These Mint Chocolate Cookies have an incredibly rich mint and dark chocolate taste packed into delicious soft and chewy cookies.
For all fans of mint and chocolate, have I got the Mint Chocolate Cookie recipe for you. They are rich, deep, dark and intense (similar to my favorite Brownie Cookies!).
Chocolate Mint Cookie Ingredients
Super basic ingredients are all that’s needed to make fudgy Chocolate Mint Cookies.
- Butter. I’d reach for unsalted butter here, but salted butter is what I used for years in this recipe because that’s all I had on hand. Perfectly suitable substitution. Bring the butter to room temperature to cream it with the sugar.
- Eggs. Large eggs, ideally at room temperature for great results.
- Peppermint extract or Mint Extract. Puts the mint in the mint chocolate chip cookie recipe.
- Cocoa. Natural cocoa is acidic and reacts with baking soda to help your batter rise and get good texture. Dutch process cocoa will not react the same way with baking soda.
- Baking soda and baking powder. These are the raising agents in the cookies.
- Salt. A half teaspoon salt cuts through the intense sweetness of these cookies and enhances the cocoa.
- Dark Chocolate: My favorite is to use chopped dark chocolate bars for that decadent deep chocolate flavor, but you can also use chocolate chips for more classic mint chocolate chip cookies.
Full recipe quantities listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
Variations and Substitutions
- Using mint chocolate chips is a great way to add even more minty flavor (or even as an alternative to peppermint extract). You’ll also love my Chocolate Mint Brownies!
- Make them more festive by mixing crushed candy canes into the cookie dough. You could also sprinkle them on top like on my Candy Cane Cookies. See how I snuck a little extra Christmas in there?
- Here are my best tips on How to Quickly Bring Ingredients to Room Temperature.
Grab These Tools
Here’s what you’ll need to make these cookies.
- Electric mixer or stand mixer: For creaming the butter and sugar together.
- Medium mixing bowl: To combine all your ingredients.
- Baking sheets: Two sheets let you bake in batches.
- Parchment paper: For easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon: For uniform 1-inch balls.
- Wire cooling rack: For proper cooling.
- Round glass: For reshaping cookies into perfect circles after baking.
How To Make Mint Chocolate Cookies
- Cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl using an electric mixer until blended. Your butter should be soft or at room temperature when you do this. You can also use a stand mixer for this.
- Beat in the eggs and peppermint extract.
- Add in your dry ingredients. That means all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips into the flour mixture until everything is combined.
- Scoop tablespoons of dough and roll into 1-inch cookie dough balls. Space them 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350°F until almost done, then bang the pan to flatten the cookies out, and top with some more chocolate.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on the pans.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
5 Common Mistakes When Making Mint Chocolate Cookies
Here are the most frequent mix-ups to avoid when making mint chocolate cookies:
- Too-Soft butter: If your butter isn’t at room temperature, it won’t cream properly with the sugar. The result is dense, flat cookies.
- Too much peppermint extract: A little goes a long way. Start with the amount in the recipe and adjust from there.
- Overmixing the dough: Once you add the flour, mix until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten and makes tough cookies (same for my Chewy Brownies and Moist Chocolate Cake).
- Crowding the baking sheet: Space cookies 2 inches apart. They spread during baking and will merge into one giant cookie otherwise.
- Overbaking: Pull them when they look slightly underdone. They continue cooking on the hot pan and will firm up as they cool.
Make Ahead and Storage
This frozen cookie ball hack can be a lifesaver during the Christmas season when you really want fresh cookies, but you need to prep a bit in advance.
Storing Leftovers
You can keep these cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.
It’s a good idea to let the cookies cool completely before packing them into a container.
This will prevent them from steaming inside the container and becoming too soft.
Freezing
You can store these in the freezer if you need to. You will need to defrost them thoroughly before serving them.
If you need to prepare in advance, you can instead freeze the cookie dough. You can also freeze the fully baked cookie.
You can absolutely freeze this cookie dough.
The best way to do this is by first rolling the little 1-inch balls. After that, chill them in the fridge for an hour.
Once the balls have solidified slightly, pop them into a container like a plastic bag.
The balls can be stored and frozen this way for up to three months or so.
Reheating Mint Chocolate Cookies
When ready to use them, take them out of the freezer and lay them on a lined baking sheet.
Once they have defrosted and come to room temperature, they can be baked according to the recipe.
How to Serve This Mint Chocolate Cookie Recipe
These cookies are not for the faint of heart. They’re rich, deep, dark and intense. Serve with a tall glass of cold milk!
Mint Chocolate Cookie Add-Ins
- Extra chocolate chunks pressed on top before baking
- Crushed candy canes for a festive crunch
- Andes mint chips folded into the dough
- A drizzle of white chocolate after cooling
- Flaky sea salt sprinkled on top
Ways to Enjoy These Cookies
- Package them up as Christmas cookie gifts
- Make mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches
- Crumble over vanilla ice cream
- Serve alongside hot Christmas drinks
- Add to a holiday cookie platter
Final Notes, Pro Tips + Science-Based Secrets
Here’s what I’ve learned from making these cookies many times.
