Decadent Andes Mint Stuffed Chocolate Cookies: A Heavenly Mint-Chocolate Experience
Prepare to indulge in the ultimate treat with these Andes Mint Stuffed Chocolate Cookies. These are not just any cookies; they are a masterpiece of rich chocolate and refreshing mint, featuring a luscious chocolate ganache and a delightful Grasshopper cookie surprise at their heart. Every bite offers an explosion of mint flavor, making this an absolutely amazing and unforgettable chocolate cookie recipe!
The combination of mint and chocolate has long been a favorite, captivating taste buds with its refreshing coolness and deep cocoa notes. It’s a flavor pairing that evokes comfort, celebration, and pure joy. In our kitchen, mint and chocolate treats are consistently among our most requested and cherished recipes. We particularly adore classics like our Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies, the rich Mint Chocolate Brownie Cookies, and the ever-popular Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies. But these stuffed cookies take that beloved combination to an entirely new level, offering a truly unique and satisfying experience.
Crafting the Perfect Andes Mint Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
These extraordinary cookies begin with a rich chocolate cookie dough, generously infused with invigorating mint extract and studded with both Andes mint chips and classic chocolate chips. But the real magic happens at the center. Each cookie is meticulously stuffed with a simple yet decadent chocolate ganache and a crisp Grasshopper cookie. The dough balls are then rolled in an additional coating of Andes mint chips and chocolate chips, creating an enticing visual appeal and an extra burst of flavor before baking. The result is a profoundly delicious, chewy, and soft stuffed mint chocolate cookie with a molten, gooey chocolate filling and a delightful crunch from the inner Grasshopper cookie. These cookies are truly an impressive and decadent dessert, perfect for special occasions or simply elevating your everyday cookie experience.
Expert Tips for Baking the Best Andes Mint Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
Achieving cookie perfection is easier than you think with these helpful tips and tricks. Pay attention to these details, and you’ll be baking irresistible Andes Mint Stuffed Chocolate Cookies every time.
- Always Preheat Your Oven: This crucial step ensures that your oven reaches and maintains the correct temperature, leading to consistent baking results. Placing cookies into a properly preheated oven allows them to set quickly and bake evenly, preventing them from spreading too much or baking inconsistently. Don’t skip this, even if you’re in a hurry!
- Mastering Softened Butter: The consistency of your butter is paramount in cookie baking. It should be softened to room temperature – meaning it yields easily when pressed, but is not melted or greasy. Butter that is too cold won’t cream properly with the sugars, resulting in a dense cookie. Butter that is too warm or melted can cause the cookies to spread excessively and become greasy. If you remember, take your butter out 1-2 hours before baking. For those spontaneous cookie cravings, use your microwave’s defrost setting in 5-10 second increments, turning the butter often. This method softens it more evenly than regular heating, reducing the risk of accidental melting.
- The Magic of a Cookie Scoop: For professional-looking, uniformly sized cookies, a cookie scoop is your best friend. Not only does it ensure that all your cookies bake evenly at the same rate, but it also makes the stuffing process much simpler and tidier, resulting in perfectly round, beautiful cookies every time.
- Non-Stick Baking Surfaces are Key: To effortlessly remove your delicious cookies from the baking sheet without sticking or breaking, always use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. These provide a non-stick surface, promote even browning, and make cleanup a breeze. Your cookies will slide right off, maintaining their perfect shape.
- Avoid Overbaking for Ultimate Chewyness: This is especially important for chocolate cookies, as their dark color makes it hard to judge doneness by browning. When you remove these Andes Mint Stuffed Chocolate Cookies from the oven, they should still appear slightly soft and underbaked in the center, with edges that are just firm. They will continue to cook and set on the hot baking sheet for a few minutes after being removed from the oven (this is called carry-over baking). Overbaking will lead to dry, crumbly cookies, and we want a soft, chewy texture with a gooey center!
Key Ingredients for Andes Mint Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
Each ingredient in this recipe plays a vital role in creating the perfect balance of flavor and texture that makes these stuffed chocolate mint cookies truly special. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need and why:
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: A full cup of high-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips forms the rich and smooth base of our decadent ganache. This provides a deep chocolate flavor that perfectly complements the mint.
- Heavy whipping cream: Heating half a cup of heavy whipping cream and combining it with the chocolate chips creates a luxuriously smooth and pourable ganache. The high fat content of the cream emulsifies beautifully with the chocolate, yielding a glossy and stable filling.
MINT CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH
- Unsalted butter: You’ll need 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) of softened unsalted butter. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall saltiness of the cookie, while its softened state is crucial for proper creaming with sugars, incorporating air for a light and tender texture. Always opt for real butter for the best flavor and texture.
- Sugars (granulated and light brown): A combination of 1 ½ cups light brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar provides the ideal balance of sweetness and texture. Granulated sugar contributes to crisp edges and spread, while light brown sugar adds moisture, depth of flavor, and that irresistible chewy texture. Ensure your brown sugar is fresh and soft for optimal results.
