Homemade Thin Mints

1 cup unsalted butter softened (see recipe)
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
3 bags semi sweet chocolate chips
3 teaspoons mint extract
2 tablespoons Cisco

Preheat oven to 350° and lightly grease baking sheet. In a mixing bowl beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix thoroughly, scraping down the side of the bowl once or twice as necessary. Mix in the vanilla, salt and cocoa powder until well combined - the dough will be thick and smooth, almost frosting-like in texture. Add the flour and mix just until the dough comes together - it may be a little crumbly, knead it once or twice just to make it uniform. Divide the dough in half and flatten each piece into a 3/4-inch thick disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll to a thickness of 1/8-inch. Use a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to cut circles of dough. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart (they won't spread much). Re-roll the scraps and cut more cookies until all dough is used. Bake the cookies for 9 minutes on 350° Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool for a few minutes before removing them to the rack to cool completely. 

While the cookies cool, prepare the chocolate coating. Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second bursts at 50% power, stirring in between each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract and Crisco. You can use more or less than I suggested above - maybe start with a little less and add until it tastes as minty as you'd like.

To dip the cookies:
Drop a cookie in the melted chocolate and use a fork to flip and coat all sides. Lift the cookie out of the chocolate with the fork and allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Transfer the cookie to a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Repeat with remaining cookies. If the chocolate hardens before you finish dipping, just pop the bowl back in the microwave briefly to soften it up. Transfer the cookies to the refrigerator to set the chocolate. Store them in the refrigerator or freezer.Makes about 4 dozen cookies