- When you take the cookies out of the oven to add extra chocolate on top, first bang the pan on the counter to deflate them.
- Press in chocolate chunks or chips and return the cookies to the oven.
- You’ll know they are done when the edges are dry and crackly.
- As soon as they come out of the oven, use an overturned glass to re-shape the cookies into perfect circles.
- Here are my best tips on How to Quickly Bring Ingredients to Room Temperature.
FAQs About Mint Chocolate Cookies
Just skimming through? Here are some quick answers to the commonly-asked questions.
Mint and chocolate are a great combo because chocolate’s melting point is cooler than the temperature of your tongue, which is why chocolate can have a cooling sensation. Mint, which is also cooling, enhances that addicting feeling. It’s a well-balanced and classic flavor combination.
Yes, there certainly is. Andes mint chips are a great option, and Hershey’s Chipits has a mint chocolate chip, too, if you’re going all in with the mint. Another option is to chop up dark mint chocolate bars (like in the video below the recipe).
Mint chocolate chip is made with peppermint. Essentially peppermint is a lot stronger than spearmint, with around 40% menthol versus spearmint at a subtle 1%. Spearmint is generally used as an ingredient for a milder flavor and aroma. Peppermint on the other hand, is used when you want to get that powerful hit of mint. Personally, I love the fierce freshness of peppermint.
Yes, you can freeze mint chocolate cookie dough for up to three months. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, chill in the fridge for an hour, then transfer to a freezer bag. When ready to bake, let them come to room temperature first.
Mint chocolate cookies stay fresh for up to one week when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Make sure to let them cool completely before storing to prevent them from getting too soft from trapped steam.
Yes, you can use mint extract instead of peppermint extract. Mint extract has a slightly milder, more herbal flavor compared to peppermint’s intense cool bite. Start with the same amount and adjust to your taste preference.
Your mint chocolate cookies are likely flat because the butter was too warm or melted, or the dough wasn’t chilled before baking. Make sure butter is softened but not melted. Chilling the dough for 30 minutes can also help cookies hold their shape.
Dark chocolate is best for mint chocolate cookies because its intense flavor pairs perfectly with the cooling mint. You can use chopped dark chocolate bars for rustic chunks or dark chocolate chips for convenience. Quality cocoa powder also makes a big difference.
Other Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
While we are on the topic of cookies, here are a couple of other yummy cookie recipes you can try out:
- Toblerone cookies
- Soft-baked pumpkin cookies
- Loaded chewy oatmeal cookies
- Shortbread cookies with chopped chocolates
- Spiced soft molasses cookies with icing
Mint Chocolate Cookies (SO Rich and Fudgy)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp pure peppermint extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup cocoa
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes on medium speed). Beat in eggs and peppermint extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to mixer bowl and beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Form dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake cookies 6 minutes, then remove them from the oven, bang the pan firmly on the counter and press a few more chocolate chips or chunks into the centers. Continue baking until edges begin to firm but center still appears soft, about 3 more minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes then transfer cookies to cooling rack.
Notes
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- Here are my best tips on How to Quickly Bring Ingredients to Room Temperature.
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- When you take the cookies out of the oven to add extra chocolate on top, first bang the pan on the counter to deflate them.
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- Press in chocolate chunks or chips and return the cookies to the oven.
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- You’ll know they are done when the edges are dry and crackly.
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- As soon as they come out of the oven, use an overturned glass to re-shape the cookies into perfect circles (see video).
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- Feel free to substitute the chocolate chips for chocolate chunks or better yet, chopped-up mint chocolate bars (dark chocolate only, milk chocolate will scorch).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My daughter made these for us last Christmas and everyone loved them. I needed a quick recipe this year that I would have all the ingredients on hand so she suggested I try the same recipe…. Not any harder than making a traditional chocolate chip cookie but elevated…5 stars for taste and ease! Now in my regular rotation
Love love love this cookie recipe and have made it every year at christmas for many years. Thanks for a great recipe.
This has been one of my go to cookie recipes for years! I make them as written and always get lots of compliments!
These were so good! The next time, I substituted orange extract for the mint and added craisins. That base is great with anything. Thanks.
These cookies were really delicious, but I suggest adding more peppermint. Maybe 1.5x what is recommended. I also suggest adding 1.5x the amount of chocolate chips as well. Dark chocolate is preferred compared to milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips/chunks. Lastly, I wish these cookies were more chewy. Though yes, the recipe does state that they turn out soft and crumbly, which is what they are.
This worked pretty well for me, I used dark chocolate and peppermint extract. The mint didn’t seem like enough (?) I was using half measurements as I didn’t need as many cookies as the recipe yields, but even after doubling the extract and then dipping the cookies into melted chocolate that also contained the extract it still seemed too subtle somehow. I think it might’ve been because I was using dark chocolate and maybe the bitterness cut the mint somewhat. That being said, they border on tasting like girl guide cookies which is awesome! I made them for my Christmas party and my family loved them. I’m hoping to try this again someday and hopefully finding the right balance with the extract.
Thanks for the recipe. 🙂