Thin Mint Cupcakes

It's Girl Scout season and all I could think about was some thin mints. A national treasure if you will. I told myself I wouldn't succumb to their greatness this year. However, my boss brought me in a box and now I had no excuses. So I thought I could take it one step further by making some thin mint cupcakes.

For the cupcakes: 

• 1 3/4 cups flour
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 3/4 cups cocoa powder
  
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot water
• Box of Thin Mints

Heat your oven at 350 degrees. Line your cupcake pan with liners and set aside until ready to use. 


Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix on low speed until combined. 


In another bowl, mix your wet ingredients: buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Slowly add the wet ingredients to your bowl of dry ingredients. Once combined, slowly add in the hot water and mix until smooth. Crush one sleeve of thin mints in a bag (around 12 cookies). Break into small pieces. Slowly add cookie pieces to the chocolate batter. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners and cook for 18-20 minutes. 


For the Mint Buttercream Icing: 

• 3 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2-3 Tbsp. milk
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. Peppermint Extract
• Green food coloring
• Thin Mint cookies (for garnish)

Cream the sugar and butter together until smooth. Slowly add the milk and mix with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Add a few drops of green food coloring and slowly mix it in the icing. 

Once the cupcakes are cool, pipe the icing onto them. Add a half of a thin mint on top as garnish and enjoy! Go get your inner girl scout on! 

Helpful Hint* Do not leave the cupcakes out in the open because you will be tempted.