It’s that time of year again! Where everywhere you go, someone is selling Girl Scout cookies! This past week, I’ve seen many pedestrian-filled street corners with a table and a bunch of boxes of cookies on top. These days, since I am more conscious about what I put in my body, I walk on by. There was a time, though, when I sold those cookies myself.

Come to think of it, that might have been the start of my entrepreneurial career! My parents refused to take the cookie sign-up sheet to the office like my friends’ folks. Instead, they made me go door-to-door selling them. It taught me a lot about having your own business. The houses that didn’t buy helped me learn how to deal with rejection, and the gratification when someone bought a box (or a few!) of cookies was intense, since I did ALL of the work by myself. It was a great feeling!

My favorite cookies were always the thin mints. I made this recipe for the first time in 2012 (see somewhat dated picture, above)! Maybe they don’t look ‘exactly’ like thin mints, but oh my that minty/chocolaty taste is there! SOOOO good!

Let me know what you think in the comments below (and please share what YOUR favorite Girl Scout cookies are!).

Abby’s “Not-so-Thin” Mint Cookies
(Vegan & Gluten Free)

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cacao powder
• ¼ cup melted refined coconut oil
• ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tbsp organic vanilla extract
• 1 cup raw cane sugar
• ¼ cup arrowroot powder
• 1½ tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips (vegan gluten-free, if you prefer)
• 2-4 drops Young Living Peppermint essential oil (or about 1-2 tablespoons peppermint extract)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cacao powder, arrowroot, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add the coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla and mix until a thick dough forms.
5. Drop the dough by the teaspoon full onto the prepared baking sheets.
6. Gently flatten each mound of dough, smoothing the edges with your fingers.
7. Bake for 7 minutes, rotate the baking sheets, and bake for 7 minutes more.
8. Remove from the oven and let stand on the baking sheets for about 15 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, combine the chocolate chips and essential oil in a double boiler (or glass bowl over a small saucepan of medium-heat simmering boiled water).
   ** Remember: you can’t take essential oil OUT once you put it in. Start slowly, adding one drop at a time to taste!
10. Stir until the chips are just melted. Do not overcook. Remove from heat.
11. When the cookies have cooled, dunk the top of each cookie into the melted chocolate and place in a single later on a platter.
12. Refrigerate the cookies for 30 minutes, or until the chocolate sets.
13. Enjoy!

Makes about 30 cookies.

Adapted from Babycakes Covers the Classics