Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think you should add these simple but very delicious cookies to your holiday list. A spin from our favorite chocolate chip cookies, they have a balanced flavor of mint and semisweet chocolate.

Besides making them for the holidays, they are perfect for warm weather picnics or outdoor gatherings, and even for Easter brunch if you want to add something different.

The mint chocolate chips themselves seem to find a way into my mouth, with or without the cookies. They're hard to resist, let me tell you.

We make them every year as part of your Christmas cookie tray, with pistachio cookies, strawberry jam cookies, peanut butter blossoms, and chocolate peppermint cookies, to name a few.

About this recipe

• Flavor: the mint is there, but it doesn't overwhelm the chocolate. We use both mint extract and chips, and it works much better than using just one of them.
• Easy to make: like other chocolate chip cookie recipes, this is one bowl and takes ten minutes in the oven.
• Make ahead: scoop the unbaked dough and freeze it if you need to bake ahead for the holidays. Then bake the cookies directly without thawing them. Freshly baked cookies whenever you want!

Ingredients

The flavor is given by both mint extract and chocolate chips. The rest of the ingredients are simple pantry staples.

• Mint chips: they are green and have a great mint flavor. There are several brands, but I love to use Guittard mint chocolate baking chips. You can also use mint chocolate chips (not always available) directly instead of both mint and chocolate ones.
• Chocolate chips: the traditional semisweet chocolate chips that are used for cookies.
• Mint extract: I use peppermint extract from Simply Organic.
• Vanilla extract: my preference is always pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste, but vanilla essence also works, and Baker's imitation vanilla flavor is a very good, less expensive brand.
• Unsalted butter.
• Sugars: white granulated sugar and light brown sugar are used for this recipe. If you use dark brown sugar, the flavor will still be great, but the color will be darker.
• Egg: large, fresh.
• All-purpose flour.
• Baking soda and baking powder: make sure they haven't expired.
• Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.

Baking drop cookies

Extra chips: if adding chips after you make the dough balls, you can reserve some from the total amount or use more than called for in the recipe ingredients.

You can add all the chips to the cookie dough and leave it at that.

Or manually add mint and chocolate chips before baking. I find they make prettier cookies, and I'm all for that.

When are the cookies done?

Chocolate chip cookies don't take long to bake, about 10 minutes for regular-sized ones.

If you like softer cookies: the center will still be soft when you remove them, and you might feel they're not done, but they are ready to be removed. They will become firmer as they cool.

If you like crisper cookies: let them bake for a minute or two longer, or even more, until they are a deeper golden brown and the center appears firmer. They will harden further as they cool and will be crisp when you bite them.

Kitchen notes

• Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
• Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you need to adjust. 
• Size: you can make any size of cookies you want. For larger cookies, you need extra minutes in the oven, and the yield will be lower. For smaller cookies, it's the opposite, less baking time and more cookies.
• Storing: the baked cookies keep for several days in airtight containers or cookie jars.
• Freezing: the unbaked dough can be stored in the freezer: scoop the portions on the baking sheets (without touching, but no need to leave much space between them) and freeze the pan until the dough is rock solid. Transfer them to airtight bags so you can remove the baking sheet from the freezer and use less space to store the pieces of dough. Bake directly, without thawing.
• Ice cream sandwiches: they are great with chocolate or vanilla ice cream as filling if you need a quick dessert. I suggest you take them out of the oven slightly underbaked, about a minute early, so they will be softer when you bite.