1/2cupshortening, (butter flavor is best) or canola oil
1 1/2cupssugar
1cupsour cream
2teaspoonsvanilla
3/4cupunsweetened cocoa
3 1/2cupsflour
1teaspoonbaking powder
1teaspoonsalt
1cupsemi-sweet chocolate chips
for shaping cookies:
1/4cupgranulated sugar
cooking spray
*glass with flat bottom, see notes
2- 4.6ozpackages Andes Mints
Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting:
1/2cupbutter, room temperature
2tablespoonsour cream
3 1/2cupspowdered sugar
2/3cupcocoa, unsweetened
1teaspoonvanilla
dash of salt
milk to thin, about 2-3 tablespoons
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 or 325 on convection setting.
Cream butter, shortening and sugar together.
Add sour cream and vanilla. Mix. Add the cocoa and mix again until smooth. The mixture should be creamy, with no specks of white. Turn the mixer off.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips all at once. Mix just until all of the flour disappears, on the lowest setting. This should take about 10-15 seconds.
Using a 1 3/4 inch to 2 inch scoop, place the dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Lightly spray the bottom of a glass with cooking spray. First press the glass against a cookie, then dip the bottom of glass in sugar to flatten cookie a bit. Continue dipping the bottom of the glass into the sugar after flattening each cookie.
After all of the cookies are flattened a bit, go back and lightly sprinkle sugar on top of each cookie.
Bake for about 8 minutes at 325 convection, or about 10 minutes at 350.
The cookies should be barely firm on top. The sugar sprinkled on top will form a light crust. Do not over bake! While cookies are baking, unwrap the mints and set aside.
Remove the cookies from the oven. If the cookie has spread and is not as round as you would like, use a small spatula and push the edges back into a circle shape while still warm. Place two mints on top of each cookie. The mint will melt a bit. After about 2-3 minutes, use a butter knife to evenly spread the melted mint on top of the cookie.
Let the cookies cool completely on cookie sheet. If you want to speed up the process of cooling the cookies and mints, place in refrigerator or freezer. Frost when the mint has set up on top of the cookies. After frosting, chop a few of the leftover mints and garnish the top of the frosted cookie.
Frosting directions:
Cream butter, sour cream and powdered sugar. Add cocoa and vanilla, beat until smooth. Thin frosting with milk a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. Top with chopped mints.
Notes
-To achieve an edge on the cookie, or "lip" * :1. Generously fill the cookie scoop, extra dough will help form an outer edge on the cookie.2. Choose a glass with a flat bottom. Look at the bottom of the glass, if the bottom is not flat, the dough will not press out properly.3. I use a 2 1/4 inch glass bottom.4. Flatten the cookie ball with the bottom of the glass, twisting the glass gently as you flatten the dough ball. The dough should no longer be mounded. The cookie should be about 1/4 inch thick after flattening with glass.-I use Dutch Process Cocoa, which I highly recommend for this cookie.-This cookie will keep well refrigerated for a few days. Frost after cool, refrigerate in a single layer until the frosting is set, then stack in layers between parchment or wax paper, cover tightly.-Be very careful to not over bake this cookie. It will be slightly firm to the touch when done. Because the cookie is so dark in color, it cannot be judged by color when it is finished baking.-You may also skip the frosting step and simply let the mint melt on top of the baked cookie. Spread around a bit. The cookie will look like the second photo from the top of the post.