These Paleo Thin Mints are a scrumptiously healthy cookie that make a great holiday gift. We love this treat so much though, that we make it all year round.
Homemade Girl Scout Cookies
Making your own Girl Scout cookies is as simple as 1-2-3 with my quick and easy recipe. These Paleo Thin Mints are a chocolate wafer cookie that is baked, cooled, and then dipped in rich dark chocolate that’s melted. We store our Paleo Thin Mints in the freezer for the best texture and crispy crunch.
Egg-Free Girl Scout Cookies
These copycat Thin Mints are not only gluten and grain-free, they’re an egg-free cookie recipe too! Did you know that 99% of my cookie recipes are egg-free? If you have egg allergies, you’ll want to take a look at both my Cookie Recipes Page and my Egg-Free Diet Recipes page. They’ll broaden your dietary horizons in a big way!
Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookies
Don’t be sad when Girl Scout Cookie season rolls around. Because I’ve created a gluten-free Girl Scout Cookie season just for you! Finally, you can partake in gluten-free Thin Mints, Tagalongs, and Samoas. I would not have thought of making Paleo Girl Scout Cookies, let alone Paleo Thin Mints if I had not seen Tammy Credicott’s incredible book Paleo Indulgences
Paleo Thin Mints
Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- 1 teaspoon coconut flour
- 2 tablespoons cacao powder
- ⅛ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons palm shortening
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 6 ounces chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine almond flour, coconut flour, cacao, baking soda, and salt
- Pulse in shortening, honey, and peppermint extract until dough forms
- Roll out dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to ⅛-inch thick
- Freeze dough for 15 minutes
- Using a 2 inch cookie cutter, cut out dough
- Transfer circles to parchment paper lined baking sheet
- Bake at 350°F for 4-5 minutes
- Cool completely on baking sheets, then freeze 1 hour
- Melt chocolate and peppermint in a small saucepan over very low heat
- Use a dipping tool to lower cookies into chocolate, then place on parchment lined plate
- Freeze 1 hour
- Serve
Homemade Holiday Gifts
These healthy, gluten-free cookies are a wonderful DIY holiday gift. They’re perfect for Christmas, Hanukkah, and other celebrations. I love to give these Paleo Thin Mints alongside my homemade Hamantaschen when Purim rolls around.
Reduce Waste and Save Money During the Holidays
I’m very passionate when it comes to conservation and I love to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible. That’s because I used to run this company which I founded in 1993 when I was 26 years old.
Now, decades later, when I give holiday gifts I follow this ethos by keeping it simple, yet special. I place my homemade cookies and candy in reusable tins which I purchase at the thrift store. I carefully scrub and de-glutenize the tins, then run them through the dishwasher. This reduces waste during Christmas, Hanukkah, and other special occasions.
Healthy Holiday Gift Recipes
Here are more healthy cookie and bar recipes that make great holiday gifts!
This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives, I first published this recipe in 2013.
beth says
my husband’s birthday is next week and he asked for these instead of a cake…sooooo excited. THANK YOU!!!!
Elana says
Beth, you’re welcome! Happy Birthday to your husband :-)
Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily says
OH Geez! Now I’m in trouble! These are one of my favorite indulgences. Now I can make them whenever I get an emergency Thin Mint craving! ;)
Elana says
Thanks Gwen!
Joyce says
Elana, these were fabulous. I used hazelnut flour in place of almond, and coconut oil instead of shortening. So good! Thank you!
Elana says
Joyce, thanks for letting me know these were fabulous!
Bob Gordon says
Elana, I’m going to try your two desserts – paleo thin mints and the cc scones. My wife is trying hard to be Gluten Free; plus 2 of her kids have health reasons to avoid gluten. I think having an awesome baked desert will be a lot of fun. I like to bake and if I can show up with a thoughtful and tasty dessert, I’ll be back in the running for cool food guy.
Elana says
Bob, sounds like you already are cool food guy!
Sarah says
These were absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for sharing. A top-notch substitute, for sure. I had a hard time transferring them to the cookie sheets, but I probably waited too long after taking them out of the freezer. I also just spread the frosting over the tops of the cookies rather than dipping them in. So tasty!
Elana says
Sarah, I’m so happy that these were absolutely delicious!
Christyn says
These are so good! I substituted coconut oil for shortening and also xylitol plus 1/4 cup water for the honey to make them even lower sugar. I did need to freeze the dough about 30 minutes before rolling out and they were still pretty fragile but I got them up with a thin spatula… They seriously take just like I remember thin mint cookies (which I’ve dreamed about for years) tasting! Thanks Elana!
Elana says
Thanks Christyn!
Shari in NC says
Elana,
I just made them; they smell delicious!! We’ll taste once they come out of the freezer! Can’t wait!
What suggestions do you have for dipping the cookies in the peppermint chocolate? I dipped them in the pan (on low heat) on a fork; some cookies broke in the process and many bent (but then straightened out back on the pan.)
Thanks for educating us,
Shari in NC
Elana says
Shari, thanks for another great comment! If you click the green text that says “dip” in the instructions portion of the recipe you will see the tool that I use :-)
Paige says
YUM! Making these today! BUT, substituting Creme de Menthe flavoring instead of peppermint to get the real girl scout cookie flavor..bought it last year to make healthier whole wheat thin mints before celiac came to the house and now paleo…….mmmm!
Elana says
Thanks Paige!
Tonya says
Thank You Elana!!! I made these today and they are as good as I remember the originals being. I did use coconut oil instead of the palm shortening and I used peppermint oil instead of extract. They are fantastic! My daughter is gluten and dairy free and has been for the past 5 years. This is her first experience with Thin Mints and I’m sad to report that she LOVES them and I’m going to have to share them with her. :)
Elana says
Tonya, what a fantastic comment! I’m so glad to hear these are as good as the real thing :-)
Aimee says
Thank you so much for the recipe! My whole family loved these. I am lazy and didn’t freeze the dough or roll them out. I just made little balls and flattened them out on my baking sheet, they came out imperfectly shaped, but tasty just the same.
Anne says
I’m so glad you said this, I was just thinking I’d like to try these but am way to lazy for rolling and cutting :)
Randa says
You could also shape the dough into a log and chill that way… Then just slice the log into 1/8″ rounds.