Andes Mint Slice and Bake Chocolate Cookies: Alex Bakes!

Alex and I had so much fun with this post! You know, the older my girls get, the more fun they are in the kitchen (even if it means they are getting more opinionated!). Sammy and I had so much fun with that #PirateFairy Cheddar Cheese Coins post, and for this one Alex and I put to work a sample of Zulka sugar baking cookies for John’s students. Another batch of cookies that, ahem, none of us wanted to share!

These cookies were baked on a whim–ergo the cluttered counter and Alex’s PJs. We made them after dinner so that the logs could chill and be sliced the next day. We took a basic dark chocolate slice and bake cookie recipe, like these Salted Dark Chocolate Crisps, and added Andes Creme de Menthe Chocolate Mint Baking Chips (and we did not add the salt then, obviously). By dark, if you are not sure, I mean a cookie recipe made with Dutched cocoa powder. I greatly prefer the taste of Dutched cocoa with mint–I love natural cocoa also, but for me a mint cookie needs Dutched cocoa. If you disagree, then choose any chocolate slice and bake cookie!

You may notice that that is a rather sharp knife Alex is using. We definitely, ah, debated whether or not she was ready to use the knife. I was practically sitting on my hands with my tongue clenched between my teeth! But she did it! Now the cookies were not all perfectly round, and we did laugh about some of the crazy shapes that she ended up with, but she did a pretty good job. But I was not ready for it, and even having done it I think I am still not ready for it! My baby is growing so fast!

I am not going to share a recipe, because I have linked to a slice and bake cookie that will work just fine. But I do want to talk about the sugar I used. Guys I have been holding out on you. I only use unrefined sugar that is basically evaporated cane juice and has not had the molasses removed from it. It has better depth of flavor and behaves like “white” sugar in every way. But I never told you guys, because honestly I never saw evaporated cane juice for sale in a regular grocery store in anything other than tiny bags–which for people who bake like us, that is just not sustainable (I get mine at Costco, differing brands over the years). But I am seeing it everywhere lately. So now I am telling you that I think it is preferable to refined white sugar from an environmental perspective, a taste perspective and a health perspective.