Chicago sweet shops come up with their own take on Thin Mints, and a local Girl Scout and her mom weigh in on how they stack up.
By Heather Shouse
Published: January 31, 2012
013.ea.di.tock.op.ThinMints
Girl Scout Thin Mint The gold standard of chocolate mint crunchiness Amelia Haley, fourth-grade Girl Scout “When I think of Girl Scout cookies, I think of these, like, Ta da, this is it! They are really good on a hot summer day because they make me cooler.” Dawn Haley, her mom “The taste of the mint in these is so strong that as a [home] baker I would be afraid to add that much mint to replicate that flavor, but you have to get that intensity.” Try it$4/box. Find cookies close to you by entering your zip code at girlscoutcookies.org.
Photo: Erica Gannett; Photo Assistant: Andrew Nawrocki; Model: Amelia Haley013.ea.di.tock.op.thinmints2.jpg854111
Chocolate mint pie from Hoosier Mama Pie Company The spin-off A chocolate cookie crust with a crunchy cocoa nib “candy bar” layer, plus a layer of mint-infused ganache and a layer of chocolate mousse AH “Oh, it’s really creamy—creamier than the cookie would be, but not as strong of a mint flavor.” DH “Very, very chocolaty and very rich, so if you like that, you would love this. But I still think the real Thin Mint is more refreshing.” Try it$4 slice, $22 pie, 1618½ W Chicago Ave, 312-243-4846
The Lady Mint from Sarah’s Pastries & Candies The spin-off Chocolate shortbread sandwich cookie with chocolate mint ganache filling, dusted in powdered sugar AH “The middle is theonly part that tastes like mint, but it’s good. I like the powdered sugar on top…yummy.” DH “You do smell the mint before biting in, but the mint flavor is more of an aftertaste, which is nice. I do like the texture a lot.” Try it$2.75, 70 E Oak St, 312-664-6223
Chocolate mint gelato from Black Dog Gelato The spin-off Bittersweet chocolate gelato with peppermint oil added in AH “It’s good, to me, because I’m a kid and I like ice cream. My favorite ice cream normally is mint chip because of the color and super-minty flavor. This one doesn’t have that, but it is reaaaaally creamy.” DH “This smells minty but has a deeper chocolate flavor that almost has a hint of coffee to it, which I don’t like. Althoughit is very smooth, a very nice andthick gelato.” Try it$3.50 small, $4.75 large, $8 pint, 859 N Damen Ave, 773-235-3116
“Thin Mint” from Angel Food Bakery The spin-off Chocolate wafer cookie with mint ganache and chocolate coating AH “It does taste like the real Thin Mint and I like the wavy line of creamy filling, but I don’t like it quite as much as the real thing. Almost though.” DH “This one tastes strong like the Thin Mint. It’s unapologetically minty, like you would expect from the original.” Try it80¢, 1636 W Montrose Ave, 773-728-1512
Chocolate mintboulder from Floriole Cafe and Bakery The spin-off Dark mint-chocolate flake meringue dipped in dark chocolate AH “This tastes sorta likecotton candy, which is notreally my thing. It’s good, but I think it’s more of a good thingfor parents.” DH “Completely different than what you’d be used to in a Thin Mint, but well done. It might be a hard sell for kids, but adults would enjoy it.” Try it$1, 1220 W Webster Ave, 773-883-1313
Patty Cake from Brown Sugar Bakery The spin-off Enormous four-layer chocolate cake with mint frosting and dark-chocolate ganache AH “The frosting tastes like Thin Mints but the cake tastes like birthday cake. It’s soooo good. It would be even better if you put it in the freezer like you do with Thin Mints.” DH “The presentation is stunning, the way the ganache drips down. This is very good…the one we keep going back to for another bite.” Try it$4 slice/$45 cake, 328 E 75th St,773-224-6262
One more for the road Track down the Flirty Cupcakes truck for a “Troop 67357”: a chocolate cupcake with peppermint buttercream filling, peppermint ganache and crumbled Thin Mints. $3.25, twitter.com/flirtycupcakes
Girl Scout Thin Mint The gold standard of chocolate mint crunchiness Amelia Haley, fourth-grade Girl Scout “When I think of Girl Scout cookies, I think of these, like, Ta da, this is it! They are really good on a hot summer day because they make me cooler.” Dawn Haley, her mom “The taste of the mint in these is so strong that as a [home] baker I would be afraid to add that much mint to replicate that flavor, but you have to get that intensity.” Try it$4/box. Find cookies close to you by entering your zip code at girlscoutcookies.org.
Photo: Erica Gannett; Photo Assistant: Andrew Nawrocki; Model: Amelia Haley
