Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies
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Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies feature a fudgy brownie cookie base studded with hunks of Andes mints! We love to add these mint chocolate cookies to our holiday baking rotation, but they’re delicious any time of year.
Fudgy Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies
Table of Contents
If you thought Andes Mints could only be enjoyed after eating too many breadsticks at Olive Garden, think again. These beloved green foil wrapped candies are the perfect addition to cookies, creating irresistible melty swirls of mint and chocolate.
We love mint chocolate desserts in our house. We’ve long been obsessed with Mint Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies and Mint Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats, but these Andes Mint Cookies are next level for fans of this flavor combo.
These cookies use the same dough as our Brownie Cookies, which feature deep dark chocolate and an intensely fudgy bite. The bittersweet chocolate is the perfect base for bits of Andes mints, letting the flavor of the candy shine without making them too sweet.
Whether you’re making these for a holiday cookie tray, St. Patrick’s Day celebration, or just because you’ve got a craving for mint chocolate, these cookies are sure to be a hit.
Why You’ll Love Them, Too
- Brownie cookie base that’s dark, fudgy, and chewy
- Lots of melty pockets of mint chocolate
- Make ahead friendly
- Great for holiday cookie exchanges and gatherings
Key Ingredients
- Semi sweet chocolate– I prefer using bar chocolate, chopped or broken into pieces, because it melts easier, but you can use chocolate chips if you prefer.
- Dutch process cocoa– I recommend using Dutch process cocoa for this recipe, but you can substitute natural cocoa powder if you don’t have Dutch process. More on the difference between the two cocoas can be found below!
- Pantry staples, including flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Espresso powder– This is optional, but if you’ve got it on hand, espresso powder is an excellent compliment to chocolate desserts. Try it in our Tiramisu Brownies!
- Butter– I recommend using unsalted butter for baking. If you’re using salted butter, reduce the salt by ¼ teaspoon.
- Sugars– A combination of brown and granulated sugar provides just enough sweetness and a fantastic, fudgy chew.
- Eggs- This cookie is rich with four large eggs.
- Andes mints- You can use the pre-chopped Andes baking pieces, but I like to chop up whole mints so I get a variety of big chunks and smaller slivers.
How to Make Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies
Step 1: Melt the chocolate. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate until smooth. Set aside.
Step 2: Whisk dry ingredients: flour, cooca, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt.
Step 3: Beat butter and sugar together, about 1 minute.
Step 4: Add eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla and then the melted chocolate.
Step 5: Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in Andes mints.
Step 6: Rest, then scoop. Allow the batter to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then scoop onto baking sheets.
Step 7: Bake 8-9 minutes or until cookies are set on the edges but soft and puffy in the center. Press additional mints on top and cool.
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
- Storage– These cookies keep well, stored in an airtight container at room temperature, for about 4 days.
- Freezing: Baked cookies can be frozen, with parchment between the layers, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Make ahead: The batter can be prepared up to 48 hours in advance and stored in the fridge. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before scooping and baking.
Tips for Perfect Drop Cookies
- Use a cookie scoop for ease and uniformity. I am a huge fan of these King Arthur Flour cookie scoops.
- Underbake. If you want chewy cookies that stay nice and soft, pull them from the oven when the centers are still soft and look a bit gooey. Then, allow the cookies to set up on the warm pan before transferring.
- Add extras to the top. When I make any kind of chocolate chip cookie or Oreo cookie, I always save a few extras to place on top. It just makes them look so pretty!
- Try the cookie cutter technique! If your cookies are a bit wonky when they come out of the oven, place an upside down glass, mug, or cookie cutter that’s a bit bigger than your cookie over top of it, then shimmy it in a circle a few times. The cookie will mold to the shape of the glass and give you lovely crinkly edges.
FAQS
Dutch processed cocoa is a neutral (not acidic) cocoa powder, which means it does not react with baking soda. For this reason, it is usually paired with baking powder. Dutched cocoa has a slightly darker, rich, and mellow chocolate flavor.
Natural cocoa powder is acidic and bitter with a very strong chocolate flavor. The reaction of baking soda, natural cocoa, and vinegar is what makes Crazy Cake so fluffy, without the use of eggs.
If you’re in a bind, natural cocoa should work ok for this recipe. However, you can rarely swap Dutch processed for natural cocoa, as most recipes that call for natural cocoa need the acid in order to raise properly.
Yes! I use a standard Tablespoon sized cookie scoop for these, which makes cookies on the smaller side (great for kids, or if you want to enjoy more than 1). You can absolutely use a jumbo scoop if you prefer, just increase the baking time to 11-13 minutes.
More Festive Cookie Recipes to Try
These cookies are perfect for adding to a Christmas cookie box or enjoying any time of year!
- Peppermint Whoopie Pies– Another favorite for mint lovers, these whoopie pies feature soft cake-like chocolate cookies sandwiched around a marshmallow peppermint filling.
- Canestrelli– These Italian Egg Yolk Cookies are tender and buttery and perfect for cutting into any shape you’d like.
- Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Shortbread– My absolute favorite holiday cookie! Buttery shortbread paired with orange zest, cranberry, chocolate, and chopped pistachios.
- Pecan Tassies– This is such a fun, sweet bite to add to holiday cookie boxes.
- Fluffernutter Ritz Cookies– While not exactly a cookie per se, these no bake Ritz sandwiches are an irresistible sweet and salty treat we love to make for the holidays.
Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (chopped)
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups chopped Andes mints (divided)
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or a heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Stir occasionally, until smooth. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until combined, about 1 minute. The sugar will still look granular.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, add the melted chocolate in a steady stream. Scrape down the bowl.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Stir in 1 cup of the Andes mints. Allow the dough to rest, covered with saran wrap, at room temperature for 30 minutes. The dough will be like the consistency of playdough.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Use a standard (Tablespoon) sized scoop to scoop balls of dough onto the prepared pans, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes, or until cookies are set on the edges, but still soft and puffy in the middle. Remove the cookies from the oven, and gently press additional Andes mints into the top. Allow the cookies to set up on the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. If desired, you can swirl the melted Andes mints a bit before they cool.
Notes
- You can buy Andes baking bits (particularly around the holidays) if you want to save yourself the trouble of unwrapping all those candies!
- These cookies keep well, stored in an airtight container at room temperature, for 4-5 days.
- You can freeze the baked cookies wrapped tightly in saran wrap and sealed in a freezer bag or container, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Natural cocoa powder can be used instead of Dutch processed, but I strongly recommend Dutch processed for this recipe. You can learn more about the differences in the post above.
WOW! They look so wonderful and I have to tell you that I think they are much prettier than mine!! Way to go – I wish I could have one right now for an after-lunch snack 🙂
Thanks Sally! That’s funny because I thought the same thing about yours. I think we’re all just more critical of our own photos. I thought those big hunks of chocolate in your photos were to die for!