Copycat Thin Mints

The time of year when Girl Scout cookies come out is looked forward to by so many people each year. In case you missed it, then this recipe is for you! (If you haven't missed it then you should totally support them and buy some cookies :) ). Then you can make these at any time of year for a little bit of that delicious mint and chocolate flavor. 

I was a Girl Scout growing up for a few years then I worked for them for a few years as a career. Even I looked forward to cookie time, even though the chocolate covered toffee almonds are pretty rockin too. I should try to copycat those! My personal favorite is the Tagalong which you can find a copycat recipe for here. My husband is a huge Thin Mint fan though and so I made these for him. I will say they are really good when they are kept in the refrigerator and eaten cold. He also said that the texture was even closer the next day because it wasn't as soft. You could probably roll them even thinner but then you would just need to watch them closer in the oven because they wouldn't bake as long. Happy Baking!

Copycat Thin Mints
Makes about 50 - 1 ¾” cookies

Ingredients:
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter (6 ounces), room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
- 1 teaspoon mint extract

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven 350F. Cream the butter and powdered sugar for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the vanilla, cocoa powder, and salt, then mix until completely blended and thick.
3. Add the flour and mix until just blended, then shape the dough into a ball and flatten to about ½” thick, wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
4. Cut the dough in half and roll out each half to ⅛” thick (I rolled it between plastic wrap to prevent sticking to the rolling pin or the board).
5. Cut out the cookies using a 1 ¾” round cookie cutter, then place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.
6. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, then cool completely.
7. When ready to dip the cookies, melt the chocolate and shortening in a double boiler over low heat until the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the mint extract. (I used a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water).
8. Dip the cookies individually in the chocolate, letting the excess chocolate drip off, then place them on clean parchment paper or a clean Silpat. Refrigerate the dipped cookies until the chocolate is set. (I left the cookies in the refrigerator because I really liked them cold).

Printable recipe

Recipe adapted from Braised Anatomy

This recipe may be linked up to:

· Inside BruCrew Life - Trick or Treat Tuesday's

· Pint Sized Baker - Marvelous Mondays 
· The Mandatory Mooch - Tasty Thursdays 
· Real Housemoms - Fabulous Fridays!
· Kitchen Meets Girl - What's In Your Kitchen Wednesday
· Alli 'n Sons - Sweet Tooth Friday 
· DJ's Sugar Shack - Whatcha Whipped Up?
· Mom's Test Kitchen - Mom's Test Meal Mondays
· The Real Housewives of Riverton - Riverton Housewives Round Up

· Mandy's Recipe Box - Totally Tasty Tuesday's

· A Pinch of Joy - Busy Monday Link Party 

· House of Hepworth's - Hookin up with HoH 

· Couponing & Cooking - Mealtime Monday 

· What's Cooking, Love? - Showcase Your Talent Thursday 

· Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo - Anything Goes Linky
· Chef in training - Tuesday Talent Show

· Dwell on Joy - Dwell on Friday 

· Six Sister's Stuff - Strut Your Stuff Saturday

· A Slice of Southern - Southern Sundays