Homemade Thin Mints — These homemade Thin Mints require just 4 ingredients, and no one ever guesses what the “secret ingredient” is! Perfect for cookie swaps and potlucks!
Copycat Girl Scout Thin Mints
Thin Mints are those Girl Scout Cookies that I can eat an entire tube of in a sitting. Oh, you too?
I decided to try my hand at a homemade, no-bake, vegan version of Thin Mints. They should be called Thin Mints Cheater’s Mints. No-bake and so easy.
What’s the catch, you’re wondering? Ritz Crackers.
I promise these homemade Thin Mints don’t taste like crackers. The crackers provide a neutral base layer, nice crunch, and are a dead-ringer in size and shape for what will become cookies.
When they’re drenched in mint-flavored chocolate, you won’t know it’s a cracker or care that it started out as a cracker.
These copycat Girl Scout Thin Mints taste incredibly close to the real thing and take all of 15 minutes to make!
Ingredients in Homemade Thin Mints
These homemade chocolate Thin Mint cookies call for just four ingredients:
- Ritz crackers
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Vegetable shortening
- Peppermint extract
How to Make Thin Mints at Home
This is the easiest Thin Mint cookie recipe ever! Here’s an overview of how the no-bake cookies are made:
- Melt the chocolate and shortening.
- Add peppermint extract to the melted chocolate and get ready to dip.
- Place dipped crackers, which I now think of as cookies, on parchment paper. (Food goes from cracker status to cookie status the minute chocolate is involved.)
- Wait for the chocolate to solidify and firm up before digging in.
Baking Tip
I highly recommend adding a tablespoon of shortening for any chocolate dipping projects because it keeps the chocolate smooth, viscous, and much less likely to get that hard-before-you-want-it-to and clumpy consistency.
How to Quickly Firm Up the Chocolate Coating
Because of the shortening, it could take a half hour or more at room temperature for the chocolate to solidify, especially if you decide to do this project on an 80-degree day in the middle of summer without running your air.
Pop the tray in the refrigerator or freezer to speed things up. I like homemade Thin Mints better chilled anyway and store them in the freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve never made these copycat Girl Scout Thin Mints with anything other than peppermint extract, so I can’t say for sure.
I’ve only made this recipe as written, but some readers have reported success using coconut oil or vegetable oil in place of the shortening.
Yes, although semi-sweet chocolate chips are a must if you want to make true Thin Mint copycats.
I’m sure you could easily make these gluten-free by using a gluten-free Ritz Cracker alternative.
There are different kinds of mint extracts available and are labeled as “mint,” “peppermint,” “spearmint,” and more.
For this recipe, I used store-brand (Kroger/Ralph’s) “peppermint extract” sold in a small 1-ounce bottle. Select the version of “mint” you think sounds best as not all types are available in all areas.
Can You Taste That It’s A Ritz Cracker?
In a word, no. No one who has ever tried these ever guesses that it’s a Ritz Cracker.
The only thing that may give it away is that it’s of course golden in color rather than chocolate-colored like real Girl Scout Thin Mints. So after biting in and examining, yes, there are some clues, but if you did it blindfolded, no clues at all.
It’s actually so amazing that the cracker has an extremely similar texture to Thin Mints, and even though you’d think it’s too buttery tasting or too salty, after being dipped in the mint chocolate mixture, the crackers work amazingly well.
I have always made these with the original version of Ritz although now they have a reduced sodium version you could try. The salt content in the regular crackers I find though is perfect with chocolate.
Chocolate always tastes better to me with a hint of salt.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover Thin Mints in an airtight container in the refrigerator for many weeks.
In the freezer, I estimate that these could be kept for 3 to 6 months successfully.
Tips for Making Copycat Thin Mints
Be sure to place the chocolate-dipped crackers onto a parchment paper- or wax paper-lined baking tray. If you don’t line the tray, these cookies will never come off cleanly!
If desired, you can omit the shortening from this recipe. However, you may want to melt the chocolate in batches otherwise it may harden up before you can dip all the crackers into it.
Lastly, note that mint extract is much, much more potent than vanilla extract. 1 teaspoon of mint extract has an extreme amount of potency compared with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
You cannot un-do mint once it’s added so be very, very careful to not over do it and end up with a bottle of Listerine-tasting food.
