Your Mouth Can Start Watering Now . . .

It is finally time. If you like chocolate, you might as well call your local undertaker in advance, because these cookies are simply deadly. I got this recipe a couple of years ago from my then-13-year-old nephew, who loves to bake and would like to eventually become a pastry chef. I made my most recent batch over the weekend for a family reunion, and took pictures as I went along. If you want to skip the pictures and get straight to work, the entire recipe sans photos is at the end of this post.

Without further delay, here is the long-awaited recipe for Chocolate Mint Cookies . . .



It is almost brutal to show you the end product before telling you how to make them, but this is where we're headed.



This recipe is simple -- there are probably only two ingredients you'll need to get that aren't normally in your pantry. You'll need a bag of Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (not milk chocolate or cacao) and a box of Andes Mints. You might want to get two of each while you're at it -- these cookies freeze wonderfully, and in warm weather I actually prefer them that way.

Note: I am making a double batch in the pictures that follow, even though the instructions are for a single.

Take 1 pkg. (11.5 oz.) of Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and ¾ cup butter or margarine (1½ sticks) and melt them together in the microwave (warning -- cover the bowl to avoid extra cleanup, since butter/margarine "pops" when it's heated).

When it comes out of the microwave, it looks really gross. Relax -- it gets better.

Scrape the melted chocolate chips and butter into a mixing bowl, and stir in 1½ cups brown sugar, 2 eggs (I use Egg Beaters since I have high cholesterol), and 2 tablespoons water. Blend well.

Then mix in 1¼ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2½ cups all-purpose flour.

When everything is mixed together, the batter will be pretty thick -- my trusty wooden spoon will just about stand up when left unattended. It was just starting to fall over as I shot this picture . . .

Then refrigerate the batter for at least two hours. You can refrigerate it much longer -- for this batch, I mixed the ingredients in the evening on Saturday (the 4th of July), and baked two cookie sheets worth after the fireworks. I didn't bake the rest until Monday evening.

When the batter comes out of the refrigerator, it will be hard as a brick, and you'll need good muscles and a sharp spoon to get it out.

Place walnut sized chunks of dough on a cookie sheet (I use the ones with air pockets underneath) and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Oh, here they come. Can't you just taste them? Sorry, not yet -- they're still really mushy. Set up a large space with some wax paper over a big towel so the cookies can cool. To get them off the cookie sheet, you'll need a spatula with a pretty sharp edge and a quick swipe of your wrist to get under each cookie. Otherwise, they'll just fall apart -- and it WILL happen to some, no matter how good you are. Just set the rejects in a corner of the wax paper and eat them piece by piece later . . .

Place an Andes Mint on top of each cookie. You may want to skip a few if you have un-American people like my son in your household. Ryan likes them better without the Andes Mints.

After 7-10 minutes, it will look like the Andes Mint hasn't melted yet (you may even still be able to read "Andes" on top). The first time I made these, I was sure I had messed something up. Just touch it with a knife and spread it over the middle of the cookie.

Here's the finished product again. This is the hardest part -- you need to let them cool before you serve them. These cookies are really good (but messy) when they're hot, great when they're warm, and incredible when they have cooled and the mint has hardened. I like to eat all the way around the edges and then tackle the middle. And do try them frozen, especially on a hot day . . .

Now I'll print the entire recipe without pictures so you can cut and paste it and print it out for yourself. Let me know what you think of them after you've made them . . .

Chocolate Mint Cookies

¾ cup butter or margarine (1½ sticks)

1 (11.5 oz.) pkg. Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (not milk chocolate or cacao)

1½ cups brown sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 eggs

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1¼ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 box Andes Mints

Melt butter or margarine in microwave along with chocolate chips. Stir in brown sugar, eggs and water. Blend well. Mix in dry ingredients. Refrigerate at least two hours (can be refrigerated much longer).

Place walnut sized chunks of cookie dough on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Remove from pan and add an Andes Mint to each cookie. When melted, spread with a knife. Let cool before serving. Baked cookies can be frozen.