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Homemade Girl Scout Cookies: Thin Mints

Homemade Thin Mints

Thin Mints are the Girl Scouts’ best selling cookies – although Samoas, Do-si-dos and Tagalongs have their fans, too – when they have their annual cookie sale. Even though they’re a wonderfully tasty combination of mint, chocolate and crispiness, there are a couple of good reasons not to buy them no matter how tempting they seem. First, only a small portion of the cookie sales go to the troops, and as the prices rise, the cookies themselves shrink. I’d rather donate to my local chapter and know where the money is going. Second, the cookies are still made with partially hydrogenated oils, which means that they contain trans fats despite the fact that the boxes proudly proclaim “zero trans fats per serving!” Eat two servings, and those trans fats will start to add up.

I’d much rather make my own. These crispy cookies are easy to make at home and taste even better than the “real” thing. The dough is made in advance, rolled into a log and chilled. This allows the cookies to be sliced off easily into rounds so there is no need to fiddle with a cookie cutter.

Once baked, they are dipped into a dark chocolate coating. I used Guittard chocolate for this batch and would definitely recommend getting a good quality dark chocolate to work with, starting with a bar and chopping it up. Semisweet chocolate – by which I mean chocolate chips – will work pretty well, too, although you might need to add an extra tablespoon of butter if your chocolate doesn’t get thin enough to ensure a thin cookie coating.

The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for several days, but like “real” Girl Scout cookies, they taste great when frozen and will last for weeks – if not longer – in the freezer.

Homemade Thin Mints

Homemade Thin Mints
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup milk (any kind)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp peppermint extract

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add in the milk and the extracts. Mixture will look curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches (or about 4 cm) in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick – if they are too thick, they will not be as crisp – and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you can put them quite close together.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Coating
10-oz dark or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Melt on high power in the microwave, stirring every 45-60 seconds, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syrup and fudge for a thin coating.
Dip each cookie in melted chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set up for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm.
Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it smooth and easy to dip into.

Makes 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.

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238 Comments
  • Sarah
    December 10, 2009

    OK so I baked these off today (made dough yesterday and froze it overnight) and I too had a lot of problems with dough dryness – I wound up adding about 1/4 cup of vodka even after omitting the cornstarch. I added an extra tbsp of cocoa, 2 full tsp of peppermint extract, and for 1/4 cup of the AP flour I subbed sweet rice flour for a bit crisper texture. We’ll have to see how the coating portion holds up… at least the dough after my changes reflected how I remember the TMs tasting.

  • Suze
    December 21, 2009

    I adore thin minties and these look amazing, I could almost eat the photo, great recipe.

  • John
    January 30, 2010

    Easy thin mints: melt down a bag of Dark Cocoa Mint Flavored Candy Melts, then dip Ritz crackers in and lay on wax paper to dry, then eat. That’s it, that simple, and they taste exactly like the real deal. Or use regular chocolate and add peppermint oil to taste.

  • Sandra
    February 22, 2010

    It looks so yummy!

  • Penny
    March 1, 2010

    MOTHER OF GOD!!!!
    You’ve posted the recipe to the HOLY GRAIL!!
    I almost fainted just now!!

  • Penny
    March 1, 2010

    Would it be possible for me to re-post this recipe on my blog and/or make them on a youtube video? I dunno if that would be cool with u…or if it’s “legal” in the internet world…but let me know if that would be alright-I understand if it’s not.
    I’d really love to do this recipe, and I’d be sure everyone knew it was your recipe with many links of course!
    πŸ™‚

  • Halwende
    March 3, 2010

    Ola laaa! These cookies are just fantastic! I have to make it!
    Thanks a lot!

  • haberler
    March 3, 2010

    I love the recipe and even better no trans fat !

  • Diana
    March 7, 2010

    you can get these cookies at dollar general year round for about$2 a box they are called mint thins by clover valley and tasts just like them

  • Backlinks
    March 10, 2010

    Thanks πŸ˜€

    I know what I will be doing once I get back home from work πŸ˜€ yupp..baking..*Grin*

  • Electronic Cigarette
    March 12, 2010

    I usually hate mint chocolate, but this one’s really good.

