Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies are like eating the ice cream in the form of a warm, buttery, gooey cookie. They’re crisp on the edges while perfectly tender and chewy in the center. They are SO easy to make, and perfect for Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, or any random Tuesday!
Originally posted February 24, 2015
I totally forgot Truman at home when I was heading out somewhere today. I got halfway to where I was going before I realized I had left him. Here’s the part where I rush home right?
Nah. I figured Truman could use some lessons on independence anyway. I mean, our house is pretty baby proof, right? He can deal.
Just kidding! I’m not a monster! But I really did finish my (very short) errand before heading home. In my defense, Truman was asleep the whole time, so he didn’t miss me. Idle Parent of the Year Award right here guys.
People who know my kids are always going on about how laid back and “easy” they are. They just don’t really demand as much attention as some kids. (I just know I’m going to get major payback come the teen years). I think that if my kids lived thousands of years ago, they would have been eliminated by natural selection by now. I would be out picking berries or something, set my baby down somewhere, and forget about them because they are so quiet.
My sister was saying one time that natural selection is probably the reason toddlers are so adorably cute. After the 15th tantrum in a row, the ugly ones were removed from the evolutionary cycle, or in other words strangled by their frazzled mothers.
The result? Completely non-strangle-able children. With duckfaces to boot.
Mint forever
Do you guys love Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream? True confession here…it’s not my favorite. I LOVE mint, but I hate the teeny tiny pieces of waxy chocolate. Why don’t they make Mint Fudge Swirl Ice Cream? Or how bout just MINT? I would love that.
Anyway, these cookies are perfect for me because I get All The Mint, minus waxy chocolate, plus gooey melty darkness. WIN. The secret for extra chocolate is to chop up half the chips. That way you get big pockets of chocolate with the small pieces adding the flavor throughout the cookie. These would be super fun to make for St. Patrick’s Day!
How to make Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
They are SUPER easy to make. First, cream your butter and sugar together. Take a couple minutes to do this, let the chemistry happen! We’re not just doing this part for fun. You really need to beat for a couple minutes to get enough air beaten into your butter and sugar.
What is the secret to making chewy cookies?
It has a lot to do with the level of moisture in your cookie dough. More wet ingredients=chewier cookies.
That’s why this recipe calls for an extra egg yolk. I know it’s kind of annoying to split an egg, but you won’t be annoyed once you bite into the center of your unbelievably gooey and chewy cookie.
Next add in the peppermint extract (peppermint! Not regular mint! Say no to toothpaste cookies!) and a few drops of green food coloring. Don’t go too wild, you can always add more. And keep in mind that the green flavor will intensify the longer it’s in the dough.
It’s also really important not to over beat your cookie dough. Once all the flour is mostly mixed in, add in your chocolate and mix it the rest of the way. You can see in the photo below that I totally had lots of flour still on the edges when I added in my chocolate. The less beating, the better! Make sure you scrape down the sides, but the minute the flour streaks are gone, stop!
I also really love to chop half of my chocolate chips into itty bitty shards to get chocolate flavor in every single bite. So good!
More mint recipes!
- Mint Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookies << Can’t be bothered to make these individually? Make one big one.
- Thin Mint Mint Cookies << You read that right, use the Girl Scout Cookies for the ultimate cookie
- Fudgy Mint Chocolate Brownies << Maybe you know it as a BYU staple. Either way – legit!
- Oreo Shamrock Shake: Just like McDonald’s…plus Oreo.
- Mint Chocolate Covered Almonds: << these are a quick and easy HEALTHY snack that still satisfies that chocolate mint craving!
- Candy Cane Brownie Trifle
- Candy Lasses << These are some of my favorite cookies of all time!
- Easy Mint Chip Sweet Rolls from Crazy for Crust
- Mint Chip Brownie Ice Cream Squares from Glorious Treats
- Mint Chocolate Chip Fudge from Sally’s Baking Addiction
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Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
about 20 large cookies adjust servingsThese Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies are like eating the ice cream in the form of a warm, buttery, gooey cookie. For those days when curling up by the fire with a cookie sounds better than being outside in the freezing cold with an ice cream cone.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (or more to taste)
- about 10 drops of green food coloring
- 3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 ounces dark chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line one or more baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat on medium for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs + yolk, peppermint extract, and food coloring.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and combine until the flour is not quite incorporated.
