These make an annual appearance in every Christmas cookie box I gift because they're wildly popular. They're one of the most texted and mentioned cookie I make and people look for them in their boxes. Perhaps they're so sought after due to their melted Andes top or maybe it's that fudgey, decadent ultra-chocolate ganache-like cookie that delights everyone? These chocolate cookies actually taste like chocolate whereas a lot of others only look like they taste like chocolate. They are even more spectacular due to their Andes mint top. The texture is sublime. Chewy, fudgey, deeply chocolately and minty. It's very hard not to love them. Mint fans will swoon.
They're also easy to make and they stay fresh and intact even when shipped cross country.
While they're a newer recipe and not a family original, they're so memorable for me due to the delight they bring to so many of my nearest and dearest.
COOKIE BAKING TIPS:
- Measuring flour: spoon flour into dry measuring cups and use a knife to level off the top. This will ensure that you don't use too much flour, which will result in a dry or tough cookie.
- Sifting: Typically I don't sift flour but when gifting cookies I always do. I measure the dry ingredients into a bowl, give it a good whisk and then sift the whole thing over the wet ingredients.
- I use large eggs, that have been brought to room temperature. If you forget to bring them to room temperature, you can fill a bowl with warm water and sit the eggs in the water. Within 20-30 minutes they'll be ready!
- Salt is the table salt variety. When baking, I like to the the smallest type of salt versus Kosher salt.
STORAGE:
- To store, separate each layer of cookies with waxed paper. Stack only 3 layers to avoid breaking the cookies on the bottom.
- When storing cookies, I like to wrap crisp cookies in foil because they retain their crispness better. For soft cookies, store in tupperware with tight fitting lids.
- Cookie dough is freezer friendly. Wrap in aluminum foil, place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to one month.
- When baking off different types of cookies, group your cookies by oven temperature. Start with lowest oven temperature cookies first and proceed with higher temperature cookies next. Have wire cooling racks in place.
GIFTING:
- These ship very well. They're a sturdy cookie. To ship, I take 2 cookies put a piece of waxed paper between them, put the waxed paper between the them and put them together so the bottoms touch. Wrap in plastic to ensure freshness and continue with the rest of the cookies being shipped.
- Chilling the dough overnight will make it rock solid in the morning. Allow to sit on the counter before getting started. When it's scoopable, it's ready. Alternatively, I have microwaved this at 50% power in 30 second intervals until scoopable.
- You don't need to soften the butter so advance planning isn't needed.
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 tsps water
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 packages (4.67 ounces or 2 large bags) mint Andes Cookies
- In a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and water. Cook and stir over low heat until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat, stir in the chocolate chips until melted. Transfer to a bowl of a stand mixer. Let stand 10 minutes.
- With the mixer on medium speed, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the chocolate mixture, beating on low until blended. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. At this point you can wrap the dough in aluminum foil, place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to one month.
- Allow the mixture to sit on counter until you can scoop the dough. Preheat oven to 350F. Using a number 40 cookie scoop (or use a tablespoon measurer, use 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of dough), form a ball and place 3 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until edges are set and tops are puffed and cracked. Once out of oven, immediately top each cookie with a mint. Let stand for 1-2 minutes. When you see the chocolate has melted spread over cookie. Transfer to wire racks and let stand until cookie is completely cooled and mint chocolate has set.
Recipe from Taste of Home.
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