    Your girl Mary πŸ™‚

  • Steph
    March 13, 2010

    The taste was actually pretty good – not too minty when dipped in chocolate. That scored an A- for coming very close to the real thing. It was the texture that was VERY off (D grade). GS ones are crisp and wafer-like. These (although sliced thin) ended up hard, dry, and “heavy.” I don’t know that anything could make them crispy anyway. So . . . the final consensus: Spend the $3.50 and enjoy a box of the real thing.

  • Sharon
    March 13, 2010

    I tried this recipe and am very pleased with how it tastes – the only thing is, the texture was way off. I remember GS cookies being very crumbly, like shortbread, and my cookies are dry and dense, like ginger snaps. Not sure if that’s the recipe, or if I did something wrong. Did anyone else have this problem?

  • Sharon
    March 13, 2010

    haha. Scratch my last question – I see quite a few people have had the same problem! I guess now my question is, how would you go about fixing the problem? I would hesitate to add baking powder or anything like that in case it would affect the texture in other ways, like making the cookies too thick.

  • Kristen
    March 14, 2010

    Did anyone have trouble with the dough not forming too well? I feel like I needed to add more liquid or something πŸ™

  • jdm
    March 23, 2010

    wow these look good.

  • microempresasypymes
    March 25, 2010

    Licensed bakers can offer up to eight varieties of Girl Scout Cookies; I personally like Thin Mints and Peanut Butter

  • Lou
    March 28, 2010

    I tried these & the recipe is pretty dead on, as is. But I too had the crumbly dough problem prior to it going into the freezer–maybe next time a 1/2 cup of milk would be better than 1/3? But with the chilled logs, it’s so much easier to slice and bake than to roll out and cookie cut. Oh, and the chocolate dipping part was tricky, in that despite fork tapping, the chocolate is pretty thick (not that I’m complaining–the end result are like extra chocolately thick mints). Simple, excellent recipe!

  • airbrush makeup
    April 12, 2010

    These taste fantastic! I’m not usually a fan of mint but I’ll make an exception for these. The best thing about them is that they really do last for a long time, I made them about three weeks ago and they still taste as good as the day I baked them.

  • Takeaway Edinburgh
    May 1, 2010

    Mmm these are most definitely my favourite. Thanks!

  • Cold sore treatment
    May 13, 2010

    Good point about giving direct to your local chapter and making your own and I also try and avoid trans fats. All the same, I don’t know if I’ll try making my own as I don’t quite trust myself with all that chocolate πŸ™‚

  • MÀdchen spiele
    May 19, 2010

    These taste fantastic! IÒ€ℒm not usually a fan of mint but IÒ€ℒll make an exception for these. The best thing about them is that they really do last for a long time, I made them about three weeks ago and they still taste as good as the day I baked them.

  • ngan hang
    May 19, 2010

    itÒ€ℒs looks not so beautiful.

  • Yvonne
    June 28, 2010

    I tried these for my husband’s birthday this last weekend. Instant love! Your blog has such great recipes, I just love it! Thanks!

  • Izzy
    August 28, 2010

    Supporting the Military Troops isn’t the only thing you’re supporting when you get the cookies, a GS troops full years expenses are made mostly out of cookie sales. You’re helping girls go to camp, do crafts, learn about culture and society. So to say “Don’t buy the cookies, make them” is unfair to the youths. You can thank the health hype for making the sizes smaller. But PLEASE support your GS Troops, it really does help keep girls from unstable homes in something they love.

  • Brandi
    September 3, 2010

    I made these this morning! They turned out extra tasty πŸ™‚ When I tried cutting them 1/4 inch thick from the log, it ruined the shape…so I ended up rolling the dough out with my rolling pin to 1/4 inch and using a small circle cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. I guess I didn’t roll the dough thin enough, because most of the cookies turned out to be thick mints instead of thin mints, but the soft center was still just as good! Also, 10 oz of dark chocolate chips was not enough chocolate to cover my cookies. I ended up using the rest of the 12 oz bag and adding some semi sweet chocolate chips and more butter. It all turned out well and everyone really liked them! They were fun to make and I’d use this recipe again.

