Crisp, cool, deeply chocolatey homemade Thin Mint cookies with a smooth peppermint chocolate shell that snaps when you bite in. I made these for the first time on a cold January afternoon, right after the Girl Scouts stopped coming around my neighborhood, and honestly, I haven't looked back since. These come together with pantry staples, real cocoa powder, and peppermint extract, and the results are bakery-level good right out of your own kitchen.
If you love the cozy chocolate vibes of my Espresso Chocolate Chip Cake or the rich, fudgy layers in my S'mores Brownie Pie, these cookies are going to feel like home.
Why You'll Fall For These Thin Mint Cookies
- The peppermint chocolate coating is smooth, snappy, and perfectly cool
- They hold up beautifully in the fridge or freezer, making them great for gifting
- The dough uses real unsweetened cocoa powder for a deep, dark chocolate base
- They taste just like the classic, maybe even better, because you control the quality
- Great for the holidays, cookie boxes, or just a quiet Tuesday treat
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Thin Mint Cookies Ingredients
Here's everything that goes into these homemade Thin Mint cookies, broken down so you know exactly what each ingredient is doing.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
For the Cookies
- Unsalted butter , softened: Adds richness and helps the dough bake up tender. Room-temperature butter is important here because it creams evenly with the sugar.
- Granulated sugar : Sweetens the dough and gives the cookies their slightly crisp edges.
- Large egg , room temperature: Binds everything together and adds just enough moisture to hold the dough.
- Pure vanilla extract : Rounds out the chocolate flavor with a warm background note.
- Peppermint extract : This is the star of the cookie dough. Just a little goes a long way, giving every bite that cool, familiar mint flavor.
- All-purpose flour , spooned and leveled: Forms the structure of the cookie and keeps the texture firm and snappy.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder : Gives the cookies their rich, dark chocolate base. You can use natural or dutch-process here.
- Baking powder : Gives the cookies just a little lift so they aren't too dense.
- Salt : Balances the sweetness and sharpens all the other flavors.
For the Chocolate Coating
- Semi-sweet chocolate , coarsely chopped: Use a quality brand here because this is the outer layer everyone sees and tastes first. Good chocolate makes a big difference.
- Canola or vegetable oil : Thins the chocolate slightly so it coats the cookies smoothly and sets with a nice sheen.
- Peppermint extract : Stirred into the melted chocolate after it's smooth. This is what gives the coating that signature cool mint finish.
How to Make Thin Mint Cookies
Rolling, chilling, dipping, you've got this Thin Mint Cookies. Each step is simple and the results are so worth it.
Cream the butter: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium speed for about 1 minute until it's smooth and creamy.
Add sugar and beat: Pour in the granulated sugar and beat on medium-high until the mixture is fluffy and pale in color, about 2 minutes.
Mix in wet ingredients: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract and beat on high speed until fully combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl so nothing gets missed.
Sift and whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together. Whisk in the baking powder and salt until everything is evenly combined.
Bring the dough together: With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix until a dough forms. It will look dark and smell amazing.
Roll and refrigerate: Divide the dough into two equal portions. Roll each one out on parchment paper to about ¼-inch thickness. Stack them (with parchment between the layers) on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Don't skip the chill, it's what makes these cookies hold their shape and snap.
Preheat and prep: When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line 2 to 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Cut the cookies: Pull one dough piece from the fridge. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut circles and transfer them to your prepared baking sheets. Re-roll the scraps and keep cutting until all the dough is used.
Bake: Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges look set. The centers will still seem a little soft, and that's fine. Rotate the pan halfway through for even baking.
Cool completely: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. They need to be fully cool before going into the chocolate.
Melt the chocolate coating: Using a double boiler or microwave, melt the chopped semi-sweet chocolate with the oil. If using the microwave, heat in 15-second increments and stir after each one until smooth. Once melted, stir in the peppermint extract.
Dip and set: Drop each cooled cookie into the melted chocolate and use a fork to lift it out. Tap the fork gently on the bowl edge to shake off the extra chocolate, then set the coated cookie on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with all cookies, then refrigerate until the coating is fully set.
Smart Swaps and Substitutions
- Dutch-process or natural cocoa: Either works in this recipe. Dutch-process gives a slightly deeper, smoother flavor. Natural cocoa adds a touch more bitterness, which some people prefer.
- Dairy-free butter: A good plant-based butter (solid stick kind, not spread) works well if you need to make these dairy-free.
- Dark chocolate coating: Swap the semi-sweet chocolate for a bittersweet or 70% dark chocolate if you like a more intense finish.
- Slice-and-bake version: Roll the dough into two 2 to 3-inch diameter logs, chill for at least 1 hour, and slice each into 16 to 18 rounds. Continue baking as directed. Great option if you want something even easier to prep.
