Thin Mints are delicious, but I'm getting tired of eating them straight and have been trying to incorporate them into richer and more satisfying desserts. Thin Mint Icebox Cake was a complete failure because the Thin Mints never softened, but Thin Mint Pie and these Thin Mint Brownies were both terrific. The brownies have what I think is the perfect level of mint and their texture works well with the cookies.
Outrageous Brownies
Maybe I should call them Outrageous Thin Mint Brownies because the recipe is adapted loosely from Ina Garten's much, much larger version. If you are having a Super Bowl Party you could use Ina Garten's Outrageous Brownie recipe and just substitute some of the chocolate chips and nuts for Thin Mints. Just don't try tossing the chopped thin mints in flour before adding. The flour sticks to the cookies leaving little flecks of flour.
Thin Mint Brownies
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter
⅔ cup (4 oz) semisweet chocolate chips plus ¼ cup (1 ½ oz) semisweet chocolate chips (divided use)
1 ½ ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
A large egg plus 2 tablespoons lightly beaten egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (1.15 oz)
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 Thin Mint Cookies (if you don't have Girl Scout Cookies, try another mint flavored cookie)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8 inch square metal pan with foil. Spray bottom with cooking spray.
Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate to hot melted butter and stir well. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a mixing bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs, vanilla and sugar. Stir the cooled-yet-still-slightly-warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and cool to room temperature (this is important, otherwise when you add the chocolate chips they’ll melt and change the texture).
Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture.
Chop the Thin Mints roughly into quarters (you can make them smaller if you want). Add the Thin Mints and the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips to the batter. It should be fairly thick. Spread it in the pan and bake on center rack for 18 minutes. Remove from oven and wrap pan on the counter to bring air bubbles to the top (makes a denser brownie). Return to oven and bake for another 8 or 9 minutes for a total bake-time 26-27 minutes.
Let cool to room temperature and then chill thoroughly. Lift from pan, set on a cutting board and cut into 16 squares.
Addicted Baker says
Great idea@! You should try my cookies: http://theaddictedbaker.blogspot.com/2011/02/amazing-chocolate-cookies-with-thin.html
Have thin mints in them and are amazing.
Opal says
These sound terrific....love those Thin Mint Cookies. I recently made the York Peppermint Patty brownies listed on the Hershey's website.....OH MY GOSH!!! The best gooiest pepermint brownie around!!! Ever. But i will try the Thin Mint cookie brownie as it sounds wonderful!
Rachel says
I love the idea of baking with Girl Scout cookies (although I guess I shouldn't be making them any unhealthier!). I don't usually buy them because I'm a sucker for chocolate (I know exactly what you mean about eating the whole sleeve!) but I was out of town last week and my husband had a moment of weakness! What a nice surprise to come home to 🙂
I made a batch of Thin Mint brownies today, but I added a swirl of mint icing to the batter. They came out great!
I love the suggestion about the Altoids brownies - maybe my next project......
Gloria says
I forgot to add: Other than using salted butter and no extra salt, I changed NOTHING!!!
Gloria says
Made these tonight...husband thinks they are great-so do I! They are still warm. We could not help ourselves!..
Gloria says
I am going to try and make time to make these today. I didn't know about the counter pounding trick in between baking..I've done it before baking to get bubbles out, but I bet with such a thick batter it needs to heat up a bit.
We are supposed to get a foot of snow Sunday and I want to bake tonight in case we lose power!
Amy at TheSceneFromMe says
Oh. My. Goodness. I can't wait until I see a Girl Scout selling these cookies at a local store. I love thin mints frozen. Have you tried them that way?
Until then....I'll be at Dairy Queen getting a thin mint blizzard 🙂
Gloria says
I love mint and chocolate together...do you think these would work with a chopped andes mint on top after taking out of the oven or maybe mint overkill? Either way, eaten warm with vanilla ice cream...heaven!
Barbara says
There are never thin mints left over at our house! This year I only saw GS cookies being sold outside the grocery store or via email from parents and grandparents. Life has changed.
(Altoids in a brownie??!!)
karen says
So far I haven't seen any girl scout cookies for sale this season, hopefully soon. This sounds like a good excuse to buy some thin mints. I love oreos in brownies, thin mints are bound to be delicious as well.
C L says
My method of avoiding Thin Mint Overload is as follows: After I have consumed my fill of Thin Mints for the year, several boxes are hidden in the very farthest corner of our deep freeze under numerous bags of vegetables and whatnot, where I will find them in about 6 or 8 months. When those are gone, I wait semi-patiently for the next GS cookie sale. LOL 🙂
Anna says
Katrina, he probably has a magical way of making them good.
Jenn, that's the problem with Thin Mints! You have to eat the whole box (or at least a sleeve) to be satisfied. I think some Andes Candies would work.
Jenn says
Interesting. I never thought anyone would have any Thin Mints left after opening the box. Kind of like making leftover wine into ice cubes....never knew there was any left! lol I do have some Andes Candies that may work well....hmmmmm.
Katrina says
Mmmm, cool. The Altoid ones woudl definitely be too strong for me.
I didn't even care for the TWD ones with York Peppermint Patties in them.
the blissful baker says
Ohh these sound great! I love Thin Mints! I've been craving brownies for the past couple of days, and this is a great way to make them different and special 🙂
Anna says
Joshua, thanks for the link to your blog! I love all things Italian.
Louise, those sound good. I'll bet they have a stronger mint flavor.
Sue, I really don't love it but I do like Thin Mints.
Sue says
I love Thin Mints! We haven't had any girl scouts knock on our door this year, nor have I seen them with their usual stand at the grocery store. Maybe it's too early here? I'm with Joshua. I can't imagine Thin Mints being around long enough to make their way into brownies.
BTW, I thought you didn't care for mint?
Louise says
David Lebovitz's "Baked Brownie Recipe (with Altoids)" recipe has been on my "to do" list for a while. They call for 1 to 1-1/2 boxes of Altoids. These would probably be better for the timid.
Joshua says
Looks tasty but I don't think I'll ever let my mint girlscout cookies be long enough to turn them into brownies