Ultimate Grasshopper Cookies!

     Can you even look at that without your mouth watering?  If you look closely you will see chocolate chips in the deep chocolate cookie and you might also notice that the chocolate on top is melted semi-sweet chocolate with butter added to give it creamy soft melt in your mouth goodness!  Then the mint...oh the mint!  This really is the Ultimate!

     You don't have to wait any longer because I will give you the recipe right now.  And you can rest easy because these are very easy to make in fact they start with a shhhhhh!  (Cake mix).  We don't have to let that little secret out now do we?  

       I have to say that when I found these cookies on Your Cup of Cake I had reason to celebrate.  I was looking for a cookie that would be fancy enough for a friends wedding. We  also needed one that had  mint color in it because that is one of the wedding colors.  This cookie fit the bill and is one of my new favorite cookies too! The flavor is amazing! Thanks Lizzy from Your Cup of Cake!  I did make a couple of changes in the frosting and adapted the recipe somewhat so here it is!

Ultimate Grasshopper Cookies

1 box Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (16.5 oz).
2 eggs (room temperature- set in a cup of warm water for 5 minutes)
1/2 cup real butter - melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup milk chocolate chips

     Mix all ingredient together in a bowl with a spoon.  Use a medium cookie scoop to form dough and place 2" apart on a silpat mat or parchment paper placed on a cookie sheet.  Cook 9 to10 minutes and remove promptly.  Cool until firm enough to move to a cooling rack.  This will produce a cookie that is firm and slightly flat.  I like this because it makes a good surface
to put all the layers of icing and chocolate topping and mints.

*** If you like a rounder, softer cookie do not melt the butter but instead bring it to room temperature and add it that way.  Also do not add the brown sugar, it makes the cookie spread more and the cookie will be more rounded if you leave it out. I made this recipe both ways doing everything else exactly the same.  Here are the results:

 

American Buttercream Frosting

2/3 cup Crisco shortening
1/3 cup butter (room temperature)
1 lb. powdered sugar (approx. 4 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla (good quality)
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
2 to 3 Tablespoons milk
green food coloring (I used Wilton leaf green paste) 

     Whip butter and shortening with a wisk attachment until smooth and light yellow.  (about 1 minute).  Change to paddle attachment. 

Add 1 cup pdr. sugar and mix it in.  Add another cup pdr sugar and mix it in. 
Add vanilla and peppermint.  
Add 1 Tablespoon milk and mix. 
Add 2 more cups pdr. sugar beating each in separately.  
Add one more Tablespoon milk and mix. 
Add amount of food coloring desired and mix. 
Add remaining milk if you want your icing to be thinner.  (I only add 2 total Tablespoons of milk).   
Cover icing bowl with a damp towel until ready to use.  Recipe from Glorious Treats.

Chocolate Topping

1 1/2 cup Semi sweet Chocolate Chips. (I used Costco 80% Cacao semi sweet chips)
1/4 cup butter

Melt both together in the microwave in a bowl.  Start with heating on high for 30 seconds and then stir.  Continue heating and stirring every 15 seconds until smooth .

After cookies have completely cooled, use a decorating bag and round tip to pipe the mint icing onto the cookie leaving about 1/8 to 1/4 inch of the cookie top showing around the outside border.  Use a knife to spread the icing evenly but leave the outside ring untouched so that it is smooth and even.  When chocolate has cooled to just warm use a spoon to set a small amount on top.  Spread with a knife leaving about 1/8 inch border of green icing.  Sprinkle Andes Mints pieces on top while chocolate is still tacky but not too warm or mints will melt.

This recipe has been shared on the following sites:



Anyonita's Nibbles
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