Naturally Colored Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies - Small Batch

Do you want to make something fun and green for St. Patrick's Day but don't want to use artificial food coloring?  Do you want just a little batch to enjoy for yourself or maybe, just maybe, the family - if they are being good?  Well here's a chocolate chip cookie to satisfy your needs.  Mint chocolate chip even.  And don't worry, you don't taste any of the natural colorings!

 

We tried this a couple times before getting the cookie that my family universally approved.  Not too heavy on the chips, nice, soft chocolate chip cookie texture, slightly chewy, slightly cakey.  The first batch was okay, but the consensus was too many chips, and too gooey.  On the second day they were like those soft chocolate chip cookies from the grocery store, quite soft and barely chewy.  Really too gooey to eat warm though and what's the point of that?  (While testing that first batch, my 13 year old walked by, took a look and stopped, then said, "I'm not going to question it," and walked off.)  Not quite a peanut gallery response, but highly amusing.

 

First trial batch.

 

But for my family, less is more.  We switched to mini chocolate chips and used just enough mint chips for flavor (maybe 2½ tbsp) and the other half of the third cup was mini chips, with just a few on top for decoration.  You can make this mini batch using just a couple cereal bowls and a fork.  Honestly, you can probably make these with just double the matcha though the green will be a warmer green.  I used the butterfly pea flower powder and spirulina because I had them on hand, to cool down the color.  They do a great job and no, you cannot taste them.  For the mint chips, try to find them locally, they are way too spendy online.  An alternative would be Andes baking chips, which I have seen in multiple grocery stores nearby.  I always loved Andes mints...

 

 

Shamrock ... Green Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies

makes 6-7 cookies

 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, very soft

3 tbsp (37g) granulated sugar

1 tbsp (13g) light brown sugar

2 tbsp beaten egg (~37.5g)

¼ tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp matcha green tea powder

¼ tsp butterfly pea flower powder

2 spirulina tablets, powdered with a mortar and pestle

½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

⅓ cup mint and chocolate chips (You may of course skip the mint and just have a green chocolate chip cookie for fun.  We like the mint chips.)

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and colored powders.  Push the powders through a sieve if they are at all lumpy.

 

Mix butter, sugars, and vanilla in a small bowl with a fork until very creamy.

 

Beat in the egg until the mixture has become fairly smooth.  Stir in the flour in two portions and then fold in the chocolate chips.  Drop dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet using a medium cookie scoop.  (Using a fairly flat measure will yield about 7 cookies, using a slightly rounded measure will yield 6 cookies.)  Decorate with a few extra chips on top if desired.  

 

Place in the freezer for 5 minutes.  Bake for 8-10 minutes until baked through but not browned.  Let stand for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Store in an airtight container.