- Large eggs: Three large eggs act as a binder, adding moisture, richness, and structure to the cookie dough. They help create a cohesive dough that holds its shape, especially important for stuffed cookies.
- Light corn syrup: Two tablespoons of light corn syrup are added to achieve that perfect soft and chewy consistency. Corn syrup helps keep the cookies moist and prevents sugar crystallization, contributing to a wonderfully tender crumb.
- Mint extract: Two teaspoons of mint extract infuse the cookie dough with a vibrant and refreshing mint flavor. Mint extract is quite potent, so be mindful not to overdo it. You can adjust the amount to your personal preference for a stronger or more subtle mint presence.
- All-purpose flour: Four cups of all-purpose flour provide the structural foundation for these cookies. It’s the primary dry ingredient that binds everything together and gives the cookies their body.
- Cocoa powder: One cup of Hershey’s dark cocoa powder gives these cookies their deep, rich chocolate color and intense flavor. While dark cocoa powder is recommended for a more dramatic effect, regular unsweetened cocoa powder can also be used if preferred.
- Cornstarch: Just one tablespoon of cornstarch is a secret ingredient for remarkably soft and chewy cookies. It helps tenderize the dough and prevents it from becoming too cake-like.
- Baking soda: Two teaspoons of baking soda act as the primary leavening agent, helping the cookies rise and achieve a soft, slightly puffy texture. Always ensure your baking soda is fresh and active for the best rise.
- Kosher salt: A single teaspoon of kosher salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors in the cookies, making them taste more complex and satisfying.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, and Andes mint chips: You will need 2 cups of each type of chip, totaling 6 cups of delicious mix-ins. This amount is roughly equivalent to one standard bag of each. You’ll reserve ¾ cup of each variety to mix together and roll the cookie dough balls in, creating an extra layer of flavor and a beautiful finish.
- Grasshopper cookies: Approximately 36 Grasshopper cookies are needed for the delightful surprise center of these stuffed treats. Grasshopper cookies are thin, crispy chocolate mint cookies, very similar to the popular Thin Mints from Girl Scouts, offering a fantastic textural contrast to the soft cookie and gooey ganache.
How to Make Andes Mint Stuffed Chocolate Cookies: Step-by-Step Guide
Make the chocolate ganache
- Using a small pot, gently bring the heavy whipping cream to a mild simmer over medium heat. The cream should be hot and steamy, but not vigorously boiling. Once simmering, carefully pour the hot cream into a small, heat-proof bowl containing 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for 1 minute. This resting period allows the hot cream to melt the chocolate chips evenly. After 1 minute, whisk the mixture together until the chocolate chips are completely melted and the ganache is smooth and glossy. Set the ganache aside to continue thickening slightly while you prepare the cookie dough.
Make the cookie dough
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, corn syrup, and mint extract. Beat on medium-high speed for approximately 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined. This step incorporates air, contributing to a soft cookie texture.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. Ensure these dry ingredients are thoroughly combined to distribute the leavening agents evenly.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating on low speed just until combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten too much, resulting in tougher cookies. Mix only until no streaks of flour remain.
- Gently fold in 1 ¼ cups of regular chocolate chips, 1 ¼ cups of mini chocolate chips, and 1 ¼ cups of Andes mint chips. Use a spatula to fold them in until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Assemble and stuff the cookies
- Using a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons), scoop out a mound of cookie dough into your hand. Gently roll it into a ball, then flatten the dough into a disk, approximately 3 inches in diameter. Place one Grasshopper cookie in the center of the flattened dough.
- With a small cookie scoop (about 1 teaspoon), scoop a small mound of the thickened chocolate ganache directly onto the center of the Grasshopper cookie. Carefully mold the cookie dough around the Grasshopper cookie and ganache, sealing it completely to form a thick, round ball. Ensure there are no cracks for the filling to escape during baking.
- In a small, separate bowl, combine the reserved chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, and Andes mint chips. This mixture will be used for the exterior coating.
- Roll each stuffed dough ball thoroughly into the chip mixture, ensuring it is completely coated. This adds extra flavor, texture, and a beautiful presentation. Place the coated cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets to allow for spreading during baking.
Bake the cookies
- Bake in the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until the edges appear firm and set, but the centers still look slightly soft. Remember, chocolate cookies are harder to judge by color. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. This carry-over baking helps them finish setting without becoming dry.
