These moist and tender chocolate cupcakes are studded with mint cookies and topped with a creamy mint buttercream and cookie garnishes.
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Who else gets super stoked when Girl Scout Cookie season rolls around?! I know I do! Although Samoa cookies (Caramel Delites) are my #1 favorite, Thin Mints are a close second!
There's something about a Thin Mint cookie that's so addicting. Is it even possible to have just one?? Maybe just one sleeve.... ha!
I'm a huge chocolate cake fan. So when I had a box of Thin Mints on the counter and was in the mood to bake, I whipped up these Mint Chocolate Cupcakes and had zero regrets! The crunchy cookie on the bottom, the moist chocolatey cake and smooth mint buttercream is the perfect combo for flavors and textures.
What do I need to make Mint Chocolate Cupcakes?
For the cupcakes:
- Chocolate Mint Cookies (such as Girl Scout Thin Mints®, Keebler Grasshopper Mint & Fudge Cookies or Great Value Fudge Mint Cookies
- Flour
- Sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Vegetable oil
- Buttermilk (If you don't have buttermilk, you can mix ½ tablespoon white vinegar and a scant ½ c milk)
- One egg
- Vanilla
- Hot coffee (this will not give a coffee flavor, it'll simply enhance the flavor of the chocolate; if you don't have coffee, you can use hot water instead)
Mint Buttercream and Garnishes
- Salted butter, softened to room temperature
- Powdered sugar
- Milk or heavy cream
- Peppermint extract
- Green food coloring, if desired
- Additional cookies, for garnish
How do you make Mint Chocolate Cupcakes?
First, you'll want to gather all of your ingredients, cupcake liners and a cupcake tin. (Have you ever gotten halfway through a recipe just to realize you're missing something? Been there, done that!)
Next, it's time to prepare the cupcake tins. You'll place 16 cupcake liners in a tin and place a cookie (Girl Scout Thin Mint or an generic brand of the cookie) at the bottom of each. This cookie will be a delicious surprise when someone bites into the cupcake! 🙂
Place the remaining 8 cookies into a plastic baggie and crush them into pea-sized (or smaller) pieces. These will be mixed into the batter later on.
Make the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350F and make the cupcake batter. Start by combining the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Then in a separate bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients except for the coffee. Once it's whisked together, slowly add the coffee as you whisk constantly so you don't curdle the eggs.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and make sure everything is incorporated. Then you'll mix on high for two minutes then stir in the cookie crumbs.
Now that the batter is ready, you'll fill each cupcake liner about ⅔ full and bake. I recommend setting your timer for 14 minutes. Depending on your pan and your oven, it might take 14 minutes or it could take a bit longer. Use a toothpick to determine when the cupcakes are done.
Frost and garnish the cupcakes:
Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, it's time get frost and garnish them. To make the mint frosting, you'll start by whipping the butter until it's light and fluffy.
Then, you'll add the remaining ingredients and whip for a couple minutes for a smooth and creamy consistency. Add the frosting to the cupcakes with a piping bag or a knife and garnish with additional cookies if desired.
Can I make cupcakes ahead of time and freeze them?
You bet!! Simply bake the cupcakes, let them cool completely, place them in resealable freezer bags (or tightly sealed containers) and freeze.
When you're ready to eat them, simply take them out of the freezer and let them come to room temperature. Then, frost, garnish and serve the cupcakes!
What can I make with leftover Girl Scout Cookies?
Raspberry Lemon Bread Pudding - This bread pudding uses Girl Scout Lemonade Cookies. It's actually a recipe I developed a few years ago and ended up as a winning entry in the Taste of Home magazine!
Make a Milkshake! You can use any cookie in place of the Oreos.
Samoas Truffles - Only three ingredients are needed for these tasty truffles!! Samoas are one of my favorites, so these truffles are right up my aley!
Mint Chocolate Cupcakes printable recipe below!
Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 24 thin chocolate mint cookies divided
- 1 c flour
- 1 c sugar
- 6 tablespoon cocoa powder sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ c vegetable oil
- ½ c buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ c hot coffee
Mint Buttercream and Garnishes
- 1 c salted butter room temperature
- 3 ½ c powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 drops green food coloring
- Additional cookies for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare cupcake tin with liners.
- Add a cookie to the bottom of each of the 16 cupcake liners.
- Place the remaining cookies into a bag and crush them into pea-sized crumbs. Set aside.
- Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda to your mixing bowl (I use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment). Stir until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, egg and vanilla. Once combined, add in the coffee slowly so you don't cook the eggs.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir slowly until combined. Then mix on high for two minutes, scraping the sides halfway through. Stir in the cookie crumbs.
- Fill cupcake liners about ⅔ full and bake for 14-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (A few crumbs sticking to the toothpick is fine, but you don't want it gooey).
- Cool in the pan for a few minutes then remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter for a minute or until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, milk, extract and coloring. Beat on high for 2 minutes. If the frosting is too thin, add additional powdered sugar (¼ c at a time). If it's too thick, add additional milk (1 teaspoon at a time). You can also add additional mint extract and/or coloring if you'd like.
- Use a knife or a piping bag to top the cooled cupcakes with frosting and garnish with additional cookies.
Recipe added to the Weekend Potluck.
LeeAnne C says
These cupcakes would be perfect for making with the kids as it would be a great way for them to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and their green.