The Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Mint Cookie

Chocolate and mint together is my heaven.  I love a lot of things, but if I have chocolate and mint anything, I go to my happy place.  And there I stay, until it's gone, and than I just have my memories.  Okay, so that might sound really lame, yes I just used the word "lame", but it's true, chocolate and mint are a perfect match!  I occasionally make Paula Dean's Creme de Menthe Brownies, and if you've never had them before, you are really missing out because they are perfectly wonderful.  I was in the mood to make them and prepared to make them.  But I decided I wanted the same flavor but a little lighter, not so heavy of a treat.  So, I went searching on the internet for a good chocolate fudge cookie recipe.  I found this one, and tweaked it to my specifications, and crossed my fingers that they would actually turn out as wonderful as I had hoped they would.  I switched the chocolate chips for Andes Mints and added extra cake flour, because most recipes are best at "sea level".  And my altitude here in Utah is somewhere around 4000 feet.  I always have to add extra flour in everything. They turned out absolutely delicious and perfect in every way.  These cookies have a brownie like texture, very crisp outer layer, flaky and delicate. But when you actually take a bite, they literally melt in your mouth.  If you love chocolate and mint, these cookies are definitely right for you!



Chocolate Fudge Mint Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
4 ounces best quality bittersweet chocolate (65% cocao)
12 ounces best quality semi sweet chocolate
4 eggs
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pecans, coursely chopped, toasted
2 cups Andes Mints (Creme de Menthe) chopped

Method:
1. Sift or whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a double broiler or a bowl sitting on top of a pan with boiling water, melt butter and both chocolates together. Stir constently until smooth.
3. In an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until thick and pale in color, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and chocolate mixture.
4. Fold in dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in mints and nuts.
5. Cover and chill until batter is firm, at least 30 minutes.
6. Cover cookie pans with parchement paper (very important)!!
7. Drop by 1/4 cup, space evenly and flatten slightly.
8. Bake at 350 degrees, about 12-14 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE!
9. Let cool on cookie sheets until firm, than transfer to wire cooling rack.
Enjoy!

These cookies are very delicate and crack on the top, this particular cookie cracked in the shape of a heart! How awesome is that!