Homemade Thin Mints

Homemade Thin Mints

For the cookies: 
8 ounces butter
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

For the coating:
2 bags semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon peppermint extract

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream butter until light and fluffy, then add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Stir in the salt, vanilla and cocoa powder. Mix until the cocoa powder is integrated and the batter resembles a thick frosting. Add the flour and mix just until the flour is combined, making sure to not over mix. Add water if needed.
• Form dough into a ball. Knead a few times to bring together, then flatten into a disk between half an inch and one inch thick, cover in plastic wrap then place in freezer for 15 minutes.
• Remove dough from the freezer and roll it out really thin on a floured surface, about 1/8-inch. Cut cookies using 1 1/2-inch cutter.
• Place cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. After the cookies have cooled, place 1 bag chocolate chips in a glass measuring cup or similar container and microwave in short 15-20 second bursts. Stir in 1 ½ tsp peppermint extract. Repeat when you run out of chocolate.
• Gently drop the cookies, one at a time, into the coating. Turn to coat entirely, then lift the cookie out of the chocolate with the fork and bang the fork on the side of the pan until the extra coating drips off. Place on a parchment or plastic wrap-lined baking sheet, and repeat for the rest of the cookies. Place the cookies in the refrigerator or freezer to set.