Equipment For Thin Mint Cookies
- Handheld mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment
- Large mixing bowl and medium mixing bowl
- Sifter and whisk
- Rolling pin
- 2-inch round cookie cutter
- Baking sheets (2 to 3)
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Wire cooling rack
- Double boiler or microwave-safe heatproof bowl
- Fork (for dipping)
How to Store Thin Mint Cookies
Room temperature: Store covered at room temp for 2 to 3 days.
Refrigerator: They'll keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container, and honestly they taste better cold.
Freezer: These freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. You can eat them straight from the freezer, no thawing needed. If you want to thaw them, set them in the fridge overnight.
Make-ahead dough: The rolled dough can chill in the fridge for up to 2 days before cutting and baking. You can also freeze the unrolled dough for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then let it sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before rolling.
Ways to Serve Thin Mint Cookies
- Straight from the freezer with a cup of hot coffee or cocoa. The cold cookie against a warm drink is unbeatable.
- Stacked in a cookie tin with wax paper between layers, they make a beautiful gift around the holidays.
- Crumbled over vanilla ice cream for a quick peppermint cookie crumble topping that the whole family will ask for again.
- Alongside my Snickers Cupcakes for a dessert spread that hits every chocolate craving on the table.
Expert Tips
Chill the dough, no shortcuts. Warm dough spreads and loses its shape. The 1-hour chill is mandatory for clean, round Thin Mint Cookies with good texture.
Use quality chocolate for the coating. Since the coating is the first thing people taste, it's worth spending a little more on a good semi-sweet chocolate. The difference is noticeable.
Peppermint extract only, not mint. Mint extract can taste like toothpaste. Peppermint extract gives you that classic cool, clean flavor that pairs so well with chocolate.
Work with one dough piece at a time. Keep the second piece in the fridge while you cut the first. Cold dough cuts cleaner.
Let the chocolate set fully in the fridge before stacking or storing. Rushing this step will leave you with smudged cookies.
FAQ
How do you make homemade Thin Mint cookies?
You start with a Thin Mint Cookies dough made from butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and peppermint extract, roll it thin, chill it, cut it into circles, bake until crisp, and then dip each cookie in melted peppermint chocolate. The chill time is the key step, so plan for at least a couple of hours of hands-off fridge time. My family tip: make the dough the night before so it's ready to roll when you wake up.
Can Thin Mint cookies be frozen?
Yes, and they're honestly at their best frozen. Once the chocolate coating is fully set, store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. You can eat them straight from the freezer, no thawing needed. They have that perfect firm, cold snap that makes them taste just like the Girl Scout version.
What chocolate works best for Thin Mint cookies?
A good-quality semi-sweet chocolate is the classic choice. Look for a bar you'd actually enjoy eating on its own. Chocolate chips can work in a pinch but they don't always melt as smoothly. If you prefer a darker flavor, a bittersweet or 70% dark chocolate gives you a richer, slightly less sweet coating.
Are homemade Thin Mint cookies better chilled?
Most people think so, yes. Chilling firms up the chocolate shell and makes the mint flavor taste brighter and cleaner. Room temperature Thin Mint Cookies are still great, but cold or frozen is the classic experience most people remember. If you've ever eaten them straight from the freezer, you already know.
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Pairing
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Thin Mint Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute until completely smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining.
- Add the granulated sugar and continue beating on medium-high speed for 2 full minutes until the mixture turns pale and noticeably fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, then beat on high speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate medium bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together, then whisk in the baking powder and salt until evenly distributed.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until a uniform dough forms with no streaks of flour.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and place each on a sheet of parchment paper, then roll each piece out to an even ¼-inch thickness.
- Stack the two flattened dough portions on a baking sheet with a layer of parchment between them, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
- Once the dough is fully chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Remove one portion of dough from the refrigerator and use a 2-inch round cutter to cut circles, transferring each one to the prepared baking sheet, then re-roll scraps and continue cutting until all dough is used.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges look set, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through - the centers will appear soft but will firm as they cool.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before moving to the chocolate step.
- Combine the chopped chocolate and oil in a heatproof bowl and melt together using a double boiler, or microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring between each interval, until fully melted and silky smooth.
- Remove the chocolate from the heat and stir in the peppermint extract until evenly combined.
- Working one at a time, submerge each cooled cookie fully in the chocolate coating, then lift it out with a fork and gently tap the fork on the bowl's edge to let the excess drip away.
- Set each dipped cookie on a parchment-lined baking sheet and transfer the whole sheet to the refrigerator until the chocolate coating is completely firm and set.
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