Thin Mint Cupcakes

'Tis the season...for girl scout cookies! This is my daughter's first year being a girl scout so we have quite a few boxes floating around the house. I have been pretty good avoiding eating an entire box of tagalongs while watching The Bachelor but I really have a weak spot for the thin mints. They are my absolute favorite. And every time I open the freezer, I see the boxes we bought. And they call my name. So I decided to do something with them and I made cupcakes.

I started with a chocolate cake box mix and doctored it up a bit. I then chopped up a bunch of thin mints and added them to the batter. After they baked and cooled, I topped them with a mint buttercream and a thin mint cookie. Be still my thin mint lovin' heart.

I used my favorite decorating tip (a Wilton #1) to add that big swirly swirl of minty buttercream. That frosting is so good I could eat it by the spoonful. And perhaps maybe I did...

Definitely give this recipe a try if you have any 'extra' boxes of thin mints hanging around. These are delicious!

Thin Mint Cupcakes
modified from My Baking Addiction
makes 20-24 cupcakes

For The Cake:
1 package devil's food cake mix
1 package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon of vanilla
24 thin mint cookies, coarsely chopped

For The Frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter; room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons water
5-6 teaspoons peppermint extract (more or less to taste)
24 thin mint cookies for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, greek yogurt, oil, beaten eggs, vanilla and water.
4. Evenly divide the batter amongst the prepared pans.
5. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes clean from the cupcakes.
6. Cool on a wire rack
7. Beat butter in a mixer until light and fluffy
8. Add powdered sugar and mix until well incorporated.
9. Add water until frosting reaches desired consistency
10. Add peppermint extract to taste
11. Swirl frosting on top on cupcakes and garnish with a thin mint cookie.

Enjoy!