YES! Homemade Girl Scout Cookies

I faint with excitement.

It's Girl Scout Cookie season ladies.

I may be watching what I eat (pshh) to try and get bikini ready but Girl Scout Cookies are a WHOLE different story...I was a proud Girl Scout in my little Katie days & they are to.die.for. I simply can't subject myself to not being able to eat any this year.

I ordered us 3 boxes already (and hopefully won't have any more than this) from a family friend who's daughter is trying to hit her 100-box goal. Getting the best cookies ever and helping a sweet little girl? I couldn't turn it down, obviously.

I ordered us these...1 box of Thin Mints, 1 box of Samoa's (or Caramel Delights..what's up with the name change?), and 1 box of Tagalongs. All of my favorites! I'm hungry just thinking about them.
We won't get them until the first week of March but we will be on vacation so luckily I can eat them by the BOX (I have yet to succeed at eating just 2 or 3...) when we get back & not have to worry about getting in a swim suit & possibly looking preggers! Cheers! 

I was on Yahoo the other day and one of their trending topics was 'Homemade Girl Scout Cookies'.  

AHH...What, BACK UP, this isn't a joke to ruin my diet, is it?? I'm all over this. You CAN have girl scout cookies year round.

Here is the homemade recipe (long & short version) for one of my favorites...Thin Mints. I think they are the most popular cookie they have. If you want the Samoa or Tagalong recipe, let me know, I have those as well (...that may come as a shock.)

 

Homemade Thin Mints
Makes 48 to 60 cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces good-quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and extracts and beat until smooth. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined. Place dough in the fridge for about 10 minutes — this will make it easier to shape into logs.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Turn one portion onto a piece of waxed paper and roll into a log about 10 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. (Or bigger, if you want bigger cookies.) Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or up 24 hours. Repeat with remaining dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the dough into 1/4- to 1/3-inch rounds. Place on a cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are firm around the edges but soft on top, about 13 to 15 minutes (or a little longer for frozen dough). Let cool.

Melt the chocolate and vegetable oil in double boiler, or in the microwave. Line two baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Use a small offset spatula to spread a layer of the chocolate glaze over the top of each cookie. Place the cookies in the fridge for 15 minutes, or until the chocolate is firm. Store at room temp in an airtight container.

*Want an even simplier recipe for Thin Mints than that?*

This version only has 3 ingredients and the word around the street is that these look and taste JUST like them.

Here's the faux version if you will...

-Ritz Crackers (try and get the unsalted kind)

-Semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate almond bark

-Peppermint Oil flavoring

Start with about 3/4 of a bag (or 6 oz.) of the chocolate chips and melt in the microwave, stirring often, or double boiler or over very low heat. Stir in about 1/4 t of peppermint oil (add by drops until you get a strong, delicious taste you like) Work quickly so your chocolate doesn't set up while you are dipping, or keep it warming in a bowl or pan over another pan of hot water (double boiler style). You can get about 1 sleeve of crackers dipped with about 6-8 oz. chocolate chips. If your chocolate is too thick to dip, you can add 1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening and stir smooth. Don't add butter or water it will seize.

Using a fork, dip the Ritz crackers one by one to cover in the melted minty chocolate coating and let the excess drip off before laying on parchment paper or wax paper. Let harden or if you are in a rush, refrigerate to harden.

I will be trying the short version this weekend to see how they turn out!

Yum-yum.

Katie