Girl Scout Cookie lovers! Fret no more. I’ve paleo-ized the fan favorite Thin Mint for your guiltless snacking pleasure.
The Girl Scout cookie booths and door-to-door {flawless/brilliant/sadistic marketing} scheme may have come to a close, but if you’re like me, the cookies are still haunting you. I have sleeves of Thin Mints stashed in my freezer, boxes of Trefoils hiding in my pantry, and quite possibly a few stashes of Samoas hidden in the house for a rainy day. The problem is, I can’t say no!
I was a Girl Scout allllll the way to the end. I got my Gold Award {equivalent to an Eagle Scout for you newbs} and stayed on as an advisor through college. I love the organization and experienced it a little differently than its reputation sometimes grants. I opted for the rugged, camping, stargazing, bugs everywhere, cooking with fire, horseback riding, cookies galore, hold the glitter & macaroni art, service opportunities out the wazoo, public speaking Girl Scout experience. It was an empowering experience and one that I reflect on as foundational for who I am today.
As such, when I see a Girl Scout selling cookies, I MUST buy a box. I must. There’s no way around it. Ringing my doorbell (when I’m home) or setting up a booth at my grocery store is a guaranteed sale. My purchase, however, always comes with a pep talk revolving around their Gold Award plans, college plans, and professional dreams.
The poor Girl Scouts selling cookies have to put up with this person. Yep, that’s me …sporting mah minty pants! Thank goodness for colored denim and for mint fashion sticking it out in 2013. I hope the neon trend hangs on too. I don’t know if I’m ready for the 60’s fashion revival.
Anyways, I’ve been dreaming of the day that I feel confident enough in my paleo baking skills to try out a healthier version. Thanks to everyone who voted last week on my “Thin Mints” vs. “Trefoils” paleo remake contest on Facebook and Instagram!
Although the Thin Mints won by a landslide, I promise to perfect and share my Trefoil recipe. After all, Trefoils are my Dad’s favorite and tomorrow happens to be his birthday …a perfect excuse for a trial batch!
If you’re not familiar with the Girl Scout Thin Mint, I’ll (first wipe the shock off my face and then) explain…
Thin Mints are a glorious mint-flavored chocolate cookie coated in a thin, minty, velvety chocolate frosting. They’re really refreshing, addicting, and are especially tasty when frozen.
My paleo version hits the spot. I recommend you keep them in the refrigerator so that the chocolate coating stays firm.
Enjoy!
To start off, preheat your oven to 350 F. Then, combine all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. I used Ghirardelli’s 100% Natural Unsweetened Cocoa powder for the batter. In a separate bowl, melt the coconut oil into the honey (so that it has a more liquid consistency), whisk in the egg and the mint extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir until its texture is even.
Using a melon scooper or spoon (of about 1 Tbl) scoop and place the cookie dough balls on either parchment paper or a Sil-Pad lined baking sheet.
To flatten the cookies into their “thin” size, cut a square of parchment paper to place on top of each dough ball. Using the bottom of a glass or bowl, press down to flatten the cookies.
Bake at 350 F for 13 minutes. Note: I recommend you check the cookies at about minute 11 to ensure they don’t burn … different ovens heat differently. The cookies will be soft when you take them out. Let them rest for at least 15 minutes to harden and cool before you frost them.
While the cookies are resting, begin the frosting with a double boiler. In a small/medium-sized saucepan, heat about 1” of water to a light boil. Place a glass bowl on top of the pot and fill with the dark chocolate chips. Stir constantly until they’re completely melted.
Add in the coconut milk and mint extract. Keep stirring until it’s nice and creamy.
Remove from the heat and place the cookies individually in the frosting. Using a couple forks, flip and drain the cookies over the frosting bowl.
You can either place the cookies over wire-cooling racks so that they may further drain or on parchment paper. In the example here, I used the wire racks. With this method, the cookies stuck somewhat to the racks. Next time I make these, I’m going to use parchment paper.
Place the freshly frosted cookies in the refrigerator. Let them cool/set for at least 1 hour.
Enjoy and store in the fridge!
Paleo Thin Mint Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 3 cups Sifted Fine Almond Meal like Bob’s Red Mill
- 4 tablespoons 100% Natural Unsweetened Cocoa I prefer Ghirardelli
- 1/8 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/3 cup Honey
- 2 tablespoons Liquid Coconut Oil
- ½ teaspoon Mint Extract
- 1 Egg
Frosting:
- 2 cups Dark Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk
- ½ teaspoon Mint Extract
Instructions
Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Combine all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, melt the coconut oil into the honey (so that it has a more liquid consistency), then whisk in the egg and the mint extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until its texture is even.
- Using a melon scooper or spoon (of about 1 Tbl) scoop and place the cookie dough balls on either parchment paper or a Sil-Pad lined baking sheet.
- To flatten the cookies into their “thin” size, cut a square of parchment paper to place on top of each dough ball. Using the bottom of a glass or bowl, press down to flatten the cookies.
- Bake at 350 F for 13 minutes.
- Note: I recommend you check the cookies at about minute 11 to ensure they don’t burn … different ovens heat differently.
- The cookies will be soft when you take them out. Let them rest for at least 15 minutes to harden and cool before you frost them.