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Homemade Thin Mints
Ingredients
- 18 Ritz Crackers
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
- 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening, optional but recommended
- ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract*
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or wax paper; set aside. Clear out a spot in your refrigerator or freezer to accommodate baking sheet.
- In a shallow microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and shortening (the shortening helps the chocolate stay smooth when using it for dipping; it prevents that thick and gloppy, chocolate getting hard before you want it to phenomenon) and heat for 1 minute on high power to melt. Stir and heat in 10- to 15-second bursts until chocolate can be stirred very smooth.
- To the melted chocolate add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract* and stir. If you prefer it mintier, add another 1/4 teaspoon. I used 3/4 teaspoon in total, but because all brands and taste preferences differ, taste your chocolate and add peppermint to taste.
- Add 1 cracker to the chocolate, coat it, and remove it by lightly scooping it up from the underside with a fork, allowing excess chocolate to drain off through fork tines. Place cracker on parchment and repeat with all remaining crackers. If necessary, re-heat the chocolate in 10- to 15-second bursts if it starts getting too firm for smooth dipping.
- After all crackers have been dipped, place baking sheet in refrigerator. Although these will solidify at room temperature, the shortening in the chocolate lengthens the amount of time that will take; the fridge or freezer helps speed it up.
- Store extra Thin Mints in an airtight container in the refrigerator for many weeks. In the freezer, I estimate that these could be kept for 3 to 6 months successfully.
Notes
- *Note: Mint extract is much, much more potent than vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon of mint extract has an extreme amount of potency compared with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. You cannot un-do mint once added so be very, very careful to not over-do it and end up with a bottle of Listerine-tasting food.
- There are different kinds of mint extracts available and are labeled as “mint, “peppermint”, “spearmint” and more. For this recipe I used store-brand (Kroger/Ralph’s) “peppermint extract” sold in a small 1 ounce bottle. Select the version of “mint” you think sounds best as not all types are available in all areas.
- Recipe inspiration from Kraft.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Mint Dessert Recipes:
Peppermint Patty Chocolate Cookies — These cookies are fudgy and full of rich chocolate flavor thanks to both cocoa powder and chocolate chips. There are peppermint patties on the top for a burst of minty fresh flavor.
The Best Peppermint Chocolate Cake — I love this cake because it’s a fast, easy, one-bowl, no-mixer recipe that delivers amazing results every time without being fussy or complicated. The cake is soft, moist, decadently chocolaty, and perfectly pepperminty!
Fudgy Mint Chocolate Brookies — Chocolate and mint are a match made in holiday baking heaven. Especially when the result is a brookie: part rich, fudgy brownie with chewy edges; part soft and chewy chocolate cookie.
Andes Mint Brownies — The brownies have a box of 28 Andes diced and stirred into the batter, and another box of 28 mints that are diced on top. If you like mint, you’re going love these!
Chocolate Chip Andes Mint Cookies— These quadruple chocolate Andes mint cookies are big, bakery-style cookies that are rich, not overly sweet, and loaded with chocolate and mint chips.
Candy Cane Blossom Sugar Cookies — We’ve all had Peanut Butter Blossoms and these cookies are the holiday version The cookies are soft, chewy, covered in red sprinkles and there’s a Candy Cane Hershey Kiss in the center.
Triple Layer Fudgy Mint Oreo Brownies — These layered brownies are loaded with rich textures and flavors, from the dense fudgy brownies layer, to the soft, fluffy minty layer, with oodles of crushed Mint Oreos throughout.
Originally published July 29, 2012 and republished March 4, 2020 with updated text.
The cool thing about these… if I make them, I get them all to myself because my husband does not like mint!
LOL! Enjoy your tube/sleeve then, all to yourself :)
THank you for this! I have been wanting this recipe for years. Someone made these years ago for me at Christmas and I could NOT believe how closely they resembled my favorite Thin Mints!
I am so glad that you found it then. I know how it is when you’re searching for something for years and finally you find it. Hope you enjoy them! :)
Hi! Thank you so much for this great thin mint recipe! I have my second batch this week in the fridge now chillin’ :) Everyone has just loved them, and actually had some believe I didn’t make them either; that I had bought these cookies instead! Thanks again for a quick and delish thin mint recipe.
