Mason Jar Thin Mints Icebox Cakes

It’s Girl Scout cookies season! Which are your favorite cookies? Thin mints and lemonade are definitely my favorites. For the longest time, I hated mint! I just couldn’t stand that minty punch in my mouth. I think it is all thanks to the artificial mint flavors on all kind of products, especially toothpaste! YUCK! But two mint flavored food that I always enjoy. They are the chocolate Andes and thin mints cookies. Give me a dozen, I can guarantee to finish them in no time.

In this past year or so, I have grown to like fresh mint. I realize that mint actually has a really fresh flavor. They are especially good in a drink or dessert. They also taste much better than artificial mint flavor. Since then, I have added mint to my little garden. It has been growing so well these couple months. I saw that it even attracts a couple of birds to stop by and take a few bites.

With a bunch of thin mints cookies in my cupboard and some fresh mint in my garden, I can’t find a reason not to make a dessert out of these ingredients. Crush the cookies and put them in layers alternating with a chocolate whipped cream and a fresh mint whipped cream. Let them chill in the fridge for a few hours. As they rest, the cookies got soften, and the flavored whipped cream got more intense. Take a spoon and scoop into these heaven layers. A creamy, minty and chocolatey bite is exactly what you want for dinner tonight! 😉

Mason Jar Thin Mints Icebox Cakes

4 servings

Ingredients:

–  15 Thin Mints Cookies

Fresh Mint Whipped Cream:

–  3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves (coarsely chopped), plus ½ tablespoon (minced)

–  1 cup heavy cream

–  2½ tablespoons sugar

Chocolate Whipped Cream:

–  1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

–  4 tablespoons sugar

–  1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Start at least 8 hours ahead. Combine 3 tablespoons mint leaves with 1 cup of heavy cream in an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for 8 – 12 hours.
2. In a medium bowl, add the cocoa powder and sugar. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of heavy cream until smooth with no lumps. Slowly whisk in the rest of the cream. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for 1 hour.
3. In a large Ziploc bag, place in the thin mints cookies. Squeeze out all the air and seal tightly. Crush the cookies with a heavy object, like a rolling pin. Crush until the cookies are the size of peas. It is ok if some are bigger and some are smaller. Set aside.
4. For the mint cream, strain the cream through a sieve to a large mixing bowl. Press the mint leaves to extract as much as possible. Discard the leaves.
5. In an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cream and sugar until foamy. Add ½ tablespoon minced mint leaves. Taste and add more sugar and mint if needed. Whip until stiff peak forms. Transfer the whipped cream to a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge.
6. In another large mixing bowl with an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the chocolate heavy cream and whip until stiff peak forms.
7. To assemble, place a thin layer of crushed cookies at the bottom of 4 small mason jars or desired containers. Add a layer of chocolate whipped cream, and then add another layer of cookies. Next is to add a layer of mint whipped cream, and a layer of cookies. Repeat with the chocolate whipped cream. Finally, top with more cookies. Cover and keep in the fridge for 4 – 8 hours. Reserve about 1 cup of mint whipped cream and keep in the fridge.
8. Before serving, top each mason jar with a dollop of mint whipped cream and a fresh mint. Serve.

Tips:

1. Best eaten within 24 hours, but they can last for at least 1 week in freezer. If storing them in freezer, it brings out a denser and creamier texture to the whipped cream. However, the flavors will become more subtle and delicate. Just make sure to let the dessert jars sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. To freezer it or refrigerate it, it is a personal preference.
2. If you can’t find thin mints cookies, use any chocolate cookies, like Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers. The end result will be slightly different, but I know it will taste just as good!
3. Once the mint leaves are removed the heavy cream, that cream can be kept in the fridge for a day. It is good to finish this part the day before, so you can use the cream any time you want the next day.
4. Do not use whole thin mints cookies in between layers. Since thin mint are chocolate covered, they can’t get soften if you use them whole. I tried and it didn’t work!
5. Keep the cookie layers very thin. You don’t need too much.
6. You can put the whipped cream in piping bags for easy assembly.

(Flavored whipped cream recipes are adapted from The Splendid Table)