Just picture it: Girl Scout® Cookie Thin Mint Cheesecake. This cheesecake has a thin mint crust with a minty cheesecake and ice cream-like filling. And to send it over the top, we garnish it with whipped cream and Thin Mint cookies.
A great way to use Girl Scout Cookies!
I’m obsessed with Girl Scout® Cookies and so is my family. Our top favorites are Samoas and Thin Mints! And after making these Samoa-filled brownie ice cream bars, I knew I had to make another frozen dessert with our other favorite Girl Scout cookie — Thin Mints.
These Thin Mint Cheesecake bars are smooth, creamy, minty, and sweet. The consistency is a mix of soft ice cream and a no-bake cheesecake. It’s also incredibly quick and easy to assemble; the only hard part is waiting for them to set up overnight in the freezer!
Thin Mint crust
The base for Thin Mint Cheesecake is a crust made out of (naturally!) thin mint cookies. Girl Scout Thin Mints are the industry standard, but you’ll find similar thin mint cookies under many other brand names.
A few quick tips
- Make sure the cookies are completely broken down. Large chunks will make the crust difficult to cut and serve properly.
- Let the melted butter cool a bit first. Don’t add hot melted butter to the cookies; it will create a greasier crust.
- Press the crust down firmly. I like to use the bottom of a metal 1-cup measuring cup to evenly press the crust down and slightly up the sides of the pan.
- Line the pan for easy removal. This helps the cheesecake slices come up easier and look better. The recipe card calls for coating the pan with nonstick spray, but lining the pan with parchment paper on the bottom adds extra insurance.
- Thin Mint cookies differ brand to brand (and I’ve found even box to box), some being drier than others. If needed, add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of butter if the cookies aren’t coming together or pressing into a crust nicely.
Don’t have access to Thin Mints? Oreo® cookies would work just as well. Here’s a recipe for an Oreo crust:
- 25 Oreos or other chocolate sandwich cookies
- 6-7 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- Blend or pulse the Oreos (no need to remove the filling) until they resemble fine crumbs.
- Mix the crumbs with the sugar (this is optional, if you like a really sweet dessert) and melted butter (start with 6 tablespoons and add 1 more tablespoon if it isn’t coming together enough).
Thin Mint Cheesecake tips
- Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature. If you use cold cream cheese or try to soften it in the microwave, you will end up with unpleasant chunks in your cheesecake. Give it at least an hour sitting at room temperature (or in a warmish environment).
- Allow plenty of time for the filling to set up. The filling takes a good 8 hours to freeze completely; don’t rush this or the consistency won’t be right.
- Be sure to use peppermint extract, not mint extract: Mint extract has more of a “toothpaste” flavor. It goes without saying that nobody wants toothpaste-flavored cheesecake! On the same note, different brands of extracts differ in strength; add the peppermint extract gradually and to taste if you’re concerned about the strength of the extract. (I use McCormick® peppermint extract in this thin mint cheesecake).
- Cover cheesecake tightly with plastic wrap and then foil to avoid freezer burn.
- Use a sharp knife for cutting slices. I like to run the knife under hot water, quickly dry it off, and then make a cut. Repeat for each cut; this cheesecake is very sticky!
- Return leftovers of this cheesecake promptly to the freezer. This cheesecake begins softening very quickly at room temperature.
- Go with full-fat products. Reduced-fat cream cheese and low-fat/sugar-free/fat-free Cool Whip® will cause a wet and melty cheesecake that might not set up properly; I don’t recommend any of these ingredients.
Homemade “Cool Whip”
This cheesecake calls for one 8-ounce container of Cool Whip. If you’d like a healthier alternative, you can try TruWhip®. Or make your own version of Cool Whip (recipe below) whipped topping to use in place of the container of frozen whipped topping. Just FYI, Cool Whip is a non-dairy product, and of course, that isn’t the case with the homemade version.
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a mixing bowl attached to a stand mixer (with a whisk attachment) add in the 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat to combine and then increase the speed and whip until firm peaks form, about 2-4 minutes. Now you’ve got a homemade “Cool Whip” to add to this Thin Mint Cheesecake!
More Dessert Recipes
- Vanilla Cheesecake Bars with a berry sauce
- Coconut Cream Pie with a graham cracker crust
- Frozen Hot Chocolate Cheesecake with an Oreo® cookie crust
- Ice Cream Pie only 3 ingredients
- Twix Cheesecake Bars with actual Twix® candies mixed throughout
Just picture it: Girl Scout® Cookie Thin Mint Cheesecake. This cheesecake has a thin mint crust with a minty cheesecake and ice cream-like filling. And to send it over the top, we garnish it with whipped cream and Thin Mint cookies.
- 1 package (9 ounces) Thin Mint Cookies*
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese softened
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract not mint extract
- Green food coloring
- 1 container (8 ounces) Cool Whip completely thawed (See Note 1)
- Optional garnish: Whipped topping spray and extra thin mint Cookies
PREP: Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
CRUST: In a food processor or blender, pulse the entire package of thin mint cookies until they are fine crumbs. Melt the butter and let stand until slightly cooled (don't add hot butter to the cookie crumbs). Add to the cookie crumbs and stir until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared spring form pan and slightly up the sides. Press firmly down with the back of a metal 1 cup measuring cup.
