Chocolate Mint Sandwiches

These chocolate mint sandwiches are super crispy (but still tender) and super chocolaty. The cookies themselves are similar to chocolate wafers (only way better), and would make an excellent chocolate wafer crust (if you want to take it to the next level)

The filling is made from melted white chocolate spiked with a little peppermint oil. As a result, the filling hardens pretty quickly, just like a chocolate bar, so there's no moisture to soften the cookies themselves. The cookies will last up to two weeks in a sealed container, which makes them perfect for make-ahead gifts. They can even be frozen for up to two months.


The combination of chocolate and mint is totally tasty. I love the little cutouts on top too!

I added an optional pinch of green powdered food coloring, just to make them look more "minty." I think a pale pink would be perfect for Valentine's day too.

The centers of the top part of the cookie sandwich are cut out after the cookie has baked, and while it is still hot from the oven.

I used these little aspic/jelly cutters to cut out the centers of these cookies. You could also use Linzer cookie cutters, or tiny round or square cookie cutters, or even a bottle cap!

And the tiny cookie centers are so pop-able! I'm pretty sure they don't count if you eat them.  The feedback that I got was that these were a lot like Thin Mints, but waaaay better.

This is a cookie that I will most definitely be making again. They are so good. Trust me.

After the recipe, be sure to check out the links for more amazing Creative Cookie Exchange talented members' sandwich cookies. They all look seriously good.

Chocolate Mint Sandwiches

Adapted from the wonderful Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich. I'm a huge fangirl of Alice.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 cup (2 2/5 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp (7 7/8 ounces) granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

14 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped

3 to six drops (about 1/8 tsp) peppermint oil 

pinch of powdered or a few drops of gel food coloring (optional)

Instructions 

1. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, and baking soda, until fully blended.
2. Add the butter, and pulse a few times. 
3. With the food processor running, add the milk and vanilla. Let the machine run until the dough comes together into a mass and forms a clump. 
4. Turn the dough out onto your work surface, and knead briefly it until fully blended. 
5. Form the dough into two 8 inch by 1 1/2 inch logs. Wrap the logs in wax or parchment paper, and then plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour, and up to 3 days. 
6. When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with a rack in the center of the oven. 
7. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the cylinders into thin rounds, about six slices per inch (keep the dough that you are not currently baking in the refrigerator) and place them on one of the parchment lined baking sheets.  
8. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes if they are cold. Watch the cookies closely. They will rise and then fall. Once they have fallen, let them bake for an extra 1 and a half minutes. 
9. Once you have removed the pan from the oven, immediately cut holes into half of the cookies with your cookie cutter. 
10. Let the cookies cool on the pan on a cooling rack, or drag the parchment, cookies and all, onto a cooling rack. 
11. Continue to slice and bake cookies until you have baked all of the dough. You can reuse the pans and parchment paper once they have cooled. 
12. To make the filling, heat the white chocolate in a microwave oven and 50% power for 3 minutes. Stir. Continue to heat the chocolate at 10 second intervals, stirring each time, until fully melted. Add three drops of the peppermint oil and taste. Add more if necessary (I used about 1/8 tsp). Stir in the optional food coloring. 
13. Spread the uncut cookies with about 1/2 tsp of filling and top with a "cut" cookie. 
14. Once the filling hardens, store in an airtight container. 

The theme this month is Sandwich Cookies--any kind of cookie presented as any kind of sandwich, we’re laid back because that means more cookies for everyone! If you are a blogger and want to join in the fun, contact Laura at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com and she will get you added to our Facebook group, where we discuss our cookies and share links. You can also just use us as a great resource for cookie recipes--be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:

• Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache from The Spiced Life
• Lemon Sandwich Cookies from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Cream Cheese Filled Orange Cookies from Food Lust People Love
• Linzer Cookies from A Baker’s House
• Chocolate Mint Sandwiches from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Choc Orange cookie sandwich from Made With Love
• Chocolate Amaretto Creams from Our Good Life