Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are buttery and tender mint chocolate cookies. Dipped in melted chocolate and decorated with sprinkles, these cookies are similar to the popular thin mint cookie.
Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are a fantastic addition to your holiday cookie tray. They're easy to make and only require a handful of easy to find ingredients.
Shortbread cookies are tender, buttery, and delicate. They require no leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda, so they don't rise like a traditional cookie.
When dipped in melted chocolate, these cookies resemble the classic thin mint cookie you may enjoy during girl scout cookie season. If you're a fan of thin mints, you'll probably enjoy these cookies too.
Ingredients and substitutions
Dutch cocoa or natural cocoa powder can be used in this recipe since there are no leavening agents involved.
Peppermint extract can be substituted with vanilla extract if you don't care for the peppermint flavor.
You'll also need chocolate melting wafers (I like Ghirardelli or Mercken's) and sprinkles for decorating.
Chocolate melting wafers can be substituted with chocolate chips, but keep in mind that chocolate chips will not harden into a crisp candy coating like melting wafers do.
Tips for baking cookies
Tips for baking cookiesShortbread cookies can be difficult to master if you've never made shortbread before. Here are a few tips to make your shortbread cookies a success!
The most important part about making cookies is the proper measuring of ingredients - especially the flour. To properly measure flour, spoon the flour into your measuring cup, then level off with a knife.
If you scoop your flour from the container with your measuring cup, this compacts the flour into your cup, adding extra flour to your recipe. By spooning the flour into your cup, this ensures better accuracy.
For the most accurate measuring of flour, use a kitchen scale (this is the model I use). One cup of all-purpose flour should equal 4 ¼ ounces or 120 grams.
Your dough needs to be chilled in the refrigerator for a solid 30 minutes (or more) before rolling it out. After rolling and cutting into bars, I also like to refrigerate my cookies again before baking.
A chilled dough will spread less in the oven, which is what we're looking for.
Cookie storage
Your shortbread cookies will keep for 3-5 days in a tightly sealed container.
To help keep cookies fresh for longer, place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. The bread will get stale while the cookies remain soft and fresh! Replace the bread slice as needed.
Mint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup natural cocoa powder
- 8 ounces chocolate melting wafers
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
- In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add peppermint extract and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour and cocoa powder. Add flour mixture, half at a time, to butter mixture and stir until dough forms. Dough will be thick.
- Shape into a disc and wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut dough in half. Place remaining half back in refrigerator. Dust counter top and rolling pin with flour, roll dough to ¼" thickness. Cut off rounded edges, creating a large rectangle. Slice dough into small rectangles, about 1 inch by 2 inches. Place on baking sheet.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until edges are set and middle of cookie is still soft. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing cookies from baking sheet. Remove to cooling rack and allow to cool completely before dipping.
- Place melting wafers in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring until melted.
- Dip each cookie halfway into chocolate and tap to remove excess. Place on wax paper or parchment and immediately add sprinkles before chocolate sets. Allow to set for 1 hour at room temperature, or place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Your cookies will keep for 3-5 days in a sealed container. To help keep cookies fresh, you can place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed.
- You can keep raw cookie dough in the refrigerator for 3 days. Cookie dough and baked cookies freeze well, up to 3 months in a sealed plastic container or freezer bag. Allow frozen cookie dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling out.
These cookies taste as good almost 1 week later as they did on the first day… if not better. We dunked ours in candy cane instead of sprinkles and it was delightful. I think I would probably opt for a small square cookie cutter next time so they all look the same. I am not gifted with a knife 🙂
Candy cane sounds like a great idea! Thank you for the great review Kelley 😊
Love the mint and chocolate together!