Fresh mint steeped in butter gives these super soft, chewy cookies a delightful refreshing flavor. So big and thick, they are the perfect chocolate chip cookie with a kick!
Chocolate chip cookies are as American as apple pie. And there are THOUSANDS of recipes for them. I have my own favorite College Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. (As a special bonus when you go to this recipe, you can see a picture of me wearing highwaters). But if you know me at all, you know that I like to tinker with recipes. I’m all about variety and innovation here. That’s why I’m sharing these Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies with you.
Let me just tell you that these cookies are so thick and soft and chewy. They would be fantastic without the mint. But if you’re a mint lover like me, then you’ve got to give these a go with fresh mint.
Now my Mint Lover’s Ice Cream uses real mint essential oil. But these cookies use actual mint leaves. I had purchased some to use as garnish on my Easy Mini Cheesecakes and didn’t want to waste the rest. So I went searching for a recipe and found this recipe for Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies on Dessert for Two. I tweaked the recipe just a bit and the cookies turned out perfect!
Ingredients for Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
- butter (I use salted)
- fresh mint
- brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- egg
- vanilla
- flour
- baking soda
- salt
- chocolate chips
How to Make Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
The first thing you will do is put your butter and mint into a small saucepan and melt the butter over medium heat. Swirl it around as it is melting. After 2-3 minutes when you can smell the mint, turn off the heat and let the mint steep in the butter for 30 minutes. Then you’ll strain the butter through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the mint leaves so you get all that minty goodness out.
Then you’ll pour that minty butter into a stand mixer (or large bowl) and add both the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat those together for 3-5 minutes until everything is light and creamy.
Next you’ll add the vanilla and the egg, which should be room-temperature. If you forgot to get an egg out of the fridge soon enough, you can quickly bring it to room temperature by putting it in a glass of warm water for a few minutes. (Just make sure the water isn’t hot, or it will cook the egg!) Beat this all together for about another minute.
Then you’ll add part of the flour along with the baking soda and salt and mix that all in. Once that’s done, add the rest of the flour and mix, just until everything is incorporated.
Finally, add your chocolate chips. You can use dark, or semi-sweet.
Now you remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a sheet of plastic wrap. Press the dough into a disk, cover it with the wrap, and then chill for one hour (at least!) This is very important! Do not skip the chilling! That butter needs time to firm up again.
When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and remove the dough from the fridge. Divide it into 12 equal portions. (I just cut the dough with a knife into squares). Then roll the dough into balls and place on cookie sheets that have been lined with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Only put six cookies on a sheet, as they will spread quite a bit.
Bake for 11-12 minutes just until the edges start to get golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for two minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
The mint in these cookies is subtle, but refreshing. The flavor is extra special, and the texture of these cookies is just spot on. Hurry and get some mint so you can make them!
If you have no mint and just can’t wait, you have two options:
- You can make these cookies without the mint. Go ahead and melt the butter and then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
- You can add peppermint extract or peppermint essential oil to the dough. The amount depends on how minty you want these cookies to be. I’d say start with 1 teaspoon of extract, or 15 drops of essential oil. If using essential oil, just make sure it’s been approved for internal use.
Get ready to sink your teeth into the thickest, softest, yummiest cookies you have ever had!
Today’s Freebie!
Fresh mint steeped in butter gives these super soft, chewy cookies a delightful refreshing flavor.
- 1/2 cup salted butter (one cube)
- 1/2 cup firmly packed fresh mint
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
Place the mint and butter in a small saucepan on the stove. Melt the butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. After 2-3 minutes when the mint is fragrant, turn off the heat, but leave the pan on the burner. Let the mint steep in the butter for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes has passed, strain the butter through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the leaves of the mint so you can extract as much flavor as possible.
Add the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar to a mixer and beat until light and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the egg and vanilla and beat for another minute.
Add 3/4 cup of the flour along with the baking soda and salt. Mix for about one minute, or until everything is incorporated.
Add the other cup of flour and mix until the flour just disappears completely.
Add the chocolate chips and mix for about 30 seconds, until the chocolate chips are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Remove the cookie dough from the bowl and place it on a sheet of plastic wrap. Press the dough into a thick disk and then wrap with the plastic. Put into the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.
When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll into balls. Place only six balls on each cookie sheet. (They will spread).
Bake for 11-12 minutes, until the edges begin to turn golden brown. After removing from the oven, let cool for two minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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I love chocolate chip cookies and the addition of mint sounds amazing! It’s definitely a great combination, and I simply have to try these soon!
This will be perfect to use up that mint that I buy for garnish in photos, lol!! I waste so many herbs and it drives me nuts!
Yes! I totally know what you mean!
I love Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, I can’t wait to try these!
I can’t get past the “fresh mint steeped with butter”! I am hooked already!
So good! It was a little time consuming, but worth it. They are delicious and look like they came from a bakery! I didn’t have any mint extract for mint chocolate chip cookies, so this was a wonderful alternative that made good use of our fresh mint.
Yes! I’m so glad you made these! So many people are missing out by not having fresh mint cookies. They are the best!