Best Easy Girl Scout Thin Mints Recipes

MINT CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a food processor, process the Thin Mints until no large chunks remain. Add melted butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Using your hands or the back of a measuring cup press crumbs into the prepared baking tin in an even layer and set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Then add sugar, flour, and pinch of salt and mix well.
• Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.
• Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in 15 second increments, stirring after each one, until completely melted. Then, with the mixer on low, drizzle melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture and mix until well combined.
• Scrape down bowl, making sure the chocolate is completely incorporated, and pour over your prepared crust, smoothing it into the corners.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees (DO NOT OPEN DOOR) and bake for another 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the oven off, crack the door, and leave to cool for 30 minutes. This will help prevent cracking.
• While the cheesecake is cooling, make the ganache by heating heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl until its hot and just bubbles around the edges (be careful not to let it boil). Once hot, add the chocolate chips, cover with a plate or plastic wrap, and let it sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, stir it constantly until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture thickens.
• Pour ganache over the cooled cheesecake, spreading into an even layer and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

THIN MINT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter or margarine until creamy. Add the sugar, and beat until mixed well. Beat in egg and mint extract.
• Sift flour, cocoa, and salt together into a small bowl. Add flour mixture by halves into creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
• Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface roll dough into two 1 1/2 inch diameter cylinders. Wrap each cylinder in waxed paper, and refrigerate 5 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thirty minutes prior to baking, place both cylinders in freezer.
• Remove one cylinder at a time, and slice 1/4 inch thick pieces with very sharp knife. Place on cookie sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter or margarine and the semisweet chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Drizzle over warm cookies. Place on wire racks, and let cool and harden completely.

EASY GIRL SCOUT THIN MINTS

Steps:

• Melt mints and morsels in microwave or double boiler.
• Dip Ritz crackers in chocolate mixture ( I use my little ice tongs to make it easy).
• Place on wax paper lined cookie sheet.
• If you want to decorate cookies with sprinkles, you have to do it before the chocolate dries -- after every 3 or 4 cookies.
• When sheet is full, refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Peel cookies from wax paper (can be used again for next batch).
• Store in tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. They go fast. I've kept them as long as a week if they were well hidden.
• The computer wouldn't let me put it in the list of ingredients, but I use Andes Mint Bits found in the baking aisle.

HOMEMADE THIN MINTS

Steps:

• Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or wax paper; set aside. Clear out a spot in your refrigerator or freezer to accommodate baking sheet.
• In a shallow microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and shortening (the shortening helps the chocolate stay smooth when using it for dipping; it prevents that thick and gloppy, chocolate getting hard before you want it to phenomenon) and heat for 1 minute on high power to melt. Stir and heat in 10- to 15-second bursts until chocolate can be stirred very smooth.
• To the melted chocolate add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract* and stir. If you prefer it mintier, add another 1/4 teaspoon. I used 3/4 teaspoon in total, but because all brands and taste preferences differ, taste your chocolate and add peppermint to taste.
• Add 1 cracker to the chocolate, coat it, and remove it by lightly scooping it up from the underside with a fork, allowing excess chocolate to drain off through fork tines. Place cracker on parchment and repeat with all remaining crackers. If necessary, re-heat the chocolate in 10- to 15-second bursts if it starts getting too firm for smooth dipping.
• After all crackers have been dipped, place baking sheet in refrigerator. Although these will solidify at room temperature, the shortening in the chocolate lengthens the amount of time that will take; the fridge or freezer helps speed it up.
• Store extra Thin Mints in an airtight container in the refrigerator for many weeks. In the freezer, I estimate that these could be kept for 3 to 6 months successfully.