Mint Milanos {Copycat}

So, remember a couple posts ago when I said that macaroons are my favorite cookies…well, I might have been wrong.

I had forgotten all about Mint Milanos.

Mint Milanos are my go-to cookie if I need something ASAP from the store.  And if I happen to be walking down the aisle and they’re on sale…let’s just say I am in big trouble then.

But today, today I learned how quick and easy they are to make at home.

Such a good thing – and a bad thing, too.

The Recipe:

Mint Milanos, adapted from eat, live, run

2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 c sugar

1 3/4 c flour

1/4 t salt

2 t vanilla extract

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1 c semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 t mint extract

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Preheat oven to 350.

Cream together the softened butter and sugar either using a mixer or a wooden spoon.  Add the flour, salt and vanilla and mix until a soft dough comes together.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for thirty minutes.

After chilling, roll dough flat 1/2 inch thick (it’s helpful to use the Saran wrap on top of the dough so it doesn’t stick).  Cut out into shape of your choice.  (If necessary, re-chill dough to make it easier to work with.)  Place cookies on a lined or greased cookie tray and bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges start to brown.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Melt chocolate in a glass dish in the microwave during 30 second intervals, stirring well after each.  When chocolate is smooth, add mint extract and mix well.

Slather melted chocolate on one cookie and then sandwich another cookie on top.  Repeat until all cookies are sandwiched together.  Let cool for a few minutes until chocolate hardens.

{Printable Recipe}

The Results:

You never know when you try one of these type of recipes, how they’re going to turn out.  And let’s just say this one does not disappoint.

I had a little bit of a struggle with the dough, mostly because I adapted the dough to be cut out instead of rolled into a log and cut.  The dough is really sticky, so I needed to make sure it was really chilled – and I used a spatula to gently lift off each of my Milano shaped cookies.

(By the way, my cookie cutter: a homemade plastic popsicle bottom that broke.  Hey, you use what you can that works.)

Anyhow, the cookies were crispy and buttery.  The chocolate was minty and rich.  Combined, they were simply delicious.

Overall, a solid version of the original… I think, though, to make them perfect, I’ll have to tweak a bit next time.  First, I’ll roll my dough a bit thinner – my cookie ratio was a little much for my chocolate.  Second, when I slather my chocolate, I will slather it and slather it good – and probably use a tad less mint extract.

But, with these small changes, these cookies are going to be amazing.  I just know it.

Not perfect looking, but with their taste, it doesn’t matter at all.

I seriously can not wait to make these again.  🙂