- Add half of the chocolate chips to the dough.* Chop the other half coarsely, with a knife or in a food processor.
- Add the chopped chocolate to the dough, and mix until just combined.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for about an hour.**
- Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to form balls of dough and shape them into a long oval shape (not a ball shape, think more egg shape). Place them on the cookie sheet (the tall way) lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. These are very large cookies, I only did 8 cookies per pan.
- Bake at 350 for about 8-10 minutes, or until BARELY starting to brown on the edges. The centers should mostly be not-shiny when you take them out, but a little shine is okay.
- Let cool 5 minutes on the pan, then remove to a cooling rack.
by The Food Charlatan
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Can I make these ahead of time for Christmas and freeze.Thank you
Absolutely Jeanne! You can do it now and they will still be good at Christmas. But I would recommend, for an even fresher taste, making the dough, shaping into balls, and freezing in ziplocks. Then bake when you want them later. Either way will work great! Enjoy!
Thanks for a delicious recipe! My 8 year old daughter and I made this today. We followed the recipe as written except we used only 1 cup of sugar (it was plenty sweet enough for us), 6 drops of food coloring for a lighter green shade, and 1/4 tsp of food grade peppermint essential oil instead of 1 tsp extract.
It sounds delicious Alice! Good idea using the essential oils, I bet it was great. Thank you for commenting!
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
I’m back with my parents for quarantine and have been making these cookies like once a week (some clear stress-baking LOL). This is an AMAZING recipe!! I made them with the tartar and without and didn’t notice much of a difference, but I’m no professional, so what do I know? Haha! Thank you for the great cookie idea! Will definitely take this recipe back for my college roommates.
So glad you are enjoying the recipe Hannah! Mint cookies ftw! Hope you and the rents are staying safe during quarantine!
Will this recipe work with mint extract instead of peppermint extract? How much of a difference will there be in taste? Thanks in advance!
Hi Sandy! I haven’t tried it with mint. It might taste a little more toothpaste-y. Definitely start with a small amount and taste the dough!
My son loves anything Mint Chocolate. I will have to make these for him. He will totally be so excited.
I hope he loves them! Enjoy!
I want to make a cookie pie/pizza using this recipe what should I do differently or how do I alter the directions? Please advise soon as possible. Thank you
Hi Connie! Here is the skillet cookie version of this recipe: https://thefoodcharlatan.com/mint-chocolate-chip-skillet-cookie-recipe/ Enjoy!
Hi Food Charlatan – Thank you for all of your delicious recipes. You have a great talent. My printer is now stacked with many of your recipes, which I need to pick up before my husband gets to the printer!!
I love these cookies! My then 11 year old daughter first found this recipe and made them when she was home during winter break. I brought them to work and everyone devoured them, I’m about to make them again for the Christmas bake sale next weekend at church, I’m salivating looking at the photos.
As for the reviewer comment stating food coloring is really bad. They are all regulated by FDA for food grade and go through a lot of testing to confirm it’s safe for human consumption. FDA would pull it from the market, if there was compelling evidence of coloring causing harm to people.
Hi Maryellen, I’m so glad you and your daughter are enjoying the cookies! They are a Christmas classic! And I’m glad you are finding other recipes to enjoy too, that is awesome. Let me know what else you try! Thank you so much for commenting!
These are excellent cookies. The batter freezes well too.
Great tip Debb! I love freezing cookie dough too. Then you always have some on hand! Thanks for the comment :)
Food colouring is really bad for you – especially for kids.
All things in moderation I say! :)
I’ve made these 3 times. Everyone loved them in my Christmas goodie bags, so I made them again for Christmas dinner with my Grandma and they were gone by the end of the night. The 3rd time, I was impatient and didn’t want to wait for the butter to thaw, so I used butter shortening. TERRIBLE IDEA! The dough turned out awful, super crumbly. I had to fix it by adding an egg and some water and now they just fall apart. These are amazing cookies when you follow the directions haha.
Ahh so sad Jessica! I’m glad you chimed in, now I will know that you can’t use that as a substitute! Thanks for commenting, better luck next time!
Curious if I’m using pure peppermint oil (Young Living), do you know how much? Would you think it would be less? Thanks!
Hey Allison! I’ve never tried this with peppermint oil, so you will have to do some experimenting!
