Mint chocolate chip cookies are an easy soft and chewy cookie that is packed full of flavor and delicious to enjoy for the holidays, St. Patrick’s Day or just because you deserve to treat yo’self!
It’s hard to get better than the fresh, minty taste of these mint chocolate chip cookies. And while I was planning on making something a litttlllleeee more New Year’s -ish, I realized exactly what 2021 needed instead.
Something easy. Something delicious. And most importantly, something refreshing that would help us feel like 2021 would be a clean slate.
I suppose only time will tell, but these cookies fit the aspirations I have for 2021 so we’re starting the year off optimistic at least.
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Tips for Perfect Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Tip #1
Mix in the food coloring early. You will have an easier time getting a consistent coloring if you add the green in when you add the peppermint extract.
Tip #2
Peppermint vs Spearmint
These are the main mint flavors bakers use. They both taste great and do the job their supposed to do (making desserts minty fresh). But what’s the difference really?
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
Obviously, they are different plants. Peppermint however has a higher menthol content than Spearmint.
Menthol is what gives mint that fresh, cooling feeling. Too much of it is just…not great to eat.
This recipe calls for peppermint extract so we are only using a half teaspoon. Of course you can add more of less for taste but! If you only have spearmint extract on hand, you may want to consider adding a full teaspoon as it has less menthol and will be less minty than peppermint extract.
If you are buying “Mint Extract” from the store (meaning the bottle is literally labeled “Mint Extract” that is a combination of spearmint and peppermint. I would still choose to do a half teaspoon of extract.
*Just know I haven’t tested that because I normally only buy peppermint extract*
Tip #3
For perfectly soft mint chocolate chip cookies, it is important to add the correct amount of flour.
Adding too much flour will cause your cookies to be harder and won’t spread well. Too little will result in a cookie with less structure, meaning sloppy puddles of sadness.
It is best to measure your flour by weight (1 cup of all-purpose flour is 130g).
I highly HIGHLY recommend having a digital kitchen scale ready to go whenever you bake so that you can get perfect results every time.
Tip #4
On the subject of kitchen scales, if you don’t have a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, you can measure each dough ball by weight instead.
1.5 tablespoon is about 50g. 50g creates the perfect sized cookies
Tip #5
Use a light colored baking sheet. Light colored baking sheets prevent a lot of browning. Your cookies will bake more evenly on a good quality light colored pan than any other pan. (This isn’t just for this cookie recipe, this is alllll cookie bakes).
These cookies in particular though don’t look as pretty when they are overbrowned.
Materials You Might Want for These Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peppermint Extract
If you want to create these cookies exactly how I did, here’s the peppermint extract I used
Light Colored Heavy Duty Aluminum Baking Sheets
Useful for what we discussed up in tip #5. We want those beautiful, evenly baked cookies.
Electric Hand Mixer
Creaming together butter and sugar by hand is a nightmare. Save yourself the trouble and make sure you have an electric hand mixer like this one at the ready. You’ll thank me.
A 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop
I have found that cookie scoops are wayyyy easier to use and produce your beautifully uniform, profesh looking cookies.
A Kitchen Scale
Make sure you measure that flour for ultimate softness and weigh those dough balls for perfectly uniform sized cookies!
Green food coloring
I always recommend using gel food coloring because it results in a more vibrant and consistent color. I use the leaf green from this set (which is the set I use for almost every recipe on this blog)!
Find all the other tools I use to make some cookie magic from our Shop Page.
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Related Cookie Recipes
Blue Velvet Cookies
Earth Day Cake Mix Cookies
Triple Chocolate Cookies
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1½ cup chocolate chips
- green food coloring
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
Instructions
- Cream together your butter and sugars with hand mixer on high until smooth and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add your egg, vanilla, peppermint extract, and green food coloring. Beat until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together your dry ingredients. Whisk these together before adding to your wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough has formed. Fold in your chocolate chips.
- Chill until the dough is workable and not overly sticky. (about 10-30 minutes).
- Remove from fridge and use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop to scoop your dough onto 2 baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats, leaving an inch between each.
- Chill the dough balls for at least another hour and up to 4 days***. When ready to bake preheat oven to 325°F/165°C. If you chilled the dough for longer than an hour, allow the dough to sit on the counter for about 10 minutes.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes. The cookies may not look done, but residual heat will continue to bake these. DO NOT overbake.
- Store any extras in an airtight container and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Final Notes…
Hopefully, 2021 is as sweet and refreshing as these mint chocolate chip cookies. But if it’s not, at least we have plenty of deliciously minty cookies to get us through.
I mean, it’s hard to go wrong with a good chocolate chip stuffed soft and chewy cookie, amirite?
And while you’re here, why not check out some of our other awesome cookie recipes to keep your spirits up, your mood hopeful, and your house smelling amazing?!
Sharing is caring! Do you know someone who needs a good refreshing start to the new year? Share this cookie recipe with them!
See you soon, friends!
xoxo,
Angel