  • Tony
    November 13, 2010

    will always get my cookies every year but will use the recipe when i cant get them

  • Elaine
    November 15, 2010

    I am a Leader for my local Girl Scouts and would like everyone to know that without Cookie Sales our girls would not be able to do many of the things they love. Sales not only help fund these things but also teach the girls how to be “Confident,” have “Courage” and builds “Character.” My girls blossom when they step out of their comfort zone and sell cookies. We work hard to give the girls opportunities they may not have the chance to experience. Without the money they earn from Cookie Sales these chances would not be available!

    Our Mission Statement is “Girl Scouting Builds Girls of Courage, Confidence and Character who make the world a better place.” PLEASE support the Girl Scouts by purchasing cookies so that we can continue our work!

  • Angela
    December 6, 2010

    I used peppermint oil instead of extract! I tasted the cookie wafer batter before coating them and ick. Anything I can do to save them? How much of the oil should I use since I don’t have extract?

  • Alex
    December 6, 2010

    What a lovely little cookie πŸ™‚ I made these cookies today! I made the dough last night and let it harden in the logs overnight in the refrigerator. However, when I started to slice them they were a bit out of shape from where he log had laid on the shelf. Instead, I recommend forming the dough into disks to chill, rolling them out to 1/4″ and using a circle cutter to punch out the disks. This worked fabulous. I also recommend a tad bit more peppermint extract and a little in the chocolate dip also.

  • Anna
    December 8, 2010

    Elaine and Izzy, relax yourselves. You think all those people who buy the cookies are going to sit down and make them? Clearly not.

  • lisa l
    December 9, 2010

    NEVER FEAR GS! I still buy my quota of cookies every year. But this recipe is great for the rest of the year after all my cookies have been consumed…and that usually happens quickly lolol

  • lisa l
    December 9, 2010

    The samoa recipe is awesome…I use a mini donut pan but when time is rushed i make them into bars…yummmy

  • amanda
    December 10, 2010

    I made this with no prob at all…threw them in the freezer and had no trouble slicing them into 1/4 inch…however tiptiptip as i slice rolled cookies i rotate the log every now and then so i dont get that flat spot on the bottom of the cookie…works good. as to my personal taste next time i will add more peppermint and will try to add to chocolate for dipping…..will the extract seize up my chocolate????? yikes

  • Angela
    December 14, 2010

    My cookies came out all terrible. What did I do wrong? I though I overcooked the first batch because they were so hard I could barely bite into them. So the second I cooked less and strangely I had the same problem. Then I tried to coat them anyways I used up all my dark chocolate on the first batch so I used white chocolate on the seconds. I threw it in the microwave with the butter and it seized up. I just spread it on top of the cookies. What a mess… The cookies seem too dense what am I doing wrong? Anyone have any tips?

  • Benjamin
    December 29, 2010

    Amanda, if you want to add peppermint to chocolate use peppermint oil instead so it won’t seize the chocolate, I prefer oil over extracts as they are pure and contain no alcohol πŸ™‚

  • MrsB
    January 2, 2011

    To all GS supporters out there:

    I am a former Cadet and completely understand the importance of GS selling cookies every year.

    I am now in the UK, however, and unable to obtain my favourite cookies each year! (The Girl Guides, while a worthy endeavour, do not produce cookies much to my chagrin.)

    Sites like this (and my own kitchen-meddling) mean that I can enjoy treats from my childhood that would otherwise be lost to me.

    Most people won’t take the time to make their own cookies and I have to confess that if I were still living in the US and knew about this recipe; I would -still- continue to purchase GS cookies each year because of what’s behind them, what’s in their future and because I can be quite lazy and wouldn’t want to make these every single time I had a “craving” πŸ˜‰

    Happy selling (and baking)! πŸ˜€

  • Sue101
    January 21, 2011

    Elaine and Izzy, Did you ladies even read the article? It was mentioned to donate directly to the troop that way they get all of the money, not just a percentage. I buy the cookies for the taste and donate to the girls directly.

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