.