More Mint...Less Chocolate

I love my dad, but his dislike for mint and chocolate on the same plate really blows my mind.  I for one, love love love mint chocolate chip ice cream, Andes mints and mint oreo blizzards from Dairy Queen.  I swear I am not his child.  Mom...am I really his?  I realize we have matching blue eyes, super thick hair, and an incredible love for cheese, but really?  I'm quite concerned by this.  It's not that he doesn't like chocolate.  Give him fudge, chocolate chip cookies, or chocolate cake, and he'll clean his plate.  But somehow he hasn't managed to acquire a palatte for mint and chocolate together in his 50+ years on this planet.

This really put me to the test when I was going through the items I brought over to my parent's house from my pantry.  While most of the food items went with my other half to New Jersey a few weeks ago, I kept my baking stash, knowing that he wasn't going to be baking anything that doesn't involve slice and bake.  One of the items I bought a while ago was Guittard Mint Chips.  I remember buying them only because they were on sale at Cost Plus, and let's face it.  Guittard.  Ain't.  Cheap.

Not knowing what I was going to do with them after I realized that the only recipe on the bag included a whole bunch of chocolate, I decided to create something on my own.  Something without chocolate, but with plenty of mint.  I ended up taking a recipe from Sunset Magazine, and changing a few things to make it work for me.  These would be great for Easter, since they end up looking like the perfect spring cookie.

Spring Mint Chip Delights

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Guittard mint chips

• Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer if you don't possess a stand mixer) beat butter, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, and vanilla until smooth. 
• Beat in egg whites until blended.  Then beat in flour, salt and mint chips.
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes or so, until dough is firm, but easily scoopable.
• Using a cookie scoop of your choice, or a spoon, roll into balls and place on cookie sheet.
• Now here's the part where your personal preference comes in.  You can either take a glass, dip it in colored or white sugar, and slightly press the cookies down OR you can simply leave them.  I found that either way, they will flatten out.
• Bake in a 300 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are barely brown and the middles look set.  Let them cool on a cookie sheet for 5 or so minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.