Frosting:
- While the cookies are resting, begin the frosting with a double boiler. In a small/medium-sized saucepan, heat about 1” of water to a light boil. Place a glass bowl on top of the pot and fill with the dark chocolate chips.
- Stir constantly until they’re completely melted.
- Add in the coconut milk and mint extract then stir.
- Remove from the heat and place the cookies individually in the frosting.
- Using a couple forks, flip and drain the cookies over the frosting bowl.
- You can either place the cookies over wire-cooling racks so that they may further drain or on parchment paper.
- Note: In the example here, I used the wire racks. With this method, the cookies stuck somewhat to the racks. Next time I make these, I’m going to use parchment paper.
- Place the freshly frosted cookies in the refrigerator. Let them cool/set for at least 1 hour.
- Store in the fridge and enjoy!
Nutrition
Is there any way this recipe can be adapted to use coconut flour or another gluten free flour if you’re allergic to almonds? I know you can’t make a straight 1:1 substitution. Usually I just don’t bother but I love thin mints and would like to try this recipe. Anyone else have the same issue with almond flour?
Hi Shirley! We haven’t tried it with a substitute, but I would think another nut flour would work just fine. I am thinking maybe cashew or pecan. I don’t think coconut flour will work as it is a lot more absorbent than almond. Please let us know if you try something else and it works!
wow these were great! My fiancé inhaled them! Instead of coconut milk, I just used the chocolate chips, coconut oil and peppermint oil. They were great! Usually gluten free recipes never work out, but I’ve made these twice! Definitely my new go to dessert!
So glad you liked them Cami! Bonus for the fiancé loving them as well. Thanks for trying them out!
Hi, I am wanting to try these. I can’t have eggs, do you think I could sub a gelatin egg instead?
Hi Lindy Lou! The recipe hasn’t been tested with a gelatin egg, so we are unsure if it will work, but feel free to try it. If it does work, report back and let us know so others know they can use it as well.
I have peppermint extract. Is that the same thing?
Hi Heather, yes the same thing!
These look amazing! I was wondering if I would be able to use mint leaves (the kind that they sell in the spice aisle in a little jar) instead of extract since that is all that I have? Thanks!
Hi Laurie, I am not sure if that would work as peppermint extract is liquid form and is quite strong in flavor. If you do try it, let us know how they turn out.
These are delicious! The only change I made was to the frosting. Instead of choc chips I used 3/4 cup melted coconut oil, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup (I imagine honey would work, too), 3/4 tsp peppermint extract (might add more next time) and about 1/2 cup of the coconut milk. I’ve been storing mine in the freezer and the frosting hardened perfectly. Not sure how they would do in the fridge. Also, my oven must bake fast b/c even at 8 minutes the bottoms got a bit too brown so I’ll reduce it to 5-7 minutes next time.
Love your rendition of the frosting! Glad you are enjoying them Erin!
Any chance you know the nutrition information on these?
Hi Ashley! No, I do not calculate the nutrition information, but feel free to add the ingredients to a free online nutrition calculator.
These look wonderful and I want to make them for my son (he’s type 1 but should get great treats every now and then). Do you happen to know a carb count on them?
Hi Susan! No, I do not calculate the nutrition information, but feel free to add the ingredients to a free online nutrition calculator and it should calculate all that for you.
These taste good, but the frosting is too wet — even in the freezer it did not harden. Next time I would certainly just add some coconut oil to the chocolate chips — maybe even just use coconut oil/cocoa/Stevia. Consequently, since the frosting is so soft, the crispy cookie is also softer than I was hoping for. As I said, they taste really good, just kind of sticky.
Oh my goodness!! I have used another recipe for these cookies, but this one looks much better! I’ll be trying these out soon:D
Awesome! I hope you love them.
Hello,
What brand of chocolate chips did you use? 🙂
Hi Prissilla! I tend to use either Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips or, if I’m out of ELCC, I use a dark Ghirardelli.
I’ve tried this recipe twice now, and both time the “frosting didn’t harden on the cookies… It’s very soft. Any ideas as to why this is happening?
Hi Melissa! A lot of different factors can be at play – temperature, altitude, chocolate content, etc. You can try reducing the amount of coconut milk or just replace altogether with a tablespoon of coconut oil – it will give it a glossy sheen and hopefully will harden for you! Hope that helps.
Maybe I could use gluten free all purpose flour from Bobs Redmill? Or maybe another nut meal?
Hi Lneill! You can try all purpose flour or another nut flour. I haven’t tried with anything else, but it’d be worth an experiment!
Oh I see my response now 🙂 Sorry for the confusion!
Can I use something else instead of almond meal because I’m allergic? I love the rest
Waiting for your reply…. Thanks so much
Hi Lneill!! I’m so sorry I missed this comment. If you’re not sensitive to seeds, you could try substituting with flour made from ground sunflower seeds! Hope that helps.
Didn’t care for the Pepsid ad…..not a healthy product.
Hi Jan! Thank you for your comment. For the time being, I work with an independent advertising company and have no control over the ads. This Fall, however, I am transitioning to a new platform that will give me ultimate control. I will filter the ads so that they’re all relevant to our high standard for health and well being. Again, thank you for your feedback. It gives me one more reason to be excited about the transition!