(or Green and Gold Leprechaun Cookies for St Patrick’s Day!)
Sweeten your day with our Irish inspired Lucky Mint Chocolate Cookies recipe! If you love gooey fudgy cookies and a chocolate mint combo – these are the bomb. They’re finished off with a semi-sweet chocolate ganache for a top-notch sweet snacking experience. Perfect for a St Patrick’s day treat or leprechaun lure or any time of the year you’re craving mint chocolate.
We’ll start by gathering our ingredients for the fudgy cookie base. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- 1 c granulated sugar
- ½ c butter
- 1 egg
- ¼ c sour cream
- 1 ½ t vanilla extract
- 1 ½ c all purpose flour
- 2 T cornstarch
- ½ c unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ t baking powder
- ¼ t baking soda
- ¼ t salt
First, mix the sugar and butter, and beat well. Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, scraping down the sides as needed. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing on the lowest setting to prevent a powdery mess in your kitchen. You’ll love the chocolaty aroma as the cocoa is mixed in. Scrape down the sides as needed and mix well.
Form the dough into walnut-sized balls or use a cookie scoop, placing them approximately 1-2 inches apart on a stoneware or other baking sheet. Press the tops of the cookies down with the back of a spoon to flatten them slightly; otherwise, you’ll end up with more mounded cookies. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 6-8 minutes or until done. With dark chocolate cookies, it’s trickier to tell when they are done as you can’t rely on a golden color. Instead, watch for the cookies to lose most of their sheen on top, which is a good indicator that they are baked enough.
Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Now for the Luck’o the Irish (Minty) Buttercream Frosting.
- ¾ stick (6 T) butter, slightly softened (between fridge cold and room temperature)
- 1 ½ c. powdered/confectioners sugar
- ¼ – ½ t. Peppermint extract (depending on how “minty” you prefer)
- 1-3 t. Milk for smoothness
- Drop of green food coloring, if desired
Whip butter and sugar in an electric mixer. Scrape down sides and bottom of mixing bowl as needed to fully incorporate. Add peppermint extract and food coloring, if desired. Gradually add milk, if needed, to desired smoothness.
Frost cooled cookies with “Luck’o the Irish (Minty) Buttercream Frosting.” Put frosted cookies in the freezer for about 10 min or let frosting set before adding ganache.
For the chocolate ganache, you’ll need:
- 6 oz (1/2 a regular bag) semi-Sweet chocolate chips or baking chocolate bar, broken (can substitute milk chocolate, if desired)
- 2 T butter
Put chocolate pieces and butter in microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50% for 30 seconds, stir. Be sure to not overheat as the chocolate can get dry and clumpy – it may not look melted, but as you stir it will melt and smooth out. If needed, repeat in 10-second interval once or twice more and stir. If the ganache is not smooth enough, you can add a little more melted butter and stir until smooth and spreadable.
Gently top with ganache and gold-wrapped chocolate coin or Irish flag toothpick, if desired. Allow ganache to set and enjoy! Tell your kids how lucky they are to have such a cool parent like you!
We think cookies are best shared with a story, so here are some of our favorites for St Patrick’s Day:
Patrick – Patron Saint of Ireland
(ages 5-8) A perfect and easy-to-read telling of the patron saint so beloved in Ireland and throughout Europe and the USA. Learn about the life and inspiration that took him from his family to becoming a slave, his escape and later return to his land of capture to convert and serve the people of Ireland. Includes some legends and a personal note in the back as well. Enjoy and include in your March 17th festivities and studies or while learning about saints, Ireland or just for fun!
St. Patrick’s Day
(ages 3-7) Do you want to know where many of the traditions around the celebrations of St Patrick’s Day come from? Who was St Patrick? Why all the green? Also learn about some legends that have sprung up making his memory larger than life. How will you celebrate St Patrick’s Day?
St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning
(ages 4-9) When a young boy is told he’s too young to march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade, he sets out on a parade of his own. He collects some things along the way but mostly relishes in the satisfaction of having walked the parade by himself. Nostalgic illustrations with an Irish country setting in black and white with greens and yellows. A perfect book to read on the morning of any St. Patrick’s Day or any day.
St Patrick of Ireland: A Biography
(ages 14+) While there are very little records of St Patrick and his life, author Philip Freeman does commendable work in researching all that is available including an in-depth study of the history of St Patrick’s time and the locations of his life. He really brings the time period and character of this admirable saint to life. Includes Confessions of St Patrick in the back as well! A must read for anyone interested in history and the real reason St Patrick is fondly remembered and celebrated.
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