Frosted Andes Chocolate Mint Cookies
Soft chocolate cookies made with Andes mints, refreshing mint buttercream, and chocolate ganache. Indulge in these deliciously decadent Frosted Andes Chocolate Mint Cookies!
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Frosted Andes Chocolate Mint Cookies are a dream for mint chocolate lovers! They start with soft, chewy chocolate cookies studded with chopped Andes mints, perfectly balanced with a cool and creamy mint frosting. A layer of silky chocolate ganache adds richness, with crushed Andes mints on top to add the perfect crunch and extra minty flavor.
These cookies are just the right mix of indulgent and refreshing—perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, the Christmas season, or just anytime you’re craving a chocolate-mint treat!
How to Make Andes Chocolate Mint Cookies
Making The Chocolate Cookie Dough
Butter, sugar, and brown sugar are combined using an electric mixer. Eggs and vanilla are mixed in, followed by the dry ingredients including cornstarch which helps keep these cookies soft and chewy. Lastly, chopped andes mints are folded into the dough.
Portioning & Baking the Cookies
The chocolate cookie dough is portioned using a 3 Tablespoon (#24) sized scoop, onto parchment lined baking pans. The cookies bake in an oven that has been preheated to 350°F, for about 8-9 minutes or just until the tops of the cookies are no longer glossy. The cookies need to cool completely before adding frosting.
Preparing The Mint Frosting
To make the mint buttercream frosting, butter is creamed with an electric mixer until smooth. Then powdered sugar, vanilla and mint flavorings, green gel food color, salt, and heavy cream are added. This gets mixed on low speed until all the ingredients are well combined. Then the speed is increased to medium-high for a couple of minutes until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Making The Chocolate Ganache
Chocolate chips and heavy cream are heated in the microwave, in 20-second increments, until fully melted. Be sure not to overheat the chocolate by stirring the mixture well after each increment in the microwave. Allow the ganache to cool for a few minutes before adding to the cookies, so it doesn’t melt the frosting.
Topping The Cookies
Add a generous dollop of mint frosting to the cooled cookies and spread to the edges, leaving just a small rim of cookie showing. Then add a dollop of the ganache on top of the frosting, and spread out leaving just a small rim of the frosting showing. Finish the cookies by sprinkling more of the chopped Andes mints on top!
Frosted Chocolate Mint Cookies FAQs
Can I use peppermint extract instead of mint?
Peppermint extract can be used in place of the mint extract but it will give the frosting a slightly different flavor. Mint has more of a sweet, spearmint flavor while peppermint is a bit stronger and has that classic peppermint candy cane flavor. I tested this recipe with both varieties and while both extracts were good, I ultimately thought the mint complemented these cookies best. Peppermint extract would work in a pinch though!
Does the cookie dough need to chill?
Nope! Unlike some of my other cookie recipes, this dough doesn’t require chilling, making them quick and easy to whip up.
Favorite Tools & Baking Supplies
What is the best way to store the cookies?
The cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Do the cookies freeze well?
These cookies freeze great! To freeze the unfrosted cookies, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze them for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Once they’re firm, layer the cookies in an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw the cookies, remove them from the freezer and allow them to sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours or overnight before topping with frosting and ganache.
Can the finished cookies be frozen?
You can also freeze the Andes chocolate mint cookies after the frosting and toppings are added. Arrange the cookies in single layers in an airtight container. Use parchment paper to separate each layer to keep the cookies from sticking together. When ready to enjoy, allow the cookies to thaw at room temperature for several hours.
Baking Tip: Weigh Your Ingredients!
I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients rather than using measuring cups because it is the most accurate way to bake. Weighing your ingredients will give you more consistent results with your recipes and a better success rate, every time. Using a scale also saves you dishes which means easier cleanup! I provide gram measurements in all my recipes and this is the scale I love to use.
Tips For Perfect Chocolate Mint Cookies
- Start with a small amount of food coloring. A little goes a long way with gel food coloring so I like to start with a tiny drop and then add more if needed. You can always add more, but can’t remove it if the color gets too dark!
- Don’t overbake the cookies. These chocolate cookies are meant to be chewy and slightly fudgy, but overbaking will dry them out. The sweet spot in my oven is about 8-9 minutes, and you should be able to tell that they’re done when most of the glossiness on the tops of cookies is gone.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely. Before adding the mint frosting to the tops of the cookies, they need to cool down so the frosting doesn’t melt. After the cookies have cooled for about 5-10 minutes, you can move them to a wire rack to speed up the cooling process.
More Mint Chocolate Recipes You’ll Love
If you make this recipe and love it, be sure to leave a comment below. Happy baking!
Frosted Andes Chocolate Mint Cookies
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cookies
- ½ cup (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (48g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1¼ cup (150g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon (10g) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4- ounces unwrapped Andes mints, chopped (plus more for topping)
For the Mint Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks/226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon mint extract
- 1-2 drops green gel food coloring
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup (60mL) heavy cream
For the Chocolate Ganache
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Chocolate Cookies: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until combined, about 2 minutes.
- Scrape the bowl well, then add the egg and vanilla with the mixer on low speed. Mix until well combined.
- Scrape the bowl again then add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until the ingredients are combined. Fold in the chopped andes mints.
- Scoop the dough using a #24 cookie scoop (about 3 Tablespoons). Place the cookies onto the prepared pans, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Press each dough ball down to flatten slightly.
- Bake at 350°F for 8-9 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are no longer glossy. Allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting.
- Mint Frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, mint extract, food coloring, salt, and heavy cream to the bowl. Start mixing on low speed until the ingredients are combined, so the powdered sugar doesn’t spill out. Scrape the bowl well with a rubber spatula.
- Mix on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. The frosting should be completely smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Chocolate Ganache: Combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a heatproof dish and microwave for 20 seconds, then stir the mixture to combine. Repeat this process, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and shiny. Be careful not to overheat the ganache and only heat as much as needed to melt the chocolate. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Assembly: Use a small cookie scoop to add a dollop of frosting to the top of each of the cooled cookies. Use an offset spatula or knife to spread the frosting to the edges and smooth it out flat. Add a smaller scoop of the chocolate ganache on top of the frosting and spread out with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Finish the cookies with a sprinkle of chopped Andes mints and enjoy!
