Favourite Chocolate Mint Meltaways

These cookies live up to their name. With no leavening agent and a heavy ratio of butter to flour, they’re closer to shortbread than a chewy drop cookie, and they truly dissolve on the tongue. Melted mint chocolate chips are folded right into the dough, so the mint and chocolate are baked into every bite, not just brushed on top.

The powdered sugar matters more than you’d think. Granulated sugar would give the cookies grit and crunch, while sifted confectioners’ sugar dissolves seamlessly into the butter for that signature snowy, tender crumb. This same technique drives the texture of Mexican wedding cookies and Russian tea cakes.

Don’t overwork the dough after the flour goes in. A few extra strokes builds gluten and toughens the meltaway texture into something more like a regular cookie. Drop teaspoonfuls onto a cool, ungreased sheet so they hold their shape during the brief 8 to 10 minute bake.

Chef Tips

• Let the cookies sit on the sheet for the full 3 minutes after baking. They’re too tender to lift while hot and will crumble.
• Toast the almonds in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes before chopping. Toasting brings out the oil and adds a deeper nutty edge.
• Drizzle the glaze in thin streams using a fork dipped into the melted chocolate. Heavy spoonfuls overwhelm the delicate cookie.

Variations

• Swap mint chips for white chocolate and add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract for a brighter mint hit.
• Use chopped pistachios instead of almonds for color and a different nutty profile.
• Roll the unbaked balls in powdered sugar before baking for a sweeter, snow-dusted finish.