Micah Leal
It almost seems too good to be true, but a perfect Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie is made with the simple addition of mint dark chocolate to a chocolate chip cookie dough. (We were equally surprised by this simple discovery.) There’s no need to buy mint extract or infuse fresh mint into butter when you can pick up a bar of nice mint dark chocolate in the candy aisle of your grocery store. Because chocolate’s so rich, the mint flavor used in the manufacturing of mint dark chocolate bars is incredibly strong, and when it bakes into cookie dough, its flavor perfumes the entire cookie. Let it also be noted that we take chocolate chip cookies very seriously here at Southern Living, so we’ve taken our newfound discovery and applied it to a recipe that makes one of the best chocolate chip cookies out there. Our secret ingredient is a teaspoon of corn syrup, which allows the outside of the cookie to crisp while keeping the inside extra gooey. Oh, and don’t think for a second that we were going to toss out the chocolate chips! Our recipe calls for both mini chocolate chips and chopped mint chocolate.
How to Make It
Step 1
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
Step 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars on medium-high until well combined, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl, add corn syrup and beat for an additional minute. Add vanilla and egg; beat on medium high for 3 minutes.
Step 3
Add dry ingredients and mix on the lowest setting until flour is just combined. Add chocolate chips and chopped chocolate. Stir a few times until chocolate is evenly distributed.
Step 4
Roll 2-tablespoon portions of dough into balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Step 5
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies, rotating halfway through, until edges are lightly browned and the center is still soft, about 12 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
Chef's Notes
Chilling the cookie dough for an hour helps the cookie to bake evenly and maintain a soft, chewy texture.
