St. Patrick's Day Chocolate Mint Leprechaun Cookies

Any leprechaun would love to steal

a plateful of these yummy mint chocolate

cookies.

Mint chocolate brownies have always 

been my favorite with that nice creamy

layer of mint frosting between chocolate

and chocolate!

These are made even easier because 

they start with a cake mix and

in minutes you have your dough

and your finished cookie.

What could be better?

Chocolate Mint Leprechaun Cookies

1 Betty Crocker's Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix

1/2 C. butter, almost melted (microwave until it is almost

fully melted)

1 egg

Mint Frosting

Chocolate Ganache

Preheat oven to 350 and line your baking sheets

with parchment paper.

Place all of the above in your mixing bowl and

mix with the batter beater until the dough is

combined.  

Shape into about 18 balls.  Place on pans

and flatten slightly.  Bake 7-8 minutes or just

until the tops are dry.  Let them cool for a few

minutes on the pan.  These cookies are so soft

that you might want to pop them in the fridge

for a minute to cool before frosting.

Mint Frosting

1/2 C. soft butter

2 C. powdered sugar

2 T. water

5-6 drops Creme de Menthe oil or peppermint oil

Green food coloring

Place all of the frosting ingredients in

your mixer bowl and whip until fluffy.

Add a little more water if necessary.  I like to

use water instead of milk or cream in a frosting

with mint flavoring.  You want your frosting to

be soft and spreadable so you don't tear your 

cookies.

Spread the mint frosting on the cooled cookies.  

Place back in the refrigerator to set the frosting.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

1 1/8 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/8 C. soft butter

Place the above in a microwave safe

bowl and melt in 30 second intervals,

stirring between each interval whether it

looks like it needs to be stirred or not so

you don't scorch the chocolate.

Let the ganache cool for about 10 minutes

so that it doesn't melt the frosting when you

place the ganache on the mint frosting.

Spoon the ganache on top of the mint

frosting, swirling it with the back of your

spoon.  Place back in the fridge one more

time to set the ganache.

Set them out where your little leprechauns

can sneak one off the plate while you

aren't looking.