No-Bake Homemade Thin Mints
Day #5 of cookie week, you guys. WE MADE IT! Well, I made it. Did anyone think that would happen? I had my doubts.
Also, I definitely saved the best for last here. No joke, I feel like a freakin genius with this one. It is truly a brilliant beyond brilliant idea.
(anyone catch that 90s movie reference? just me?)
I mean if we’re being fair, it’s only semi-homemade. Can I even call it a recipe? I don’t know. and I’m sure someone somewhere has done the same thing. In fact, I’d bet money on it.
But let’s just pretend that I was super original, and came up with this entirely on my own. Because I kinda did. Ask Michael and Peter… they watched the magic unfold.
Speaking of which, those two can attest to the delicious nature of these Girl Scout copycats. Michael is the pickiest human ever (especially with desserts.. #doublechocolateorbust), and Peter doesn’t like chocolate + mint together (I know, I don’t trust him either).
and.
THE TWO OF THEM LOVED THIS CREATION.
No-bake (semi) homemade thin mints, you are the winner of Christmas this year.
Not surprisingly (given the number of exclamation points and ALL CAPS I’ve used thus far), this may be my favorite cookie of cookie week.
“Your favorite?!” said no one ever, “but why? Tell me!”
Well, I will tell you. You see, Andes Mints are super nostalgic for me, especially around this time of year. My mom used to buy Michael & me each a package of them around Christmas, and then promptly indulge in them herself… ‘secretly’, of course. So naturally, once we discovered that she was sneaking our chocolates (Andies candies, as we call them) from the GIFT she gave us, we decided to play a trick on her. We’d eat a chocolate (or seven), but make sure to carefully unwrap them. We’d reshape the wrapper to look like there was still a chocolate in there, put it back in the box and wait. Eventually, my mom would stick her grubby little hands in our chocolates again, only to discover that they were ALL EMPTY.
Oh, the swears we heard sent our way.
This became a game we played year after year because, true to form, my mom never learned her lesson.
Unlike Peter, my mom & I always loved all treats chocolate + mint. So back in my gluten-full days, Thin Mints were our favorite Girl Scout cookies, hands down.
I kid you not, these no-bake homemade thin mints taste eerily close to the original.
What truly makes them winners is the fact that these can easily be made gluten-free or gluten-full (and the gluten-free version is NOT lacking in any way, let me assure you). As the name suggests, they are no bake. There are only three ingredients required, and they’re easy AF.
WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED, PEOPLE?!
You need to get yourself to the closest CVS, pick up some Andes Mints, Oreo’s and dark chocolate, and get crackin’. Melt, dip, refrigerate and ENJOY!
- 10 Oreo cookies or gluten-free Joe-Joe's
- 20 Andes mints
- 4 blocks of dark chocolate (see Notes)
- Melt Andes mints and dark chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler; mix well to combine. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper.
- Twist off Oreo/Joe-Joe cookie halves. Using a butter knife, scrape off the filling. Consume, reuse or discard creme filling.
- Dip each cookie wafer in the melted chocolate, covering each side completely and allowing any excess chocolate to drip off.
- Place on lined cookie sheet, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to harden.
- Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Either Oreo's or your favorite gluten-free alternative (TJs Joe-Joe's, I'm looking at you!) can be used in this recipe.
If you prefer to keep these milk chocolate, substitute the dark chocolate for blocks of milk chocolate or more Andes Mints.
Dip the leftover creme centers in chocolate as well! They will be just like spearmint-flavored peppermint patties.
Hopefully this week’s worth of cookie recipes can hold you over through the holidays! Signing off until 2020, my friends :)