Andes Mint Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
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Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 C semi sweet chocolate chips
- ½ C heavy whipping cream
Chocolate Mint Cookie dough
- 1 ½ C unsalted sweet cream butter softened
- 1 ½ C light brown sugar
- ½ C sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
- 2 tsp mint extract
- 4 C flour
- 1 C Hershey dark cocoa powder
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips divided
- 2 cups mini chocolate chips divided
- 2 cups andes mint chips divided
- 1 package of grasshopper cookies about 36 cookies
Instructions
Make the chocolate ganache
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Using a small pot, bring the heavy whipping cream to a mild simmer over medium heat. Pour the hot cream into a small bowl with 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
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Let it sit for 1 minute before whisking together until the chocolate chips are completely melted and smooth. Continue to allow the ganache to thicken while you make the cookie dough.
Make the cookie dough
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Preheat oven to 350° and line two cookie sheets with a silicone baking mat.
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Using a mixer, beat the butter, sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, corn syrup, and mint extract until light and fluffy. This will probably take about 3-4 minutes.
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In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt and baking soda together.
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Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined.
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Gently fold in 1 ¼ C chocolate chips, 1 ¼ C mini chocolate chips and 1 ¼ C andes mint chips.
Assemble and stuff the cookies
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Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out dough mound into your hand and roll into a ball. Flatten the dough into a flat disk and place a grasshopper cookie in the middle.
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Using a small cookie scoop, scoop a small mound of chocolate ganache onto the center of the grasshopper cookie. Mold the dough into a thick ball around the cookie and ganache.
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In a small bowl, combine the rest of the chocolate chips, mini chips and Andes mint chips.
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Roll the dough mound into the mixture to completely coat the dough ball. Place the cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake the cookies
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Bake in the oven for 16-18 minutes or until firm around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Nutrition
How to Properly Soften Butter for Baking
Softened butter is critical for achieving the right texture in many baked goods, especially cookies. It allows the butter and sugar to cream together effectively, creating tiny air pockets that contribute to a lighter, more tender crumb. My favorite method for softening butter quickly and evenly is using the defrost function on the microwave. If you’re using a full stick (half-cup) of butter, you can often leave it in its paper wrapper. For smaller amounts, place the butter in a glass or porcelain bowl. Set your microwave to its lowest defrost setting and run it for short intervals, typically 10-20 seconds. After each interval, gently press the butter with a rubber scraper or your finger. You’re looking for it to indent easily without melting into a liquid state. If it’s still too firm, continue with additional 5-10 second bursts, but watch it very closely – butter can go from perfectly softened to melted in a blink! The defrost setting helps distribute the heat more gently, reducing the chances of uneven melting.
Can Andes Mint Stuffed Chocolate Cookies Be Frozen?
Absolutely! These delicious Andes Mint Stuffed Chocolate Cookies are perfect for making ahead and freezing, whether baked or as dough. This makes them an ideal choice for meal prepping desserts or ensuring you always have a delightful treat on hand.
Freezing Baked Cookies: Once your cookies have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. To enjoy, simply let them thaw at room temperature for an hour or two, or warm them briefly in the microwave for a fresh-out-of-the-oven experience.
Freezing Cookie Dough Balls: For ultimate convenience, you can assemble and shape the dough into round balls as instructed, complete with their ganache and Grasshopper cookie centers. Arrange these dough balls on a cookie sheet, making sure they don’t touch, and freeze them for approximately 1-2 hours until they are solid. Once frozen, transfer the individual dough balls to a freezer-safe ziplock bag or airtight container. They can be stored for up to 1 month. When a cookie craving strikes, simply grab as many as you’d like, place them on a prepared cookie sheet, and bake as normal. You may need to add an extra minute or two to the baking time since they are starting from frozen, but the result will be wonderfully warm, gooey, and fresh cookies!
Explore More of Our Favorite Chocolate Cookie Recipes:
If you’re a chocolate lover, you’re in for a treat! We have a wide array of irresistible chocolate cookie recipes that are sure to satisfy any craving. From classic delights to innovative creations, there’s a chocolate cookie for everyone. Don’t stop at these Andes Mint Stuffed wonders; dive into our collection and discover your next favorite bake!
- Flourless Double Chocolate Cookies
- Cherry Chocolate Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies
- Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies
- Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
- Double Chocolate Mint Cookies
- Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Double Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Triple Chocolate M&M Cookies
- Chocolate Mint Cookies (perhaps linking to a specific recipe if available, otherwise consider removing this duplicate)
- Double Chocolate Mint Cookies (already linked above)
There’s nothing quite like the warmth and connection found in a family kitchen, and this photo perfectly encapsulates that sentiment for me. It features my oldest daughter with my youngest, beautifully capturing the deep affection they share. While my youngest adores all her older siblings, she shares a truly special bond with her eldest sister, and witnessing their interactions is always a joy. As my oldest prepares to leave for college next year, it’s going to be a significant change for all of us, but I believe these two will miss each other the most. Juggling the dynamics of teenagers and preschoolers simultaneously presents its unique set of challenges and heartwarming moments. It has been incredibly fulfilling to observe my older children mentor and play with their little sister, and I know these experiences have been profoundly good for them too, fostering a sense of responsibility and unconditional love.
