Andes Mint Cookies
Take your chocolate cookies up a notch with an easy mint chocolate icing spread all over the top. These Andes mint cookies are incredibly easy to make and perfect for mint chocolate lovers!
Soft, chewy, and full of mint chocolate flavor, these Andes mint cookies are such a fun treat for St. Patrick’s Day!
They start out with an easy chocolate cookie dough that’s chilled, then scooped, and baked. As soon as they come out of the oven, an Andes mint is placed on top to melt, then spread over the warm cookies.
The end result is a delicious and impressive treat that’s incredibly easy to throw together. If you love mint chocolate as much as I do, you won’t regret making a batch of these cookies!
Ingredient Notes
The base of these cookies is actually adapted from my double chocolate chip cookies, but scaled up and adjusted to make them thicker. Let’s quickly review a few important ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour: Make sure that you are spooning your flour into the measuring cup, not scooping it from the container. Too much flour can lead to thick, cakey cookies. If you’re not familiar with the spoon and level method, I have a full post on how to measure flour correctly.
- Cocoa Powder: Because this recipe uses a combination of baking soda and baking powder, I recommend using unsweetened natural cocoa powder. Dutch process cocoa powder is not acidic and won’t react properly with the baking soda. I explain more in my blog post on natural vs. Dutch process cocoa powder.
- Butter: I always use unsalted butter because it allows you to control the amount of salt in your baked goods. If you only have salted butter on hand, just omit the salt called for in the recipe.
- Egg & Egg Yolk: You will be using one whole egg and one egg yolk. You can save the extra egg white for later or use it in my candied pecans or candied almonds.
- Andes Mint: The most important part! You will need to unwrap about 26 Andes mints to have enough to place on top of the cookies.
How To Make Andes Mint Cookies
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: Add the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
- Mix together the wet ingredients: Use a stand mixer or handheld mixer to beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together (this will take about 1 to 2 minutes). Then, mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet: Make sure to mix in the dry ingredients until just combined, you don’t want to over mix the cookie dough.
- Chill the cookie dough: Cover the cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. This will ensure that the butter has time to firm back up and prevent your cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Scoop the cookie dough & bake: Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough and drop it onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are set.
- Add the Andes mints & cool: Remove from the oven and gently place an Andes mint on top of each cookie. Allow the mints to sit on top and melt for about 5 minutes, then use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently spread it all over the top of the cookies.
How To Store & Freeze Your Cookies
Storage Instructions: Cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. If you want to make the cookie dough ahead of time, prepare the cookie dough as directed, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to three days.
Freezing Instructions: The baked and cooled cookies will also freeze well for up to 3 months. I recommend storing them in a large freezer bag with layers of parchment paper between the cookies. When you’re ready to enjoy, just place them on the counter and let them come to room temperature.
To freeze the cookie dough: The cookie dough may also be frozen for up to 3 months. Scoop it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze the balls of cookie dough for 1 to 2 hours or until firm, then store in a freezer bag. Thaw the cookie dough overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.
Baking Tips
- I highly recommend sifting your cocoa powder. This will ensure that no lumps end up in your cookies.
- Make sure that your butter is softened properly. You want your butter to be at a cool room temperature, in other words, it’s cool to the touch but your finger should leave an indent if you press into it.
- Room temperature eggs will mix more evenly into the cookie dough. If you forget to sit them out ahead of time, just place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes.
Andes Mint Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled (250 grams)
- ½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder sifted (45 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened (170 grams; 1 ½ sticks)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar (200 grams)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (70 grams)
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 26 Andes mints unwrapped
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a handheld mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined. Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Cover the cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two to three large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough and drop it onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are set.
- Remove from the oven and gently place one Andes mint on top of each cookie. After 5 minutes, use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently spread the melted Andes mint all over the top of each cookie.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for another 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Good morning,
Can I use peppermint extract instead of mint candies?
Thank you
Hi, Ellen! You can add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the cookie dough. If you still want to add a topping, you could also melt some chocolate chips with some shortening and a little peppermint extract.
Thank you! I love trying out your recipes on my nephew who is a firefighter. I make your desserts for three different fire stations and they’ve loved everyone.
Thank you, Ellen! So happy to hear that!
I just want to ask what other mint’s I can use for the recipe as I can’t get any Andes mint’s not even on Amazon. Thanking you for your wonderful recipes.
You could probably press a York peppermint patty on top, but I’m not sure that it would soften enough to spread on top of the cookies. You could also melt some chocolate chips with some shortening and a little peppermint extract and spread that on top.