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These Ritz Cracker Thin Mints are an easy no-bake treat with buttery crackers, minty chocolate filling, and a crisp chocolate coating. That salty Ritz cracker tucked inside the mint chocolate gives you the snap you want from a Thin Mint-style cookie without being overly sweet. Just make the cracker sandwiches, dip them, sprinkle them, chill them, and enjoy.
Why You’ll Love It
- No-bake and easy — no flour, softened butter, or cookie sheets required.
- Sweet-salty crunch — buttery Ritz crackers add crispness and just enough salt.
- Mint-chocolate flavor — chocolate frosting, mint extract, and Andes mints create a cool, classic combination.
- Makes a generous batch — about 40 cookies with only 30 minutes of hands-on work.
Ingredient Notes
Ritz crackers are important here because they have that distinct buttery flavor and a delicate crispness. You can use another buttery cracker if you must—Club crackers would work—but Ritz is what I reach for. I’ve tried the generic kind once when the store was out, and they were okay. Just okay. Some things are worth buying the real thing for.
For the frosting, use one container of chocolate frosting. Store-bought is absolutely fine. This is not the moment to make yourself homemade buttercream unless you truly enjoy that sort of thing. I do, occasionally, but not when the sink is full and there’s one lonely sock in the hallway again.
Mint extract gives the filling its proper cool peppermint flavor. Please do not confuse it with peppermint oil, which is much stronger and can turn your filling into something that tastes like a candle shop. A teaspoon of mint extract is plenty.
Use good chocolate chips for coating—Ghirardelli is a reliable choice if you can find it. The recipe works with milk chocolate chips, and that’s what I usually use. Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work too if you want a less sweet cookie. I say I prefer dark chocolate now, which is true, except when I’m actually standing in the baking aisle and milk chocolate is on sale.
The chopped Andes mints are both decoration and flavor. Chop them fairly fine so they settle into the chocolate before it firms up. And do not leave the bowl on the counter unattended if there are teenagers nearby. That is not judgment. That is field research.
Ingredients
- 80 Ritz crackers (4 sleeves)
- 1 container chocolate frosting
- 1 teaspoon mint extract
- 12 ounces chocolate chips, preferably a good-quality brand
- 1 cup Andes mints, finely chopped
Instructions
Stir the chocolate frosting and mint extract together in a bowl until they’re fully combined. Take a little taste if you want—it should taste minty, but not like toothpaste. One teaspoon is just right for me. I once added more because I thought “more mint” sounded festive, and let’s just say those cookies cleared the sinuses.
Lay out 40 Ritz crackers with the bottoms facing up. Spread the chocolate-mint frosting over the bottoms of those crackers, then place the remaining 40 crackers on top to make little sandwiches. You don’t need an inch-thick layer of frosting; a modest spread is plenty. If you pile it on too heavily, the filling squishes out when you dip them, and then you’ll be muttering under your breath. Ask me how I know.
Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave them in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each round, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Don’t rush this part. Chocolate can go from smooth and glossy to weird and grainy faster than you’d think, especially if you’ve wandered off to answer a text. Stay nearby. Stir every time.
Using a fork, dip one cracker sandwich into the melted chocolate until it is fully coated. Lift it out with the fork and let the extra chocolate drip back into the bowl for a few seconds. I tap the fork lightly against the side of the bowl, but not too hard—you don’t want the cracker sandwich sliding off and landing upside down in the chocolate. It has happened. It was not a proud moment.
Place the coated cracker sandwich on parchment paper. Immediately sprinkle a small amount of finely chopped Andes mints over the top, before the chocolate begins to set. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches. If your chocolate starts getting too thick toward the end, give it another short microwave burst—just enough to loosen it up—and stir again.
Once all 40 cookies are coated and topped, place them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. The chocolate needs time to firm up properly. I know it’s tempting to sneak one early, and yes, you can eat one early. But it will be messy, and then you’ll have chocolate on your thumbprint and somehow on your elbow. That’s between you and your sleeve.
Variations
Dark chocolate chips make these a little more grown-up tasting—less candy-counter, more after-dinner treat with coffee. A little melted white chocolate drizzled over the tops after the dark coating has set looks awfully pretty, though I never have the patience for decorative drizzling unless company is coming.
You can use semi-sweet chocolate instead of milk chocolate if that’s what you keep on hand. White chocolate works too, though it changes the whole personality of the cookie. Still tasty, just sweeter and a little less like the classic mint-chocolate thing. Crushed candy canes can stand in for the Andes mints if you’re in a pinch.
I tried making these once with graham crackers, thinking it would be a clever little twist. It was not terrible, but it was not this. The graham crackers softened more than I liked and the whole thing tasted vaguely like a camping dessert that had lost its way. Chocolate wafers might be better if you want to experiment, but the buttery cracker is what makes these special.
Storage & Reheating
Store the Ritz Cracker Thin Mints in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to one week. I prefer the refrigerator because they get that firm, crisp bite, especially if your kitchen runs warm. A warm kitchen can soften the coating while you work.
Layer parchment paper between the cookies if you’re stacking them, particularly if they’ve been sitting out at room temperature. The coating usually holds up well, but warm chocolate can scuff and stick a little. They will still taste fine, but they may not look quite as polished. Nobody has ever rejected an ugly mint cookie.
For longer storage, freeze them in an airtight container. Let them thaw before serving—just set them on the counter for a little while. They’re actually very good cold, though. The freezer is an excellent option for a firm, crisp bite.
No reheating is needed, obviously. In fact, please don’t microwave them unless you are trying to make chocolate soup with cracker debris. There are better ways to spend an afternoon.
Final Notes
I like having a recipe like this tucked away for the times when life gets busy and you still want to put something homemade-ish on the table. “Homemade-ish” is a perfectly respectable category, by the way. We do not need to grind our own cacao beans to prove we care.
These are perfect for noisy afternoons when the kitchen windows fog up and you’re trying to make three different treats at once because apparently unnecessary problems are part of the fun. There can be a plate of these cooling in the fridge, and every time the door opens, one is gone.
Make them when you need an easy little sweet thing. Make them for a backyard movie night, a long drive, a holiday table, or just because the Andes mints were on sale and that seemed like reason enough. Sometimes it is.
Ritz Cracker Thin Mints
Ingredients
- 80 Ritz crackers 4 sleeves, divided
- 1 container chocolate frosting
- 1 teaspoon mint extract
- 12 ounces chocolate chips preferably good-quality; milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate
- 1 cup Andes mints finely chopped
Instructions
- Stir the chocolate frosting and mint extract together in a bowl until fully combined and evenly minty.
- Lay out 40 Ritz crackers with the bottoms facing up.
- Spread a modest layer of the chocolate-mint frosting over the bottoms of the 40 crackers, then place the remaining 40 crackers on top to make sandwiches.
- Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each round, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Using a fork, dip one cracker sandwich into the melted chocolate until fully coated, then lift it out and let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl for a few seconds.
- Place the coated cracker sandwich on parchment paper and immediately sprinkle a small amount of finely chopped Andes mints over the top before the chocolate begins to set.
- Repeat dipping and topping with the remaining cracker sandwiches, briefly microwaving and stirring the chocolate again if it becomes too thick.
- Once all 40 cookies are coated and topped, refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes, or until the chocolate coating is firm.