Hi! thank you for all your very nice receipes you share with us. I’m making the Mint Chocolate chips cookies and I want to know if I can make them in a different size. Yhank’s again
Hi Alonso! Thank you for reading the blog! :) Absolutely, you can make these cookies any size you want, just lower the baking time and keep an eye on them. They are done when the shine on top is nearly gone.
Hi, May I use regular chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate chips? Or is very important the dark chocolate-mint combination?
Thank’s
Hey Alonso, any kind of chocolate will work great!
what if i dont use cream of tartar. will that affect it? whats an alternative?
Hey Steve! Cream of Tartar helps activate the baking soda, I haven’t tried making them without it. They also add a bit of tart flavor that I love in these cookies. Let me know how it goes if you make it without!
I love mint also. If you can get Mayfield ice cream, try the Peppermint Stick ice cream. It is seasonal (around Christmas) and is a flavor from my childhood many, many years ago. I have tried every other peppermint ice cream that I have seen. but none are as good as the Mayfield.
Ooh okay I will check it out Ann! Thanks for the recommendation!
Purdy’s mint meltie ice cream. Lordy. It will change your life 👌
This recipe looks delicious! I grew up with my mom making these: http://www.molliekatzen.com/recipes/recipe.php?id=1057 if you’re looking for something new. Thanks for posting !
Okay I looked up Purdy’s, I need this in my life!! Where do you get the ice cream?? Even searching online it was hard to find! And thank you for the recipe, I will have to try it out!
When I took my first taste, I thought I wasn’t crazy about these cookies. Once I set aside my preconceived idea of what a chocolate chip cookie “should” taste like, I became crazy about the minty addition to the standard. A whole new concept! These will be made again, and again!
Hey Pat, I’m so glad you came around to the minty side!! I’m obsessed with it! I’m so glad you tried them out. Thanks for letting me know! I love hearing conversion stories like this ;)
This is my go-to cookie recipe! I make it with Earth Balance non-dairy butter alternative and Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips (not labeled specifically as non-dairy but do not list milk as an ingredient) but keep everything else exactly as the recipe says. I teach a cooking class at school and I’ve had many groups of students make these as well–everyone always has the same reaction at first, so don’t be afraid! The initial feeling is that the dough smells like toothpaste but I PROMISE the finished product taste incredible! You are smelling the mint but the chocolate isn’t melted yet so you can’t smell it! These cookies are irresistible, even for people who claim to ‘not love mint’.
Oh that’s awesome to know you can make these with Earth balance Crystal!! Also how fun that you get to teach a cooking class?? I would love that. I’m so glad the recipe has been a success for you! Thanks so much for the detailed comment and review!! So helpful for me as a blogger :)
I made this for a church event and switched to gluten-free flour because we have celiac, and they were a hit! Would definitely make them again.
That’s awesome Heather! Thanks for the comment! Good to know these can be made with gluten free flour. I’m glad you guys liked them!
My sister asked me to try making these cookies for Thanksgiving. I made them and they were an instant hit with everyone! I have since made for them for friends and they have become one of our favorite cookies. I have found that I like to use 1 1/2 teaspoons of peppermint extract and I add 12-14 drops of food coloring to make them a little more green. I have also followed this recipe substituting the peppermint extract for 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and using 3/4 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cup white sugar and omit the green food coloring to make a delicious chocolate chip cookie.
Great tips Robbie!! Thanks so much for sharing! Good idea with the green food coloring. I always say more is more :)
Hi Excited to make these but do not have mint chips have semi choc chips and bought those Ande mints could I chop them up and use those ? I love all the recipes you post Thank You :)
These are SO good! The dough was a little more crumbly than regular cookie dough, but they baked up wonderfully! I subbed the butter for butter Crisco. And I didn’t divide and cut up the chocolate chips. I just through them all in whole. It’s a keeper!!
Hey Jolene! I’m so glad you loved the recipe! Butter flavored crisco is a good sub for butter. Thanks for the review!! Have a great day!!
amazing cookies didnt last in my house and getting requests for when im making more
Does it matter if I use margerine instead of real butter?
Hey Katrina! Yes it will change it a bit but it should still work. I’ve never tried it though so can’t give you exact results.
I used Butter flavored Crisco and they were awesome!
Oh my goodness! These were wonderful. I substituted mini chocolate chips for regular ones. I packaged them with a Christmas tag saying: Merry MINTY Christmas. Thanks for the recipe
Okay that is just too cute!!! I will have to do that next time!
