Gluten Free "Thin Mints" Cookies

• servings: 30 servings
• active time: 25 minutes
• total time: 39 minutes

Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (chopped)

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

3/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)

1/2 cup Dutch-processed or natural cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Lukewarm water by the drop (as necessary)

1/2 pound dark chocolate (chopped)

Pure peppermint extract (to taste)

Directions

Make the cookies.

Preheat your oven to 300°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper, and set them aside.

In a medium-size heat-safe bowl, place the butter and all the semi-sweet chocolate except for about 3 1/2-inch-size chunks.

Microwave the mixture 50% power for 45 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.

Add the reserved chunks of chocolate, and stir until the chocolate has begun to thicken a bit and the chunks have melted.

Add the vanilla extract and peppermint extract, and stir to combine.

Set the chocolate mixture aside.

In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar, and whisk to combine well.

Add the chocolate mixture, and mix until the dough comes together and is smooth.

This is a relatively dry cookie dough, and may appear crumbly at first. Using clean hands, squeeze the dough to help it form a disk.

If you have allowed the dough to sit at all before rolling it out, knead in water by the drop until the dough is still thick but not tough.

Place the dough between two sheets of unbleached parchment paper, and roll it out until it is about 1/4 inch thick (any thinner, the cookies are more likely to burn in the oven, and will crack when you try to coat them in chocolate).

Cut out rounds that are about 1 1/2-inches in diameter.

To remove the rounds from the surrounding cookie dough, peel the paper away from them while pulling up gently on the rounds.

Place each round on a prepared baking sheet 1-inch apart from each other.

Gather and reroll any scraps, and repeat the process.

Place one baking sheet at a time in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 7 minutes or until the cookies no longer glisten in the center.

Remove the cookies from the oven, and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet.

Make the glaze.

Once the cookies are completely cool, make the glaze.

Place all the dark chocolate except for about 3 1/2-inch-size chunks in a medium-size, heat-safe bowl.

Microwave at 50% power for 45 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.

Add the reserved chunks of chocolate and the peppermint extract, and stir until the chocolate has begun to thicken a bit and the chunks have melted.

Glaze the cookies.

Place the cooled cookies, one at a time, in the glaze.

Press down on the cookie with the tines of a (dipping or regular) fork, then flip it gently in the chocolate.

Pull the cookie out of the chocolate by slipping the fork under it and tapping the handle of the fork on the side of the bowl to remove some excess and break any air bubbles.

Carefully drag the bottom of the fork (along with the bottom of the cookie) along the edge of the bowl to remove any drips, and carefully place the cookie on a clean sheet of parchment paper.

Allow the chocolate coating to set at room temperature.

Once the coating is set, you can place the cookies in a covered glass jar and store at room temperature for about a week.

Nutrition

• Calories: 113 kcal
• Total Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.2 g
• Trans Fat: 0.1 g
• Cholesterol: 5 mg
• Sodium: 53 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 12 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 7 g
• Protein: 1 g