NOTE: the Homemade Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies are on our Christmas Tray *every* year! |
I've been making my own Caramel D'lites, Thin Mints and Twix cookies for about 15 years now. I also make Salted Nut Rolls but they are such a messy pain in the back side that I figure it's worthwhile to buy them if I'm craving them... LOL. But as for the mint cookies? Here you go. One that is ultra fast and simple... and a more labor intense version for when they switched to a chocolate wafer a few years ago instead of the original cookie.
Faux Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies
Ritz Crackers
Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips or Chocolate Almond Bark
Peppermint Oil flavoring (more intense than extract)
Amounts are completely up to you based on how many you want to make.
Start with about 3/4 of a bag (or 6 oz.) of the chocolate chips and melt in the microwave, stirring often, or double boiler or over very low heat. Stir in about 1/4 t of peppermint oil (add by drops until you get a strong, delicious taste you like. Stronger is better than weaker but don't trust your taste buds after the first taste or two, employ a 'helper' to dip a cracker and do a taste test.) Work quickly so your chocolate doesn't set up while you are dipping, or keep it warming in a bowl or pan over another pan of hot water (double boiler style). You can get about 1 sleeve of crackers dipped with about 6-8 oz. chocolate chips. If your chocolate is too thick to dip correctly you can add 1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening and stir smooth. Don't add butter or water it will seize.
Using a fork, dip the Ritz crackers one by one to cover in the melted minty chocolate coating and let the excess drip off before laying on parchment paper or wax paper. Let harden or if you are in a rush, refrigerate to harden. With the scalloped edge of the cracker they look and taste like the 'real' thing for pennies on the dollar.
Ok... for those of you who want the chocolate wafers.
1 package chocolate fudge cake mix
3 tablespoons shortening
1/2 cup cake flour
1 egg
3 T water
nonstick cooking spray
Combine the cookie ingredients in a large bowl, adding the water a little bit at a time until it forms a dough. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours. On a lightly floured surface, roll out a portion of the dough very thin (about 1/16 " thick). Cut out 1 1/2 inch wafers using a scalloped cookie or biscuit cutter. If you do not have one, use a juice glass, the lid of a spice jar or even a clean cutter from your kids play-doh set if they have one! Bake for about 10 minutes until crisp but don't let them burn. Let them cool completely and then dip the same way as stated above. If you make the chocolate wafers you'll need about 2 1/2 - 3 bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips to cover all the wafers.
Can be frozen for storage.
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