There’s something quite magical about these Green Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies. The bright green color gives off instant festive vibes, but it’s really the cooling peppermint paired with rich dark chocolate that makes this Green Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe stand out. Whether you’re whipping these up for a holiday party or just craving a refreshing twist on classic chocolate chip cookies, you’ll find they’re delightfully addictive and surprisingly easy to make.

I love this recipe because it feels a bit nostalgic—like a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone you can hold in your hand—and yet it’s special enough to impress guests or make any ordinary day a bit sweeter. You don’t need fancy ingredients or complicated steps, just a little patience while the dough chills, and you’re rewarded with soft, tender cookies bursting with minty goodness and luscious chocolate chunks.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Perfect Mint-Chocolate Balance: The peppermint extract pairs so well with dark chocolate, creating a refreshing yet indulgent flavor that’s hard to resist.
  • Beautiful Vibrant Color: The green food coloring gives a festive punch, making these cookies ideal for holidays or themed gatherings.
  • Soft, Chewy Texture: With cream of tartar and cornstarch in the mix, the cookies come out tender but with just enough chew to keep you coming back for more.
  • Chilled Dough for Easy Handling: Refrigerating the dough helps control spreading, so your cookies come out just right every time.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Each ingredient in this Green Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe plays an important role in achieving that perfect combination of minty freshness, rich chocolate, and soft cookie texture. Here are a few things I’ve learned about sourcing and selecting them.

  • Butter: Using softened butter allows it to cream well with sugar, adding richness and tenderness to your cookies.
  • Sugar: A combination of white sugar here helps the cookies get that classic chewy-sweet texture.
  • Eggs and Egg Yolk: Eggs bring structure, but the extra yolk adds moisture and makes everything softer.
  • Peppermint Extract: This gives the cookies their signature mint flavor—don’t skip it or use imitation extract for best results.
  • Green Food Coloring: Just drops enough to tint the dough—you want a beautiful but natural-looking green shade.
  • Flour: Provides structure, so make sure it’s measured properly—too much flour and the cookies get dry.
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Both leavening agents work together to give just the right rise and tenderness.
  • Cream of Tartar: It’s a secret weapon for soft, chewy cookies and adds subtle tang that balances sweetness.
  • Cornstarch: Helps create that melt-in-your-mouth texture by softening gluten development.
  • Salt: Just a pinch to enhance all the flavors without making it salty.
  • Dark Chocolate Bars: I prefer chopping bars myself because the chunks melt better and give you those delicious melty patches of chocolate.
Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

Personally, I like to tweak this Green Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe to mix things up every now and then—whether that’s to suit different tastes or dietary needs. It’s always fun to experiment while keeping the core flavors intact!

  • Mint Intensity: If you love a stronger mint flavor like I do, try adding half a teaspoon more peppermint extract, but be cautious—it can get overpowering fast!
  • Chocolate Chips Swap: Feel free to use dark chocolate chips if chopping feels like too much—though I promise the chopped bars give a better melt.
  • Vegan Version: I’ve heard swapping butter for vegan margarine and using flax or chia eggs works well; I haven’t tried this myself but it’s worth a shot.
  • Festive Add-Ins: For holiday vibes, some crushed candy canes on top before baking add a nice crunch and extra peppermint punch.

How to Make Green Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Cream Butter and Sugar Until Fluffy

Start by beating your softened butter and sugar together in a large bowl or using a stand mixer. I beat mine on medium speed for about 1 to 2 minutes, making sure to scrape down the bowl sides occasionally. You’ll know it’s ready when the mixture becomes lighter in color and fluffy—this is where all that cookie tenderness begins.

Step 2: Add Eggs, Peppermint, and Green Food Coloring

Next, add your eggs plus the extra yolk for richness. Pour in the peppermint extract and a few drops of green food coloring, then mix just until everything is smooth and incorporated. Be careful not to overbeat here—you want the dough to stay light but not too runny.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients and Mix Into Wet

In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, and salt. Then gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed or fold by hand until the flour is almost fully incorporated; you’ll avoid overworking the dough this way, which keeps cookies tender.

Step 4: Add Chocolate Chips and Chopped Chocolate

Here’s a fun twist: add half the chocolate as chips and the other half chopped into little chunks. I usually chop them coarse so you’ll get melty flecks of chocolate throughout the cookie, just like in mint chocolate chip ice cream. Gently fold the chocolate into the dough to distribute evenly.

Step 5: Chill the Dough

Cover your dough and pop it into the fridge for 1 to 2 hours. This step is crucial—I learned this the hard way—because chilling firms up the dough, making it easier to scoop and shaping the cookies so they don’t spread too much when baking.

Step 6: Bake Your Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop out your dough balls; this size creates nice, thick cookies. Bake them for 8 to 10 minutes and watch carefully—the edges should just start to brown, but the tops stay pale. Remove and let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack.