Now that is awesome! I mean, in the best possible way: “… actually had some believe I didn’t make them either; that I had bought these cookies instead!…”
Wow, that’s impressive and clearly you got the dipping part down pat so they must have been all smooth and pretty and fabulous! Love it!
Well, I’m a chocolate pretzel dipper from way back so it’s pretty much the same technique-lol! Also put one of those rubber jar openers under my glass bowl to keep it in place–makes it even quicker. Thanks for your nice reply and so happy to find you–have all ready pinned another recipe to try:)
Well you just have all the little tricks in place, don’t you! Love anything that makes life easier…I am all about that!
Keep me posted with other things you make and how it goes for you!
I actually did use shortening, and they were less messy today after being in the fridge over night. I will definitely be making these again.
Ok good to know they firmed up! Dealing with choc chips for dipping projects can be a pain. I agree! Candiquik is pretty magical :) I don’t ever call for it b/c not everyone wants to buy it, whereas choc chips are much easier to come by and I get less questions :)
I made the thin mints tonight and they are delicious. The only thing I may do different next time is not use chocolate chips. They melt way to fast. I think I’ll use candi quik next time.
Choc chips are a pain to work with in this application unless you add 1 tbsp of vegetable shortening, which is really what is in candi quik to give it that smooth ‘n melty, and stays soft til you’re ready, quality. In applications like this, 1 tbsp of shortening is just a lifesaver! But glad to hear they were a success and delish & thanks for the feedback!
Ritz crackers are not vegan so I wouldn’t label these as vegan.
They most definitely ARE vegan
https://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/accidentally-vegan.aspx
I found this on pinterest and I am so glad!! I made these tonight and they are awesome!! I can’t believe how easy they are to make. Now I don’t have to wait until Girl Scout cookie season :) Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
So glad you found me and it’s both a blessing and a curse to be able to make Thin Mints at home, isn’t it :)
so i get the chocolate and mint but it dosent say what you use for the green in the middle?? what is that
There is no green in the middle of anything in this post. These are homemade Thin Mints made from Ritz, chocolate, and mint. It’s all in the recipe section of the post how to make them.
Yeah I was thinking the same, looking at the second picture from the top. I think the Ritz crackers maybe took on a green hue from the reflection of the plate.
These sound so yummy! I used to eat thin mints cookies all the time (Girl Scout one being the best) but now that I am a Celiac finding any good cookie is a challange. Does anyone know if the GF crackers would work? I can’t find any to resemble the taste of a yummy ritz cracker, but are they used just for the texture or ritz flavor? There are some crackers that resemble ritz but are very tasteless.
I say try the ‘crackers that resemble ritz but are very tasteless’ – you have nothing to lose if that’s your only option!
I make these using andies candies melted in the microwave at 30 second intervals till melted then dip in crackers in melted candy.
These were delicious and super easy. I was surprised by the ritz crackers but they worked perfectly. My two year old loved them. I’ve made some of your other cookies and they were delicious as well. In one recipe I changed it a little and added mint and chocolate chips and added a melted Andes mint on top. Really yummy! Thanks so much for your blog. I’m trying another dessert this weekend and definitely will be trying your tofu recipes. Thanks and keep up the good work!!
So glad you and the 2-year old loved them :) And that you’ve tried some of my other cookie recipes with great success…love getting comments like this! And thanks for reading and making things!
Better idea for the thin mints, just go out get ritz and andes mint chocolates. Melt the chocolate, dip in ritz, set on wax paper, let harden, eat. Mint and chocolate already done for you in perfect combination.
#experience
Just in case no one has mentioned this.
If one wants this to be true Vegan, then one must read the label of the chocolate chips. A lot of brands will have milk, milk solids added to the chips… even dark chocolate.
Vegan Choc Chips are available.
I only mention because I’ve noticed that Vegan seems to be the latest dietary bandwagon that many (especially manufacturers) have jumped upon (like gluten free) when the product might not be a true Vegan.
I’ve been a Vegan since long before it “hit the main stream” (Hollywood trend) so have been aware how difficult it can be to find Vegan items in a “traditional” supermarket. Especially with name brands. That’s the only reason for my caution.
reading labels and using caution to make sure all ingredients used are appropriate for one’s needs is good common sense in anything, of course!