Girl Scout Cookie Cupcake Recipe - Thin Mints
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I hate it when I run out of Girl Scout cookies, and have to wait months until the girls are out selling them again. When the craving strikes for cookies but it's nowhere near the time of year to get them, I like to recreate the flavor with cupcakes. I've already shared recipes with you for copycat Girl Scout cookie cupcakes that can be made without having any cookies on hand — my Lemonades and Tagalongs cupcakes recreate the classic cookie flavors. And today I want to share my third Girls Scout cookie cupcake recipe — Thin Mints.
The Thin Mint is a classic, and My Honey's favorite. He can tear through a box of Thin Mints in one sitting, before anyone even gets a chance to share. My cupcake version recreates the chocolate and minty flavors, with a surprise cookie crust in the bottom of the cupcake. Add a rich chocolate frosting and more cookie crunch on top, and it's a wonderful treat that tastes just like a cake version of the original.
Thin Mints Girl Scout Cookies Cupcakes
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp pure peppermint extract, divided
- 1 box of chocolate graham crackers (enough to make 2 cups of crumbs)
- 1 box of Devil's Food cake mix and whatever ingredients the box requires (usually eggs, oil, and water)
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (or semisweet if you prefer)
- 1/2 cup of softened butter (not margarine)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup shortening
- mint leaves, for garnish
Preheat oven to the temperature indicated on the cake mix. Grind enough chocolate graham crackers in food processor to create 2 cups of crumbs. Measure 1 cup into a bowl and set rest aside for later. To bowl, add melted butter, granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp peppermint extract. Stir until evenly distributed and mixture resembles wet sand. Divide evenly among 24 cupcake liners and press crumbs down using back of a small measuring cup. Bake crusts for 3 minutes until set, then pour in cake batter and cook according to package directions.
While cupcakes bake, prepare frosting. Melt chocolate chips in microwave and stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Add the softened butter, 1/2 tsp peppermint extract, and 1 tsp vanilla extract to mixer and mix until smooth. Add melted chocolate and mix until smooth. Then add powdered sugar and mix well. Add shortening and whip until texture is smooth and fluffy.
When cupcakes are cool, add frosting in a smooth mound, then dip upside down in reserved graham cracker crumbs. Optionally top with a small mint leaf garnish.
Preheat the oven to whatever the cake mix directions state, then start making the cookie crust. For this you'll need 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 tsp peppermint extract. You'll also need 1 cup of chocolate graham cracker crumbs, which you can make by grinding up some chocolate graham crackers (I used Chocolate Teddy Grahams) in a food processor.
Add the ingredients to a bowl and mix well until the butter is evenly distributed through the crumbs and the mixture resembles wet sand.
Then use a spoon to distribute the crumbs evenly among 24 cupcake liners.
To pack down the crumbs into a nice crust, stick a 1/4 cup measuring cup (or a small glass or bowl) down inside the liner and press down on the inside with your fingers.
Voila, perfectly smooth crusts! Bake the crusts for 3 minutes just to get them set.
After the crusts have cooled, pour in your chocolate cake batter, prepared according to the package instructions.
While the cupcakes are cooking according to the package directions, you can work on the frosting.
Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in the microwave and stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
Mix 1/2 cup softened butter in the mixer until fluffy, then add 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp peppermint extracts.
Pour the melted chocolate (cooled to room temperature!) into the bowl with the butter.
Mix the butter and chocolate together until you have a silky and smooth mixture.
Then add 2 cups powdered sugar and mix again. Finally, add 1/3 cup shortening, which will give the frosting a wonderful texture and great spreadability. Mix well until fluffy.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost them with the chocolate frosting (assuming you didn't eat it all already). Use a mini offset spatula to frost them fairly smooth, but don't worry about being perfect.
Now for the fun part! Put 1 cup of chocolate graham cracker crumbs in a bowl and dunk the cupcake right down into them. Press down somewhat firmly so that the crumbs stick well. Make sure you do this before the frosting has a chance to dry at all, or they won't stick.
This is so much easier than trying to get perfectly smooth frosting, don't you think?
For a final touch, stick a little mint leaf in the middle. This is optional, of course, but it looks so darn cute I don't know how you could stand not to do it.
My favorite part is the cookie crust on the bottom of the cupcake. It's such an unexpected surprise to have that crunch in the bottom of a cupcake, and that minty, chocolatey crunch tastes just like a Thin Mint cookie!
What a wonderful new way to celebrate the classic taste of the Thin Mint cookie.
8 comments so far:
My aunt made a thin mint cookie thats better then the girl scouts. I made them my self because I didnt believe she made them. Here it is... Dip a ritz cracker into melted (Mint Chips from ACMOORE)
Thats it!! I melted the choc in the microwave then using my tongs, i would dip the cracker into the melted choc then place on a cookie sheet. I used tin foil on the cookie sheet. The cookie peels right off. do not refridgerate , I noticed the choc turns a different color in spots on the cracker. Its a hugh hit and Im asked to make them at every party I go to. Give it a try.
Sounds yummy, Nancy. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Thank you for the Thin Mint Cupcake recipe and the Thin Mint Cookie recipe from Nancy! I love those Girl Scout cookies-my favorite ever since I used to sell them as a Girl Scout back when they were 50 cents a box! :)
You're welcome, Donna. Boy, imagine how many cookies we'd all buy if they were still 50 cents!
Thanks for the Mint Cupcake recipe. Those are my favorite Girl Scout cookies!
I just made these tonight - SO GOOD! My cookie crumble bottom/cupcake batter/frosting proportions didn't come out really well, but hoo boy - can't wait to make a second batch.
Mike, I'm glad you enjoyed these cookies. If you weren't quite happy with the proportions, it sure sounds like a good reason to make another batch :)
THOSE LOOK SO GOOD