Mojitos are one of my favorite cocktails. They are made by muddling fresh mint leaves and sugar at the bottom of a highball glass, adding ice and then topping the mint mixture with rum, lime juice and soda water. Because of the mint and the lime juice, the cocktail is very refreshing – so refreshing that I’ll even add some mint to my homemade limeade for a similar but non-alcoholic effect.
These Mojito Cookies were inspired by that flavorful cocktail. They are a rich butter cookie that is spiked with peppermint extract and lots of fresh lime zest. The cookies are slightly crisp (a few extra minutes in the oven will make then even crisper), with a very tender crumb and an almost shortbread-like mouthfeel. Fresh mint doesn’t translate particularly well to cookies, but the peppermint extract packs a lot of flavor and delivers the refreshing minty note well to the buttery dough. Lime zest also offers a strong flavor, allowing the citrus to come through along with that mint. I don’t typically add any kind of rum to these cookies, but a bit of rum extract will give them an even more authentic cocktail flavor, if you want to add a splash into your dough.
I rolled the cookies in a bit of green sanding sugar, just as you might rim a cocktail glass with sugar or salt, to give them a more finished look. Plain sugar – or some sort of coarse, natural sugar, if you have it – will work just as well as the colored stuff and will still add a subtle crunch to the cookies’ edges and give them a nice finish.
Mojito Cookies
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/4 tsp rum extract (optional)
2 tbsp lime zest
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
green sanding sugar, for decorating
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in egg, egg yolk, vanilla and salt and mix well. Gradually, with the mixer on low speed, blend in the flour until a smooth dough comes together.
Divide dough in half and shape each piece into a log roughly 2-inches across. Wrap in wax paper or parchment paper and freeze for about 2 hours or refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm. Dough can also be stored for several days in the fridge and several weeks in the freezer, well-wrapped.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Take the logs of chilled dough and cut each in half. Dough may need to soften for a few minutes. Roll each smaller log in green sanding sugar or green sprinkles. Cut logs into slices 1/4-inch thick (thicker cookies will require a slightly longer baking time). Transfer cookie rounds to prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, until cookies just begin to brown around the edges. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Makes 4-5 dozen cookies
Desiree
September 2, 2011I love the idea of this cookie, but I’d be really tempted to try to sneak rum into them somehow…
Melanie Heavenly
September 3, 2011Wow – these are so cool. I love, love, love Mojitos – what a genius idea!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
September 3, 2011I love mojitos, especially during the summer. What a fantastic idea to put them in cookie form!
Jess
September 3, 2011These look so refreshing and yummy!!!
Lora
September 4, 2011These are adorable. Love them!
Carley @ Baking&Broiling
September 4, 2011These cookies look so good! I love any cookie that has a shortbread like texture. Great post!
thelittleloaf
September 7, 2011No alcohol in your mojito cookies?! Surely a little rum would make them extra delicious and authentic 🙂 They look gorgeous though – love the green rolled edges.
Ronda
January 6, 2012I made these for a cookie exchange and they were delicious. I did put in mint instead of peppermint extract just put about a 2 tsp fresh mint in the food processor with the sugar, so good. And I put in rum instead of rum extract and these were a hit. Thanks!