Mint Chocolate Cookies with Mint Frosting
Wonderful mint chocolate cookies with peppermint extract, rich dark chocolate flavor and a delicious, colorful mint frosting. These easy mint chocolate cookies taste just like a peppermint patty! Top with crushed candies and sprinkles for a fun holiday cookie everyone will love.
Ingredients
- Dry ingredients:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Wet ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- For the mint frosting:
- ¾ cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½-2 cups powdered sugar, depending on how sweet you like your frosting
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk, to make the frosting creamy
- Natural green food dye, to color the frosting
- Natural red food dye, to color the frosting
- For toppings:
- Crushed candy canes
- Chopped Andes mints
- Red & green sprinkles
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
-
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Next, add in the egg, vanilla extract, peppermint extract and beat again until well combined smooth and creamy; about 30 seconds longer.
-
Add in dry ingredients and mix on medium low until just combined.
-
Use a cookie scoop to grab about 1 tablespoonful of dough, then roll dough balls and place on a cookie sheet, leaving at least 2 inches apart from one another.
-
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to set and crackle. Remove and allow cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. This is important to help the cookies set up and harden around the edges. Repeat with remaining dough.
-
Once cookies have completely cooled, they are ready for frosting: in the bowl of an electric mixer, add the softened butter and powdered sugar and beat on high for 1 min. Add in peppermint extract and 1 tablespoons of milk milk and if you’d like: a few drops of green or red natural food coloring (don’t do both or you’ll end up with blue frosting!). Beat slowly at first, then increase speed to medium high. Add more food coloring to reach your desired color of choice! Frosting should be nice and creamy, if you want it extra creamy, add another teaspoon of milk and beat again.
-
Frost cookies and then sprinkle with toppings of choice: crushed candy canes, chopped chocolate or Andes mints or red & green christmas sprinkles! Up to you. Makes approximately 24 cookies.
Recipe Notes
Feel free to use vegan butter if you'd like to keep these dairy free. Use dairy free milk in the frosting as well.
Instead of cocoa powder you can also use cacao powder.
I haven't tested these with a flax egg, but I think it would work just fine!
To freeze the dough: Roll it into individual balls and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes. Once the cookie dough balls firm up, transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, simply bake the mint chocolate cookies as directed. You’ll likely just need to add a few extra minutes of baking time!
To freeze the baked cookies: Wait for them to cool completely, then transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container lined with wax or parchment paper. I like to place them in a single layer to avoid any cookies breaking. Cookies will keep well for up to 2 months. Once ready to eat, simply thaw out at room temperature and enjoy. You can freeze them with or without the frosting.