Day 5 - Andes Mint Cookies

This cookie is another new cookie this year. It has some of our favorite flavors, chocolate and mint.  I was draw to these cookies because of these flavors but also because of the appearance.  The top of the cookie is a melted Andes mint which gives it a beautiful swirled look.  The taste of cookies are the most important but those that also look pretty are the ones that come back to my tray year after year.  This one will be a keeper.  I can't wait for my chocolate and mint lovers to try these. It has a soft chewy texture and intense chocolate flavor almost like a minty brownie.  The swirl on top was more subtle than I was expecting but still pretty.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Andes mint baking pieces
24 Andes mints (or more if you make them smaller like I did)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter with electric mixer until lightly colored.  Add sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg, vanilla and mint extract.

In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Stir into the wet ingredients on low speed.  Stir Andes mint baking pieces by hand.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls (mine were smaller, more like the size of a whole walnut) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (I did it overnight).

 Place balls on cookie sheet and and bake for 9-11 minutes (I did for 9 minutes -- they look soft when you pull them out which is what you want).  Do not overbake.

Remove cookies from oven and place an Andes mint on top of the cookie.  If you make them larger, like the recipe calls for, you would use one and a half Andes mints. Let them sit for a minute until mint has melted and gently spread on the cookie with a knife.  Let them cool completely before storing or enjoy warm.  The recipe says it makes 18 cookies but I made about 40 since I made them smaller.