Andes Mint Cookies

I can't wait for you to make these cookies! I HAD to share this recipe! While I was laboring in the hospital, my friend Kelsey brought me some of these cookies! There was a cookie swap at the church the day I went into labor, so obviously I missed it. It was like missing trick-or-treating for me; not only do we eat the cookies, we give some away to special ladies. So sad! Your church should do one of these! Here's a link to a past cookie swap just in case you need ideas to spread the love in your community!

If you know anything about me and my four sisters...

(this is the five of us minus the girl on the bottom right)
...one thing we all have in common is that we are obsessed with chocolate mint! You could even substitute the mint for Reese's Cups... if you're one of those crazy people who doesn't like mint. I'll never understand that.

here's what some of the batter looks like....mmm!

There are a few tricks that I'd like to tell you about before you get started! First, you have to refrigerate the dough for at least an hour before baking them! Always read a recipe in full before you make something, it's like studying for a test! I didn't read a whole recipe beforehand one time and it said to place the cake in an non preheated oven... my oven was a HUGE mess! Haha! Also, you'll need to unwrap all of the mints before you put the cookies in the oven because otherwise you won't have enough time. After the mints sit on the cookie and melt, I found that it was easier to use a plastic spoon to spread the chocolate because it was lighter and the chocolate didn't harden as fast since metal spoons are cold. One last tip, do not make these on an empty stomach! 

from Allrecipes.com:

Andes Mint Cookies

3/4 cup butter (NOT margerine)

1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used Nestle)

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 packages of Andes Mints

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, butter and water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from heat, stir in the chocolate chips until melted and set aside to cool for 10 minutes

Pour the chocolate mixture into a large bowl, and beat in the eggs, one at a time. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll cookie dough into walnut sized balls and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, be careful not to overbake. When cookies come out of the oven, Press one mint wafer into the top of each cookie and let sit for 1 minute. When the mint is softened, swirl with the back of a spoon or toothpick to make a pattern with the green filling of the mint wafer. For smaller cookies, break mints in half.