I just made a batch of the mint Choc. chip- OMG!!!! I made them smaller than you suggested and they came out just fine. Thank you- this will be added to my annual Christmas cookie list!
That’s awesome Angie!! so glad you liked them! Yes any size works as long as you change the bake time! I should just change the recipe notes to say, people ask me all the time. Thanks for the feedback!!!
I made these cookies yesterday and they turned out fabulous. I did the normal 12 on a tray and baked them for 7 minutes. They were perfection. I may have also doubled the peppermint… The fact that there are only two cookies left is a sign that this recipe is awesome and possibly an indication of our lack of self control. :) Thank you so much for sharing this recipe Karen!
So happy to hear that Makayla! I just made these cookies again yesterday…with crushed Thin Mints instead of chocolate chips. Sharing soon! Can’t wait!
Hello! Do you happen to remember how many they made with doing 12 on a tray? Making for a cookie exchange. Thank you!
Just made these and they turned out really well. The cookies never did flatten out but there were no complaints on the taste or texture.
These are ok. I followed the recipe exactly, and the cookies never flattened, even after cooling. They took much longer to bake than the 8-10 mins (and our oven is good), and were a little dry, more of a cake texture. I triple checked my ingredients and they were all correct.
Hey Nicole! I’m sorry they didn’t work out for you. I’m wondering if you added a bit much flour? Did you spoon and level? As you can see from all the other reviews, these cookies are very moist! Better luck next time!
It’s possible, we measured 3.25 cups exactly but it was a very old and plastic cup. Wouldn’t surprise me if it was off!! I’ll have to try them again and revise my opinion as necessary!
I made these cookies. They are wonderful. I did make small ones and they are soft and taste perfect!
Good to know they can be made smaller Brenda! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
How long do you bake them if you make them smaller. I would like them smaller.
Just made these yesterday, and, got thumbs up all the way. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
Thanks Carol! I’m so glad you liked them, and thanks for coming back to comment!
Have you tired using creme de menthe instead of the food coloring and Mint?
Hey Corrine! No, I haven’t tried that! Let me know how it goes if you try it!
These look woderful. I have a grandson that loves mint like do. I forgot my newborn at home. I had everything packed in the car. Drove a couple of blocks and realized I left the kid. He’s 40 now.
Haha! Your comment made me laugh Cindy! I’m glad your son lived to tell the tale. I know mine sure did :) Stuff happens, parents make mistakes. If we didn’t forgive ourselves, we would never make it!! I hope you and your grandson enjoy the cookies!
I’m glad i’m not the only spacey mom. yes, I left my son at home on our way to church. we have 6 kids and he just never made it out of bed. he is 24. i’ve printed this out and am going to make it in the next couple of days! so excited!!!
Ha! Spacey moms unite! Don’t people remember that they made a whole movie about this, it’s called Home Alone and it’s hilarious :) I’m glad your son’s made it to 24! LOL! I hope you love the cookies Christine, thanks for the comment! You made me smile :)
Great cookies! Perfect balance of chocolate and mint. I would recommend adding more food colouring if you want them to look like the picture (if you’re using the cheap stuff like me). I used baking powder in place of baking soda and cream of tartar (didn’t have it on hand) and they turned out fine. Thanks for the recipe!!
Great tips Nisa! Thanks so much for coming back to share your comment!
Can you use Blue Bonnet instead of real butter?
hey Sarita! I’ve never tried it, and I’m not confident they would turn out the same. Let me know if you try it!
We’re not fans of dark chocolate. Can I use semi sweet chips in this recipe?
Absolutely Dawn! It will taste great. Enjoy!
I cannot wait t try these cookies. I definitely would have left my shopping cart behind & gone home to get my child. I would hate to think about my young ones awakening & finding me gone, becoming scared. Or, Heaven forbid there was a house fire.
I made these cookies today and they turned out great. Thanks for the recipe!
Hooray! Glad you like them tara. I’ve been craving them lately!
Try Tillamook’s Mint Chocolate Chip before you completely write it off. Big chunks of quality chocolate. Hands down the best! :)
Tillamook’s has the BEST ice cream!!! If I ever find a mint chip ice cream I like I’m sure it will be theirs!!
HI!
