Because what’s more American than Girl Scout Cookies and heart-attack-inducing decadence?

So, I never buy Girl Scout cookies, but only because I never know when they’re selling them until suddenly, everyone’s toting around boxes of Thin Mints and Samoas, and by then it’s too late. And that’s exactly what happened a couple weeks ago. Luckily, these Thin Mint Truffles are not only easy and fun to make, but you can substitute virtually any cookie in for the Thin Mints, including the knock-off Keebler Grasshopper cookies.

I know, I know, they’re not the same…but once these babies are pulverized and mixed with cream cheese, you honestly can’t tell the difference.

Thin Mint Truffles

(From Get Sweet Smart)

Ingredients

1 package (10 oz.) Thin Mints or Keebler Grasshopper Fudge Cookies

1 (8 oz.) package fat-free cream cheese, softened

At least 12 oz. chocolate chips, milk or white chocolate*

Vegetable oil, optional

Green food gel, optional

*12 0z. will  be enough to cover every truffle, but if you use more, it will make it easier to dip the last few truffles. You’ll just have some melted chocolate left over at the bottom of the bowl.

Directions

As I said, this recipe is super easy. First, you just throw the cookies in a food processor and crush them into a fine powder (You could probably go finer than what I did here).

Save about two or three tablespoons of this powder for garnishing later.

Then, transfer the powder into a mixing bowl, and add in the softened cream cheese.

Now, the fun part – using your hands, mix the cookie powder and the cream cheese until completely incorporated.

Roll the mixture into one-inch diameter balls.

Melt down the chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl by microwaving them for one minute, stirring them, and then alternate microwaving for 15 seconds and stirring until the melted chocolate is smooth and shiny. If you’d like, you can mix in a teaspoon of vegetable oil to make it extra shiny, but be warned – it will make your chocolate coating melt more easily once you’re done.

Then, dip each truffle into the melted chocolate until coated completely, and transfer onto a sheet of aluminum foil or wax paper. You’ll be covering the dipped truffles while they set, so make sure you’re setting them down onto something you can cover.

I forgot to take pictures of the actual melted-chocolate-dipping process, but I found the best technique to be setting the ball on a tea spoon, submerging it into the chocolate, and then using the tip of the spoon to lift the truffle back out. Scrape the bottom of the spoon against the side of the bowl, set one edge of the truffle against the aluminum foil, and gently slide the spoon out from underneath.

Cover the truffles and set them in the refrigerator until the shells set (about 20 minutes). Keep stored in the refrigerator, but if you don’t want your chocolate shells to be crunchy, let the truffles thaw about 30 minutes before serving.

Short, sweet, simple and so American – that’s my favorite kind of food adventure.

~Hafsa Razi