Copycat Gluten-Free Thin Mints

When Girl Scout season comes around, I’m become a jealous green monster. I wish I could enjoy my favorite cookie, Thin Mints, again, but alas, they contain gluten. Instead of being sad I can’t eat Thin Mints, I decided to make my own. Thin Mints is a registered trademark of the Girl Scouts of America and the organization is not affiliated with this post. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.

I used to adore Girl Scout cookie season for the sheer fact that it was my one time of year to stock up on Thin Mints.

These cookies were my one and only Girl Scout cookie, the apple of my cookie-buying eye.

Of course, if you’re reading this blog, you know that I have celiac disease, and not being able to eat gluten has put a real damper on Girl Scout cookie season.

Ironically, the Girl Scouts have tried to accommodate the gluten-free community with a couple of gluten-free Girl Scout cookie options.

They offer Caramel Chocolate Chip cookies and Toffee-tastic cookies, which you can read more about in this article. While it’s a nice gesture to try and accommodate the GF community, neither cookie is all that good, and none hold a candle to Thin Mints.

TIP!  If you don’t feel like making your own Thin Mints, try Mint Slims by Goodie Girls

How to Make Gluten-Free Thin Mints

One of my favorite blogs, Sally’s Baking Addiction, has a wonderful Thin Mint Cookie recipe. The recipe is not gluten free, but I was able to easily recreate her recipe using my trusty Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend.

That said, let’s walk through how to make this classic, totally satisfying Thin Mint cookie sans gluten.

Step #1: Gather Your Ingredients

To make these copycat gluten-free Thin Mint cookies, you’ll need a few ingredients:

For the cookie dough, you’ll need:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 200 grams Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend, approximately 1.5 cups, spoon and leveled
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt pinch

And for the chocolate coating, you’ll need:

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp avocado oil or other vegetable oil
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract

Step #2: Make the Cookies

Now you’re ready to make the round cookie that is the center of a Thin Mint.

Start by beating the butter for one minute in a large bowl using your handheld or standing mixer until it’s smooth and creamy. Add sugar and continue mixing on medium-high speed, then add egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract and mix until well combined. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Then add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until the flour is fully incorporated. The dough will come together when handled but it looks a little crumbly in the bowl.

Divide the dough into two equal-sized balls so you can work the dough in batches.

Use your rolling pin to flatten each ball between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper until about 1/4″ thickness. Put rolled out flat dough in your refrigerator to chill for 1 hour or up to two days. Make sure it is covered with plastic wrap if you’re chilling longer than 1 hour.

Once chilled, preheat your oven to 350º F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a 1-1.5″ round cookie cutter, cut out cookies into small circles and place each cookie on the lined baking sheets about 1″ apart. Re-roll remaining dough. You should have about 40+ cookies depending on the size of the circles and thickness of the dough.

Bake cookies for 8 minutes. If cookies are on two baking sheets, place one baking sheet in the fridge to keep cool before baking. Do not over bake. The dough should still be a bit soft to the touch.

Keep in mind that depending on the thickness of the cookie, they may spread/expand a bit, but generally they keep their shape and size just fine.

Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step #3: Coat Each Cookie with Chocolate

Now for the fun part, covering the cookies with a delicious and shiny chocolate coating.

Start by melting the chocolate and vegetable oil in a large microwave safe bowl, mixing the chocolate every 15-30 seconds until melted. Add some peppermint extract after the chocolate has melted and mix well. Remember, a little peppermint extract goes a long way.

Now coat each cookie with the melted chocolate. Use a fork to scoop up the cookie from the melted chocolate and bang off excess chocolate and remove any air bubbles from the top of the coating.

Place each coated cookie on a parchment-lined baking sheet to cool and set. Coat each cookie individually until all cookies are covered in chocolate.

Step #4: Wait for the Chocolate to Set

Allow the chocolate to set on the cookies before enjoying them. The chocolate will harden, even at room temperature, but if you’re anxious to eat the cookies sooner, place them in your fridge for 15 minutes.

I don’t have much fridge space to spare, so I leave mine out until the chocolate sets, then I put them in a zip top bag to store in my freezer. You can store the cookies in your fridge or freezer, but I recommend the freezer for maximum enjoyment. I used to store Thin Mints in the freezer year round!

How Do They Taste?

Dare I say that these gluten-free Thin Mints taste better than Girl Scout Thin Mints? I don’t know if that’s blasphemy, but these are seriously good cookies and you’ll be in heaven now that you’ve baked this beloved cookie from scratch at home.

The cookies are slightly crunchy and even have a bit of a chewy texture, which I like and prefer. The chocolate coating is generous, and the peppermint flavor is present in every single bite!

Don’t feel like making your own gluten-free Thin Mints? Want a store bought Thin Mint option? Try Goodie Girl Mint Cookies. The cookies are delicious, although I like my homemade version just a little better.

A Word to the Wise

Here are answers to some of your most pressing questions:

Can I make this dairy free? Yes, just use a dairy-free butter and dairy-free chocolate chips.

Can I make this egg free? I haven’t tried, but I imagine it would work. Try using a flax egg (1 tbsp flax mixed with 3 tbsp water). Let me know if it works for you (results may vary).

How do I store the cookies? In your fridge or freezer. The chocolate may melt a bit or soften if left on your counter.

Help, my cookies spread! If your cookies spread during the baking process, it means you did not properly chill the dough. Chilled dough will not spread.

I don’t have 1-1.5″ cookie cutters. I suggest investing in some, or simply cut out the cookie shapes by hand. You could also cut them into small hearts for Valentine’s Day. You can also use a larger cookie cutter, but you’ll have huge cookies. The chocolate adds quite a bit of bulk to each cookie. They may look small after they bake, but they look giant after getting coached with chocolate.

What Girl Scout Cookies are gluten free? You can enjoy Caramel Chocolate Chip or Toffee-tastic. Read my review for each cookie in this article.

How many Thin Mints do I have to eat until I get thin? Despite their name, Thin Mints will not make you thin. But they sure do make you happy!