I have never made any cookie before and I replicated your recipe. First off the flavor was sooooo good!! But my cookies came out like little cakes very airy. What did I do wrong? If you could please reply I would appreciate it! Thanks
That usually means too much flour. Flour to sugar ratio off. Hope that helps! :)
Sharina, I’m so sorry, I don’t know how I missed your comment back in May! Tiffanie above is correct, my guess would be too much flour. Make sure you are measuring your flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cups so that it doesn’t get packed. Hope this helps for next time!
These cookies look amazing! Any idea how much xanthan gum to use if it is not included in the gluten free flour blend? I would to try these tonight! Thanks
Hi there! I’m sorry, I don’t bake with gluten free flours very often so I’m not the person to ask! How about the Google Fairy? :) My good friend Sarah over at Snixy Kitchen bakes gluten free–you might poke around some of her baked goods recipes to see what the xanthan to flour ratio is.
I am not one to post, but these are BEYOND worthy!!! I have never tried crack, but can imagine these are as addicting!! There was no way I could just stop at 1!! I will admit I was curious when I saw no brown sugar and cream of tarter. I am so glad to have found you, and these, although my bum is not. These might just be my all time world favorite cookie!!! Thanks. Sincerely, your newest fan!!
Awesome Abbie! I’m so glad you love them! My condolences to your behind.
I came across this recipe on Pinterest and I just made them for St.Patricks day! They are sooooo amazing and tasty! One of my new favourites that I will be adding to my recipes. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Sarah! Thanks for coming back to comment!
mmm I love mint chocolate chip ice cream and these cookies look like perfection. I wish I could bite into one right now!!
I wish my kids would be quiet enough that I would forget them. Quiet sounds really nice…
These are gorgeous. I’m not the hugest mint chip fan when it comes to ice cream either, but in a cookie like this, heck yeah!
I know, I know, I’m one of those annoying moms complaining about how perfect my children are. Try not to hate me too much. At least your children will probably survive Mir! :) :)
Don’t feel bad about leaving Truman behind to finish his nap!! Seriously, it probably would’ve been worse had you woken him up. Although now I’m going to have nightmares about leaving my far-off-in-the-future toddlers at home and forgetting to baby-proof everything and coming home to utter destruction. Or at least a completely empty jar of peanut butter. (I still laugh thinking about your “Skippy seat” picture on Instagram!) ;) Pinned!
I love mint chocolate things. And those melty chocolate chips!!! Definitely saving this recipe.
This is so going to be me when I have kids. I am so easily side tracked. One minute I’ll be thinking, Go get junior, and the next minute I’ll be thinking about needing butter and out the door I go (sans child). Meh, no worries. He was asleep. It’s not like he’s going to remember, but it’s sure going to make one heck of a good story later. Love these cookies. Pinned.
Haha. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to look back and see if my baby was in the car. She’s so quiet and half the time I think I’ve forgotten her. In your defense, the crib is probably the safest place to be. That’s totally something that I would accidentally do.
Ha! What a great story! You should write it down so you remember it when your son is older.
OK, I have to admit I totally came over here after seeing your facebook post about this recipe and the email you received… after rolling my eyes and then laughing out loud of course :) Too funny. Anyways, I love the story and that little duck face photo. Too cute for words! I love mint chocolate chip, mostly because I will love anything with chocolate in it. These cookies look incredible and so melty!
Karen, I’m glad you found my Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies! We obviously share a love for mint chocolate chip. I wish my children were quiet like yours, how nice would that be!
Oh my goodness, you’re welcome to my place at any time. That is, if we can bake these together!
Karen, well, hopefully now you won’t forget him. . ever!!! :) love these cookies. . I’m not a huge fan of mint (like you) but my kids LOVE the stuff!!!
These cookies look a-mazing! Funny story and delicious pics too!
Pretty sure I NEED these in my life! Printed and will be making them for my sweetie!
oh my goodness, these cookies…LOVE that melty chocoalte
I had nightmares about doing that (still do!!) If he was asleep and didn’t realize you were gone, no worries. He won’t even remember, and you’ll have a funny story to tell! Also? These cookies rock.
haha your stories! They always crack me up. And that is definitely one awesome duckface! :) These cookies sound awesomeeee.
Love the dark chocolate mint combo!
You are hilarious, Karen! And these cookies look delicious. So perfect for St Patrick’s Day!
Gosh Karen. You always make me laugh. Thank you for that. And thank you for cookies. You are my hero!!