Thin Mints

January brings little adorable Girl Scouts selling their delicious cookies.  But alas, the gluten filled treats are like poison for two of my kids and my hubby.  So, I started looking into options for a gluten free, vegan take on the most famous GS Cookie: the Thin Mint.  I noticed that the uberclever Erin McKenna over at Babycakes printed a recipe for Thin Mints in her second cookbook (which I now own.) So I gave it a try.  But her recipe called for arrowroot, which I almost never have on hand.  Hers also suggested dunking only the top of the cookie, but I felt that these thin mints needs full immersion dunking in the minty chocolate.  So, I altered that too.  Here's the recipe I tweaked to make gluten free, vegan thin mints.  Quite honestly, they're fantastic!

1.5 cups Bob's Red Mill All Purpose GF Baking Flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1.5 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup melted, refined coconut oil, or canola oil (I used the coconut oil)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tblsp. vanilla extract

3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
3 Tblsp. mint extract

Preheat oven to 325.  Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, arrowroot, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt. Add the oil, applesauce, and vanilla and mix with a rubber spatula until a thick dough forms.

Drop the dough by teaspoonful onto the prepared baking sheets about 1.5 inches apart.  Gently flatten each mound of dough smoothing the edges with your fingers.  Bake for 7 minutes, rotate the sheets and bake for 7 minutes more.  Let stand on the baking sheets for 15 minutes after removing from the oven. 

Meanwhile, combine the chocolate chips and mint extract in a small saucepan and melt over medium heat. Stir just until melted.  Do not overcook.  Remove from heat. Dunk each cookie into the melted mint chocolate and place in a single layer on a fresh parchment lined cookie sheet.  Refrigerate until the chocolate sets.