Grasshopper Cookies
If you are a chocolate mint lover, these Grasshopper Cookies are calling your name! They are the perfect treat to enjoy at any time of year.
Don’t get these confused with those thin mint cookies from the Girl Scout troops. These Grasshopper cookies pack a way bigger flavor. There are layers of lovely mint and chocolate with the cookie base and then you top them with the Ande’s Mints.
Some people don’t have the same affection for mint and chocolate as I do and for those who don’t, I would recommend a different cookie to bake this weekend. These soft baked pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are divine! Or maybe you like more of a shortbread cookie and if that is the case, I highly recommend these Strawberry Shortbread Cookies.
Even though cookies are an American recipe, they are also a fun St.Patrick’s Day dessert thanks to their bright green color.
Why This Recipe Works
This Grasshopper cookie recipe is a delightful combination of chocolate and mint, creating a perfectly balanced treat. Using simple ingredients like sugar, butter, eggs, and oven baking techniques, it produces delicious cookies that can be enjoyed by everyone.
The recipe begins with a chocolate base, which provides a rich and indulgent flavor. The addition of Andes Mints adds not only mintiness but also a unique texture to the cookies, elevating them beyond the ordinary.
Incorporating mint extract into the dough further enhances the delicate mint flavor, ensuring it shines through in every bite. The smooth and velvety texture provided by the combination of butter and eggs ensures that the cookies have a consistent and enjoyable mouthfeel.
To achieve optimal results, precise oven temperatures and baking times are crucial to ensure that the cookies are cooked evenly and have the perfect, slightly crisp yet chewy texture.
Ingredients
Grasshopper Cookies come in a variety of styles. For this particular recipe, you are making a chocolate cookie base with flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, eggs and Andes Mints. You will put the peppermint extract into the mint frosting which is made up of butter, powdered sugar, and green food dye. It is a very small amount of peppermint extract because if you use too much it can make your grasshopper cookies very very “minty”. The chocolate glaze is a simple one made up of chocolate chips, butter and chopped andes mints.
Variations of grasshopper cookies
- Make these gluten free by using almond flour instead of regular flour but double check on your substitution ratios.
- Omit the Mint Green Frosting if you like a subtle mint cookie.
- Add the andes mints directly into the frosting.
- To speed things up, use cake mix as the base for the cookie dough. Devil’s food cake mix is a common choice for a deep chocolate flavor.
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda, set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter until smooth and creamy.
Mix in the eggs and vanilla and slowly add in the flour mixture, mixing until combined.
Add in the Mints and stir until flour and chopped mints are combined.
Your dough will be thick.
Using a medium cookie scoop, portion out dough for each cookie. Place dough onto the line cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 7-9 minutes on a lined cookie sheet until the cookies are slightly cracked.
Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
For The Frosting and Chocolate Glaze:
Mint Frosting: Beat butter for 2 minutes. Add peppermint extract and slowly add the powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk if it gets too thick. Add 5-8 drops of green dye for color.
Chocolate Glaze: Melt Chocolate Chips and butter together in a microwave proof bowl (or over a double boiler). Zap for about 30 seconds, then stir, then microwave in 10 second increments and stir until smooth.
To assemble the Grasshopper Cookies:
Pipe on a thick layer of frosting on top of each cookie and smooth over with a knife.
Spoon on the melted chocolate glaze in the center.
Top with the small pieces of andes candies.
Allow the frosting and glaze to set for about 20 minutes then enjoy!
Storage
Grasshopper Cookies are best when enjoyed fresh but you can store them in an airtight container (remember to put wax paper between them if layering) in the refrigerator.
When it comes to storing the dough, you can refrigerate it for up to a week if you don’t plan to bake the cookies immediately. Make sure to wrap the dough securely in plastic wrap or store it in a resealable plastic bag before placing it in the airtight container. This method works especially well if your grasshopper cookie recipe includes Andes Mints or chocolate chips.
For baked grasshopper cookies, let them cool to room temperature after baking. If the cookies have a chocolate ganache, wait for it to set before transferring them to the airtight container. You can then store the cookies at room temperature or in the refrigerator, depending on your preference.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that you can freeze both the cookie dough and baked cookies for longer storage. For dough, shaped it into a disk or roll and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap before placing it in the airtight container.
For baked cookies, ensure they are completely cooled before arranging them in a single layer in the container, separated by layers of parchment or wax paper.
Both dough and cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to use, simply remove them from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature or follow the baking instructions from your recipe, keeping in mind that additional oven time may be needed for frozen dough.
Frequently Asked Questions
A chocolate cookie base, then topped with a buttercream frosting, chocolate ganache and chopped andes mints.
It is a chocolate and mint flavor packed cookie.
Grasshopper cookies and grasshopper pie share a flavor profile, which is a combination of chocolate and mint. However, the two desserts are quite different. While grasshopper cookies are typically sandwich-style cookies with a mint filling, grasshopper pie is a creamy, mint-flavored pie with a chocolate crust. The two treats are both inspired by the classic Grasshopper cocktail, which contains crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and cream.
Grasshopper cookies gained popularity in the 1980s, possibly due to the widespread admiration for the chocolate-mint flavor combination during that time. Interestingly, Thin Mints, a popular Girl Scout cookie with a similar taste profile, were initially introduced in the 1950s, which may have contributed to the growing affection for chocolate-mint desserts in the following decades.
These grasshopper cookies are absolutely delicious. Perfect for any time of the year, always a crowd pleaser and ridiculously easy to make but look very high end. Next time you are invited to a party, I highly recommend to bring these.
Grasshopper Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 ½ cups flour
- ¾ cups Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 10 Andes Mints candies chopped into small pieces
Mint Frosting
- ¾ cup butter Softened
- 1 ½ tsp peppermint extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk if needed
- 7 drops green food dye if desired
Chocolate Glaze
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons butter salted
- 18 Andes Mints candies chopped into large pieces
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda and set aside.
- In a second large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in chopped Andes Mints candy pieces. The dough will be thick.
- Using a medium Cookie Scoop, portion out the dough for each cookie. Place dough onto the lined cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 7-9 Minutes or until the cookies are slightly cracked. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting and glaze:
- Mint Frosting: Beat Butter for 2 minutes. Add peppermint extract and slowly add the powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk if it gets too thick. Add green dye for color.
- Chocolate glaze: Melt chocolate chips and butter together in a microwave proof bowl. Zap for about 30 seconds, then stir, then microwave in 10 second increments and stir until smooth.
Assembly
- To assemble, pipe on frosting, smooth over with a knife, spoon on your glaze in the center and top with andes candies.
