The aroma of these Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies begins before the first bite. Infused with fresh mint steeped in real butter, each cookie delivers a refreshing yet comforting twist on the classic chocolate chip favorite. The result is a chewy, sweet, and slightly herbal treat that feels homemade in the best way possible.
Perfect for small gatherings or an afternoon snack for two, these cookies are a celebration of seasonal garden flavors meeting timeless dessert tradition. Whether you grow your own mint or pick some up at the market, you’ll love the simple elegance of these cookies fresh, nostalgic, and a little bit magical.
Full Recipe:
Ingredients:
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1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
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1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
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1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
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1/2 cup granulated sugar
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1 large egg, at room temperature
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
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Heaping 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
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In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat with the chopped mint. Swirl occasionally. Once fragrant (after 2–3 minutes), remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes.
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Strain the butter, pressing the leaves to extract all liquid. Discard leaves.
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Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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In a stand mixer bowl, beat the infused butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and creamy (3–5 minutes).
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Add the egg and vanilla; beat for 1 more minute.
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In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
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Slowly add dry ingredients to the butter mixture while mixing. Scrape down bowl as needed.
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Mix in chocolate chips until just combined.
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Wrap dough in plastic, flatten into a disk, and chill for 1 hour.
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Divide dough into 12 equal balls and space 6 per baking sheet.
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Bake for 11–12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.
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Let cookies cool on sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 11 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 31 minutes
Kcal: 165 kcal per cookie | Servings: 12 cookies
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Garden-Fresh Twist on a Classic Favorite
There’s something universally comforting about a chocolate chip cookie. The crispy edges, gooey centers, and bursts of chocolate are more than just a dessert they’re an emotional anchor, a bite-sized reminder of home. But what if you could elevate that experience just a little? What if the classic chocolate chip cookie was kissed with something fresh, vibrant, and just a bit unexpected?
Enter: Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies made with fresh mint a thoughtful, small-batch recipe by Dessert for Two that’s not only delicious but artfully crafted for flavor, creativity, and a sense of cozy minimalism.
These cookies aren’t your average mint flavored treats relying on extracts or artificial flavoring. Instead, they’re infused with real mint leaves, steeped into melted butter, which adds a subtle yet stunning herbal note to the dough. It’s a clever technique that feels more farm to table than supermarket shelf. It makes all the difference, creating a cookie that’s simultaneously nostalgic and gourmet.
The Story Behind the Recipe
This recipe is inspired by a cookbook from Andrea Bemis, the voice behind Dishing Up the Dirt, and interpreted beautifully by Christina Lane of Dessert for Two. Both women bring a down-to-earth, farm-fresh approach to cooking and baking, which makes this recipe feel especially genuine. Imagine wandering out to your herb garden, clipping a handful of mint, and creating a cookie dough that feels fresh, fragrant, and indulgent all at once.
There’s romance in that image not the cliché kind, but the grounded, satisfying kind. It’s the feeling of bringing nature into your kitchen, combining it with staples like butter and sugar, and turning the whole thing into something your friends and family will talk about long after the last crumb is gone.
What makes Dessert for Two’s version particularly special is its intention: it’s scaled down to produce just one dozen cookies, perfect for couples, roommates, or solo bakers who want a sweet fix without the aftermath of dozens of leftovers.
The Fresh Mint Difference
Mint is one of those herbs that’s often misunderstood in baking. While peppermint extract is commonly used for bold, punchy flavor in wintery desserts, fresh mint is more nuanced grassy, cooling, subtly floral. Infusing it into butter allows the oils in the leaves to release slowly and evenly, offering a mellow yet distinct minty undertone that pairs beautifully with semi-sweet chocolate.
The technique of steeping the mint in melted butter borrows from herbal tea-making and even perfumery. It’s a sensory step that perfumes your kitchen as much as your ingredients, and that’s part of the magic here. This is a cookie that invites you to slow down and participate not just dump and stir, but infuse and savor.
The result isn’t overwhelmingly minty. Instead, it’s a whisper of mint behind every bite of chocolate. Think of it as the herbal cousin to your go to chocolate chip cookie fresher, brighter, and a touch more grown-up.
Why Small-Batch Baking Matters
In a world obsessed with big batches, bigger yields, and freezer stocking recipes, small-batch baking offers something wonderfully different: restraint, balance, and intention. Christina Lane has built an entire brand around this concept, and for good reason. Not only does it prevent food waste, but it also keeps your baking flexible and approachable.
These cookies are ideal when:
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You want a quick weekend treat without tons of prep.
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You’re baking for just yourself or a loved one.
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You want to experiment with fresh herbs or premium chocolate without committing to a large-scale bake.
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You crave something that tastes like it came from a local bakery but from your own oven.
Small-batch recipes encourage creativity without the pressure. You can swap out elements, try new techniques, and tweak portions without worrying about ruining three dozen cookies.
Flavor Profile & Texture
Let’s talk texture because it’s not just about flavor with these cookies. The texture is classic chocolate chip cookie: slightly crisp edges with soft, chewy centers. The brown sugar lends moisture and depth, while the chill time ensures the cookies spread just the right amount.
The semi-sweet chocolate chips balance out the herbal, grassy note of the mint. There’s a comforting rhythm in each bite: buttery, sweet, slightly salty, chocolatey, and then that cool hint of mint comes through, elevating the entire experience.
These cookies don’t hit you with a candy cane level mint blast. Instead, they build on layers. If traditional chocolate chip cookies are a crowd-pleaser, these are their sophisticated sibling wearing garden boots and sipping herbal tea.
Creative Variations and Serving Ideas
While this recipe is perfect as written, it’s also incredibly versatile. Here are a few ways to customize or pair these cookies:
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Add texture with chopped walnuts or pecans.
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Boost the mint by folding in chopped chocolate-mint bars or a sprinkle of mint sugar on top before baking.
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Go gourmet by sandwiching two cookies with mint chocolate ganache or even mint chip ice cream for an elevated ice cream sandwich.
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Serve warm with a glass of cold milk, a cup of matcha, or even an herbal tea to echo the mint notes.
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Dress them up by drizzling melted dark chocolate on top and garnishing with micro mint leaves for a plated dessert feel.
Storage Tips
If you somehow manage not to devour all twelve cookies immediately, they store beautifully in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. That said, their texture is best within the first 24 hours.
You can also portion the dough into balls and freeze them raw, then bake them straight from the freezer adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time. This makes it even easier to have fresh, warm cookies on demand without baking the whole batch at once.
Conclusion:
What makes these Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies so compelling is not just their flavor, but their philosophy. They represent a return to intentional baking where you’re invited to engage your senses, appreciate your ingredients, and bake only what you need.
Whether you’re harvesting mint from your own garden or picking up a small bundle at the farmers’ market, this recipe connects you to the season, your ingredients, and your home kitchen in a deeper way. It’s a conversation between sweet and herbal, indulgent and refreshing, classic and new.
Ultimately, these cookies are more than a dessert. They’re a celebration of slowing down, savoring the process, and creating joy in smaller portions. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll bookmark not just because it’s good but because it feels right.