Thin Mint Cupcakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup skim milk
- 2 large brown eggs
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup thin mint cookies crushed (substitutes listed below)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon mint extract
- Carbohydrate 61.0929583847536 g
- Cholesterol 114.840833359245 mg
- Fat 28.1279422640546 g
- Fiber 1.81670197679869 g
- Protein 5.64852882766263 g
- Saturated Fat 17.2170475444438 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (142g)
- Sodium 2448.69839782151 mg
- Sugar 59.2762564079549 g
- Trans Fat 2.06593874160435 g
- Calories 503 calories
Step-by-step
- Set up area with ingredients and preheat oven to 325. set up cupcake pans with nonstick spray or paper cupcake holders.
- Start by adding the sugar and butter in a large bowl. Mix with blender until it is thick and creamy. add one egg at a time and mix well. Then when eggs are incorporated start slowly adding the milk. once the milk has been added mix in vanilla. In another large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. use a fork or whisk to blend the dry ingredients together.
- slowly add to the wet using a blender to mix the dry and wet ingredients. Once all the dry has been thoroughly mixed in set aside and mash a handful of the thin mints cookies till you have half a cup. If you do not have thin mints cookies you can also mash up mint M&Ms, York peppermint patties, or Andes candies. after the candy of your choice is mashed up mix with dark chocolate chips and mix into the batter. Last add the extra teaspoon of mint extract (if you like cupcakes EXTRA MNTY! if not then add only 1/2 a teaspoon)
- Place the batter into the cupcake tins....
- fill each paper holder half way to 3/4 of the way full ( i personally fill them half way so they leave a small area of the top to fill with icing) then place in the oven. NOW HERE IS WHERE IT GETS TRICKY!!!!
- Once in the oven make sure to keep a close eye on them. check them every 4 mins. every oven is different my oven (gas) i keep them in for about 12-14 mins and i take them out and allow them to cool for 20. The reason i take them out at that time instead of letting them bake longer is because of this :::::: when you pull food out of the oven (no matter what you are baking) it continues to cook for about 5 mins. so i do not want to overbake my cupcakes. I want them moist and a fluffy not dry and cracked on the outside. DO NOT TRY AND TAKE YOUR CUPCAKES OUT OF THE TINS UNTIL THEY ARE COMPLETELY COOLED !!!!! unless they are in the cupcake holders then you can take them out sooner, but leave them in the tins for at least 10 mins so they can continue to cook.
- Icing them: once they have cooled and you are ready to serve them pipe any icing you desire onto them. My children mix it up with vanilla and chocolate. but this recipe is already super chocolaty! I leave my cupcakes without icing until i am ready to eat.
- Storage: I store my cupcakes in an air tight container. They keep my "cupcakes" moist and flavorful until i am ready to ice them and serve. They usually keep for a few days without drying out. You can make these cupcakes on a thursday and enjoy them with family and friends all weekend long!
Dark chocolate chips and crushed chocolate wafer cookies drive the structural foundation and flavor profile of this batter, bringing both bitter cocoa notes and sharp botanical peppermint to the crumb. Precision matters immensely when combining high-fat dairy with cocoa powder, because minor miscalculations alter the final crumb structure from tender to dense. Creaming the butter and granulated sugar until pale and voluminous incorporates trapped air cells that expand under heat, which is essential since cocoa powder acts as a heavy weight on rising agents like baking powder. Skim milk provides necessary hydration without introducing excess fat that might otherwise break the emulsion during the gradual incorporation of the two large brown eggs. Folding the dry mixture of all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder gently into the wet base prevents gluten over-development, keeping the final texture light rather than chewy. Mint extract amplifies the botanical flavor already present in the crushed cookies, but measuring this extract carefully prevents medicinal off-notes that easily overwhelm delicate cocoa profiles. Dark chocolate chips distributed throughout the batter melt into pockets of liquid fudge, contrasting against the slight crunch of the cookie fragments.
Thermal Carryover and Pan Cooling
Baking at 325 degrees Fahrenheit requires vigilant timing, specifically pulling the pan at the 12-to-14 minute mark to leverage thermal carryover cooking without drying out the crumb. Residual heat inside the cupcake pan continues baking the centers for roughly five additional minutes after exiting the oven, protecting against cracked tops and scorched bottoms. Leaving the baked treats undisturbed inside the metal tin for at least 10 minutes allows the fragile internal structure to set fully before transfer. Storing the un-iced cupcakes in an airtight container maintains moisture levels across a multi-day window until final assembly and piping can occur.
- Overmixing the flour activates excess gluten, turning light cupcakes into dense, rubbery muffins.
- Skipping the 10-minute rest in the hot tin causes structural collapse when transferred too early.
- Failing to watch the oven closely at the 12-minute threshold leads directly to dry, cracked exteriors.