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Pro Tips for Making Green Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

  • Use Quality Peppermint Extract: I discovered that real peppermint extract (not imitation) makes a huge flavor difference; it’s fresher and less harsh.
  • Don’t Overbake: Cookies will keep baking a bit after you take them out, so pulling them when edges just start light browning yields the softest results.
  • Chop Chocolate Bars Yourself: I used to use chips exclusively but love how chopped bars melt differently, creating gooey pockets in the cookies.
  • Chill Dough for Even Baking: Skipping chilling led to spreading and thin cookies before; now it’s a non-negotiable step in my kitchen.

How to Serve Green Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Two thick, soft green cookies sit stacked on a round white plate against a white marbled surface. The top cookie is broken in half, showing a soft, crumbly green inside with melted dark chocolate oozing out from the center and spread across the top. The bottom cookie is whole with melted dark chocolate chunks visible on top, contrasting with the bright green cookie dough. The texture of the cookies looks soft and moist with a slightly crinkled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Garnishes

I like to keep it simple and let the cookies shine, but a light dusting of powdered sugar adds a pretty snowy effect that’s festive. Sometimes, I sprinkle a few extra chocolate shavings on warm cookies right out of the oven for an extra oomph of chocolatey goodness.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair wonderfully with a tall glass of cold milk or a hot cup of coffee or peppermint tea. I’ve also served them alongside mint chocolate chip ice cream for an indulgent dessert plate that my family absolutely loves.

Creative Ways to Present

For holidays, I’ve stacked cookies into festive towers tied with ribbon or arranged them on platters with fresh peppermint sprigs for a pretty touch. They also make great edible gifts—package a few in clear cellophane bags with green ribbons and a little note, and you’re golden!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I find adding a slice of bread inside the container keeps them soft longer, which is a trick I learned from my grandma’s baking secrets.

Freezing

The dough freezes beautifully. I usually portion the dough balls, freeze them on a tray first, then transfer to a freezer bag. This way, I bake fresh cookies anytime from frozen dough in about 12-14 minutes—no thawing needed!

Reheating

If the cookies lose a bit of their softness, I pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds or briefly in a warm oven (300°F for 5 minutes) to revive that lovely chewy texture—just enough to melt the chocolate again without drying them out.

FAQs

  1. Can I use chocolate chips instead of chopping chocolate bars for this recipe?

    Absolutely! While I recommend chopping dark chocolate bars for that rich, melty texture, chocolate chips work well too and save time. Keep in mind, chips hold their shape more during baking, so the texture might be slightly different but still delicious.

  2. How green will my cookies actually be using this recipe?

    The green food coloring gives a softly tinted mint green, which looks festive and appetizing without being too artificial. You can always add more drops if you want a brighter or deeper green, but I suggest starting with the recommended amount to avoid an overly intense color.

  3. Why is chilling the dough important for this Green Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe?

    Chilling the dough firms it up, which helps with portioning and prevents cookies from spreading too thin while baking. I found skipping this step results in flat, crispy cookies when you want softness and chewiness instead.

  4. Can I make these cookies vegan or gluten-free?

    You can try substituting vegan butter and egg replacers for this recipe, and using a gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free version. While I haven’t personally tested these variations, many bakers have reported success with similar swaps.

Final Thoughts

This Green Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe has become one of my favorite go-to treats whenever I want something a little festive, fresh, and chocolaty at the same time. I know you’ll enjoy how easy it is to make and how beautifully the flavors come together. Give it a try and soon you’ll see why these cookies make every occasion a little more special—trust me, your family and friends are going to love you for baking them!

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Green Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 670 reviews
  • Author: Megane
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 24 cookies
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Delight in these Green Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies, a festive twist on classic chocolate chip cookies with a refreshing peppermint flavor and vibrant green color. Soft, chewy, and loaded with chunks of dark chocolate, these cookies are perfect for holiday treats or any mint chocolate craving.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup Butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups Sugar
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 Egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
  • 10 Drops Green Food Coloring

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 cups Flour
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
  • 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Chocolate

  • 12 ounces Dark Chocolate Bars, chopped (divide as specified)

Instructions

  1. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar together for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat on medium for another 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  2. Add Eggs, Extract and Color: Add the 2 large eggs, 1 egg yolk, peppermint extract, and green food coloring to the creamed mixture. Beat just until smooth and combined.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, and salt to evenly distribute all leavening agents and dry components.
  4. Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until the flour is mostly incorporated. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
  5. Add Chocolate: Stir in half of the chopped dark chocolate directly into the dough. Coarsely chop the remaining chocolate and then add these chunks to the dough to create those classic melty flecks reminiscent of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Mix gently until combined.
  6. Chill Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to firm up, which helps prevent spreading during baking and enhances the flavor.
  7. Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
  8. Shape Cookies: Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop balls of chilled dough and place them spaced apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow for spreading.
  9. Bake: Bake the cookies at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden and the tops remain pale. Avoid browning the tops to maintain a soft texture.
  10. Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Recipe adapted from Little Dairy on the Prairie.
  • Cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
  • Using chopped dark chocolate bars instead of chips gives a better melty texture and flavor.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 180
  • Sugar: 14g
  • Sodium: 110mg
  • Fat: 10g
  • Saturated Fat: 6g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 22g
  • Fiber: 1.5g
  • Protein: 2g
  • Cholesterol: 40mg

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