Soft and chewy chocolate cookies filled with creamy mint buttercream and enrobed in dark chocolate!
No matter how crazy or crummy this pandemic year has been, the one constant I’m grateful for is baking. Although I didn’t get to celebrate Thanksgiving with any of my extended family, nor will I be celebrating Christmas with them either, at least I can still enjoy the wonderful flavors this time of year brings! One of which is the refreshingly delicious combo of mint and chocolate!
So to kick off the Christmakwanzakah season right, allow me to introduce you to these scrumptious little gems of mint chocolatey goodness!
Of all the months out of the year, I would definitely say that December is notorious for cookies. Whether it’s attending a holiday cookie exchange, leaving special cookies out for Santa, or binge-watching Christmas movies while also binge-eating cookies, there’s no better time to enjoy cookies than right now. So don’t worry if you’re not the biggest fan of mint because I’ve definitely got other cookie recipes up my sleeve for the coming month!
But back to these exquisite Mint Chocolate Cookies…
With an ultra thick and chewy chocolate cookie base, a deliciously creamy center of mint buttercream, and a shell of rich melted dark chocolate, they are clearly not your average cookie. Aside from how heavenly they look and taste, what’s amazing about these cookies is how quick and easy they are to make! And with how stressful the holiday season tends to be, I think we can all say “Amen!” to that!
The cookie dough actually starts off with a chocolate cake mix, aka, one of my favorite shortcut ingredients. The cake mix is combined with butter, an egg, and cream cheese. The cream cheese not only adds a richness to the cookie, but also creates that irresistibly soft and chewy texture. Cake mix also lends a softness to cookies, but with the addition of the cream cheese, it’s less cakey.
Once the dough is made, it’s scooped onto baking sheets and baked in the oven for about 10-12 minutes. After they come out of the oven, allow them to cool slightly (about 5 minutes) before using the back of a cookie scoop/spoon to create a well into the center of each cookie. Make sure that the well is deep enough to fill with a good amount of buttercream, yet not too deep that it goes through the cookie.
Next up is the mint buttercream! It’s just your standard vanilla American buttercream frosting (butter, powdered sugar, vanilla), but with the addition of a few drops of mint extract and green food coloring. The food coloring is optional if you prefer a more natural-looking mint cookie. I just like the contrast of the green mint with the chocolate!
The buttercream goes into a large piping bag with a large round tip. You could also simply use a large ziplock bag with the corner cut off. Once you’ve piped the frosting into each cookie well, it’s time for the chocolate shell on top! Now, an important tip when it comes to creating a softer bite to the chocolate shell, thus preventing the entire cookie from smashing in on itself when biting into it is to add coconut oil. Vegetable oil works too. Just add a couple teaspoons of either oil to the chocolate chips before heating it in the microwave, and stir until smooth. It works every time, and you always get a nice clean bite!
Instead of dipping the cookies into the melted chocolate, I ladled the chocolate on top with a spoon. This method allows for more control, and you’re also less likely to have the chocolate spilling off the edges of the cookie.
At this point they’re technically ready to eat! However, if you want to wrap them up or serve them later, you can chill them in the freezer for a few minutes to allow the chocolate shell to set. Either way, I have no doubt these cookies will be a hit at ANY of your upcoming gatherings!
Mint Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies:
- ½ cup butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 egg
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
Buttercream:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon mint extract
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 2-3 Drops green food coloring
Chocolate Shell:
- 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- 2 teaspoons coconut or vegetable oil
Instructions
Make the Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy. Add the egg and cake mix, and continue beating until fully incorporated.
- Scoop cookie dough out onto baking sheets, and bake for 10-12 minutes or until they look dry and set on the surface. Allow cookies to cool about 5 minutes before using the back of a cookie scoop/spoon to press a "well" into the center of each cookie. Allow to cool completely.
Make the Buttercream:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt together until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, beating until combined. Add the mint extract, milk, and food coloring, and continue to beat until fluffy.
- Transfer buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off), and pipe buttercream into the "wells" of each cookie.
Make the Chocolate Shell:
- Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and heat in the microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir until smooth. If still lumpy, return to the microwave in 15-second increments until completely smooth.
- Using a small spoon, ladle about 2 teaspoons of the melted chocolate on top of the cookie. Using the back of the spoon, spread the chocolate around until it covers all of the buttercream. Repeat with the remaining cookies.