Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

My sister accidentally bought mint extract instead of vanilla one chaotic grocery trip, and we decided to just lean into the mistake. Those cookies came out of the oven looking like little green discs of joy, and honestly, they were the best accident that ever happened to our kitchen.

I brought these to a St. Patricks Day party once, thinking they would be just another contribution to the dessert table. By the end of the night, three different people had asked for the recipe, and someone actually called me the following week to say they were dreaming about those green cookies.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: The backbone of any good cookie, providing structure without making them tough or cakey.
• Baking soda: This is what gives the cookies their lift and spread, creating those perfect crispy edges.
• Salt: Just enough to balance the sweetness and make the mint flavor pop.
• Unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature so it creams beautifully with the sugars, creating pockets of air for texture.
• Granulated sugar: Helps the edges crisp up while keeping centers tender.
• Light brown sugar: Adds moisture and a subtle caramel undertone that plays nicely with mint.
• Eggs: Bind everything together and contribute to that chewy texture we all want in a cookie.
• Mint extract: The star of the show, but start with less than you think you need.
• Vanilla extract: Rounds out the mint and keeps the flavor from feeling one note or medicinal.
• Green food coloring: Gel coloring gives more vibrant results with less liquid, which is better for dough consistency.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: The bitterness of semi-sweet chocolate is crucial here, balancing the sweet mint perfectly.

Instructions

Get your oven ready:

Preheat to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper because nothing ruins cookie day like stuck bottoms.

Whisk the dry stuff:

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl so everything is evenly distributed before it meets the wet ingredients.

Cream the butter and sugars:

Beat them together for about 2 minutes until the mixture looks pale and fluffy, creating tiny air pockets that make cookies tender.

Add the eggs and extracts:

Drop in one egg at a time, letting each fully incorporate before adding the next, then mix in both extracts and your green food coloring until the shade looks right to you.

Bring it all together:

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until you no longer see streaks of flour.

Fold in the chocolate chips:

Use a spatula to gently distribute the chips evenly without overworking the dough.

Scoop and space:

Drop heaping tablespoons onto your prepared sheets, leaving about two inches between each scoop for spreading.

Bake to perfection:

Slide them into the oven for 9 to 11 minutes, pulling them out when edges are set but centers still look slightly soft.

The patience part:

Let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheets for 5 minutes so they finish cooking, then transfer to a wire rack.

Save

My daughter now requests these for her school birthday treats every year. The first time I sent them in, her teacher emailed me asking for the recipe, and now they are apparently the most anticipated treat in her class.

Getting the Green Right

I have learned that gel food coloring is worth the extra trip to a specialty baking store. Liquid coloring can throw off your dough consistency and sometimes turns an odd shade during baking, while gel gives you that vibrant grassy green with just a few drops.

Mint Balance Matters

More mint extract does not automatically mean better cookies. Too much and they taste like toothpaste, too little and you wonder why you bothered with the green coloring at all. Two teaspoons hits that sweet spot where mint is present but not aggressive.

Storage Secrets

These cookies stay surprisingly soft if stored properly, which is fortunate because they rarely last more than two days in my house. I keep mine in a glass container with a piece of white bread tucked inside, and they stay chewy for almost a full week.

• Freeze the dough balls if you want fresh baked cookies on demand without all the prep work.
• Room temperature storage is fine for up to five days, assuming they last that long.
• The green color actually stays vibrant longer than you would expect, so do not worry about them fading.

Save

There is something unexpectedly satisfying about biting into a cookie that looks like it came from a bakery but came out of your own oven. These have become my go-to whenever I need to bring something that guarantees smiles.

Recipe FAQs

→ How can I adjust the mint flavor intensity?

Gradually add mint extract to the dough, tasting as you mix, to avoid overpowering the chocolate and achieve your preferred balance.

→ What type of chocolate chips works best?

Semi-sweet chocolate chips provide a sweet contrast to the mint, but white or mixed chocolate chips also pair well for variation.

→ How do I achieve a vibrant green color?

Use gel food coloring instead of liquid to get a more intense and vivid green shade throughout the dough.

→ Should I bake the cookies until fully done?

Bake until edges are set and centers look slightly underbaked; this ensures a soft and chewy texture after cooling.

→ How should cookies be stored for freshness?

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days to maintain softness and flavor.