Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies

Mint lovers gather around! There couldn’t possibly be any more mint flavour in these cookies! Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies are prepared with both creme de menthe baking chips and chocolates, as well as mint extract. This just might be the best holiday cookie ever!

Here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen, there are two instances where I refuse to share a recipe. One of those reasons is important and the other is not. First and foremost, the end result has to be liked by me. If I have any doubts about the flavour, it’s not ever going to see the light of day. If I truly believe the recipe has potential, I’ll prepare it again and again and make changes. That was the case with these Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies. I had to make them four times to get them just right!

Just in case you’re wondering, the second instance where a recipe does not get shared – even if I love how it tastes! – is if the photographs are not up to my standards. I’m not a professional photographer by any means, but I know what appeals to me in a picture. And, if I can’t look at the photo and be enticed, the recipe and its photos are moved to a file on my computer called remake or reshoot.

In the case of this cookie, I got the taste right on the third try. The fourth time I made the recipe was just so that I could photograph them one more time. Honestly, I’m still not 100% satisfied with these photos. In fact, I’d probably give them a four or five out of ten. But, the cookies themselves are so wonderfully delicious that I have to share the recipe whether the photos do them justice or not!

I’m going to tell you all about this cookie recipe and how you can make it in your home this holiday season, but first, I want to tell you about what you can expect from Lord Byron’s Kitchen this Christmas. I know we’re getting closer to the big day, so it’s time to get to the cookie recipes! Before I get into this brand-new series, let me make mention of the three previous holiday confection countdowns that I just finished up this year.

Back in October, I kicked off the holiday season with a holiday recipe series called Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Donuts and followed that up with a second series called Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Appetizers. And now, I’m starting out on this new series, which is the sixth annual instalment! I cannot believe that this is the sixth year in a row that I’ve shared Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas! But, before we get to a list of ingredients and instructions for today’s recipe, let me tell you about this series and more!

LORD BYRON’S 24 COOKIES OF CHRISTMAS SERIES

Another holiday series, Lord Byron? Yes – why not!? Welcome, Dear Reader, to the fourth of my annual holiday recipe series for this season! This one is called Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas – Volume 6! I will try to keep the recipes in this series quick and easy, just like in previous years. Even if a recipe looks complex, I promise you that it is not! My goal, as always, is to share recipes with you that are not too complex to whip up as a holiday treat for your family. 

Like every other holiday series I’ve shared over the years, this series will share a new recipe every day for the next 24 days – even on Saturday and Sunday! You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices. Who wants to prepare the same holiday recipes year after year?

SUBSCRIBE NOW SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS OUT ON NEW RECIPES!

So, welcome, Dear Reader, to Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas series! Even though this is the fourth series for this holiday season, you can always look back at previous years if you just cannot wait until the next recipe is published. Also, some of my favourite recipe collections from previous years are my 75 Homemade Gifts from Your Kitchen, my 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes, and my 30 No-Bake Christmas Recipes post.

You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Like in previous holiday recipe countdowns, I like to mix up the recipes in the series so that there is something for everyone. Are you ready!!??

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Cornstarch – When added to cake, cookie and shortbread recipes, cornstarch helps create a crumbly and tender dessert-like texture.
• Salt
• Baking Soda
• Brown Sugar – First of all, it has way more flavour than regular white sugar! And, in this recipe, brown sugar helps to keep the cookie moist and soft.
• Butter – Make sure your butter is at room temperature!
• Sugar – Sugar will caramelize when baked, which will help to brown cookies and cakes.  In cookies, the sugar will help the dough to spread, and will create a crispness to the bottom of the cookie.
• Eggs – Whenever you set out to bake, make sure your eggs are at room temperature too – just like your butter!
• Mint Extract  
• Andes Creme De Menthe Baking Chips
• Andes Mint Chocolates

HOW TO MAKE ANDES MINT CHOCOLATE COOKIES

In a mixing bowl, beat together butter, brown sugar, and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and the mint extract. Measure in the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda.  Beat into the butter mixture until just combined.  Do not over-mix.  Next, beat in half of the mint chips until incorporated.  Cover and refrigerate the dough for 60 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. Portion out 2 tablespoons of the cookie dough and roll it into balls.  Roll the balls into the remaining mint chips and place them onto the prepared baking sheet leaving 3 inches of space between each ball.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are just slightly browned.  In the meantime, unwrap the whole Andes Mints and cut them into triangular shapes. Once the cookies are baked, remove them from the oven and gently push two or three of the triangular-shaped Andes Mint Chocolates into each cookie. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

WHAT ARE ANDES MINTS?

Andes Chocolate Mints are small rectangular candies consisting of one mint-green layer sandwiched between two chocolate layers. They’re usually wrapped in green foil and imprinted with the company’s logo, the word Andes written amidst a drawing of snow-capped peaks. At Christmas time, variations of the packaging are often used.

In 1921, Andrew Kanelos opened a small candy store in Chicago. He called it Andy’s Candies. He quickly realized, however, that his male customers did not like giving boxes of candy to their wives or girlfriends with another man’s name imprinted on the packaging. So, he changed the spelling of the business to Andes Candies. The company has since switched owners and brands a few times, but Andes Mints are still quite popular.

In the United States, Andes Mints are a popular after-dinner mint and are often distributed at restaurants, particularly the Olive Garden. However, the version used at the Olive Garden is a special flavour manufactured exclusively for the restaurant.

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

When it comes to most cookies, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for long periods of time. Cookies will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. You can store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!

If you plan to freeze your Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies, you certainly can! Once the chocolate has hardened, pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight-fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!  

You can freeze these cookies for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out on a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. If packaging, wait until the condensation has evaporated. Whenever I work with anything covered in chocolate, I like to use a glove to prevent getting fingerprints on it as much as possible! Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!

Finally, as I stated previously, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 200 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!