FILLING: In a large bowl add the room temperature cream cheese. Using a hand mixer, blend the cream cheese for about 3-4 minutes or until completely smooth and creamy. Slowly add in the sweetened condensed milk and continue to mix with the hand mixer for another 2-3 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides while mixing.
FILLING CONT.: Mix in the peppermint extract and food coloring. Add as much food coloring as you want until you reach the desired color. With the spatula, fold in the Cool Whip until it is completely incorporated. Be careful to not over-mix the whipped topping. Pour mixture into crust and smooth the top with a spatula.
FREEZE: Cover the spring form pan and place in the freezer. Freeze overnight or for at least 8 hours.
SERVE: Serve cheesecake directly from the freezer and return to the freezer as soon as you are finished serving. It is like ice cream and will melt easily and quickly!
GARNISH (OPTIONAL): Garnish individual slices with spray whipped topping. Cut some thin mints in half with a knife and stick the cookies into the whipped cream and/or crush additional thin mints over the whipped cream.
Note 1: Make your own Cool Whip® to use in place of the packaged whipped topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a mixing bowl attached to a stand mixer (with a whisk attachment) add in the 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat to combine and then increase the speed and whip until firm peaks form, about 2-4 minutes. Use in place of the Cool Whip.
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
Umm….hello favorite recipe alert! Thin mints are my life…and so is cheesecake.
Love frozen cheesecakes since they are SO EASY. I wish I had heard about Pi day before yesterday…such a fun idea! Pinning!
chelseamessyapron says
Haha!! Crack me up! Thanks for the pin Taylor! Hope you’ve had a great weekend so far!
Chloe @ foodlikecake says
thin mint cheesecake! Sounds like the best thing ever and it’s so photogenic!
chelseamessyapron says
Thank you Chloe! 🙂
Ashley says
This cheesecake looks and sounds amazing! Plus it’s perfect for St. Patty’s day and Pi day! Double win right there! haha Hope you have a great weekend friend!
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
I want it for breakfast– right now!
chelseamessyapron says
Haha! That would make one awesome breakfast! Thanks Lori 🙂
Melanie @ Carmel Moments says
This is so cool! Looks like it goes together very easily too. My kind of dessert!
Jamie | Jamie's Recipes says
I’ve never had frozen cheesecake before but I think one made with Thin Mints would be a good place to start.
Beth @ bethcakes says
This is SO pretty, Chelsea!! The color is just perfect! I bet I could eat the Thin Mints crust all by itself, haha. But of course it would be so much better with a whole slice. Preferably a large one. 🙂 Love the whipped cream and Thin Mints on top!
Christine @ Cooking with Cakes says
Chelsea this is flat-out gorgeous!! I love that you froze it, that’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy no-bake cheesecakes. love the pi day timing too 🙂
Kelly @ The Pretty Bee: Cooking + Creating says
This is so pretty ! I love how springy it looks! Pinning!
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files says
What is it with guys and being awesome at math? My fiance is the same way. Its fine…we’ll just win the kitchen over! Girl Scout Cookies + Cheesecake = win in a my book!
wokandspoon says
Frozen cheesecake? yum! Frozen cheesecake with Oreos!? Double yum!!
Jenn @ Deliciously Sprinkled says
Chelsea, this pie looks amazing! I have never had frozen cheesecake before, and I need to try this recipe ASAP because I love cheesecake and of course thin mint cookies. Perfect dessert to celebrate Pi Day and St. Patrick’s Day, pinned 🙂
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
My fiance’ loves Pi day too. Mostly because he loves pie. lol. I’m also not super into math but ohhhhh pie. loveit! And this cheesecake is something my Michael would FLIP for! For him thin mints + cheesecake=OMGAMAZINGYUMYUMYUM. That’s my kind of math
Kelly - LEFT SIDE OF THE TABLE says
This does look super easy! I feel ya with the math making zero sense girl. Too bad you didn’t meet him before your class ended :/ Ohhh well ya win some, ya loose some right?! Haha just gotta find a box of thin mints to make this! Thanks for sharing, enjoy your Saturday 🙂
Kelly says
This frozen cheesecake looks amazing Chelsea! Love the thin mints crust and this is so perfect for St. Paddy’s day and Pi day! Love it!
Erin | The Emerging Foodie says
Love this, girl! This is quite possibly the best idea for pi day. And the thin mints on the bottom?? Brilliant! 🙂
Lynna says
Ahh, what a wonderful frozen treat! I actually like eating frozen cheesecake! Well, in bite-size form. I know I would love this, since I`m thin mint obessed!
Chris @ Shared Appetite says
You are my hero. Like, you literally just made my entire day. You have no idea how much I love thin mints. This needs (and will) be made immediately. And, thanks to you, I just totally remembered that I have a box of thin mints stashed way in the back of our freezer (if I didn’t bury them in the back, they would be gone by now, haha). Pinning 🙂
Cindy @ Hun... What's for Dinner? says
This is absolutely gorgeous and perfect for those hot summer days (if they ever get here). Thanks again for sharing at Simple Supper Tuesday.
Dona says
This dessert looks amazing! I want to serve it to my friends when I host them for our March card making meeting, but first I made it for my husbands golfing buddies who were visiting from Alaska. They were my guinea pigs. I’m glad that I experimented on them first. The frozen cheesecake tasted great, BUT the thin mint crust did not hold together, and when I cut into the pie I had cookie crumbs all over the counter top. I followed the recipe exactly. What went wrong? i would still like to serve it to my friends, but only if I can solve the crust mystery. Thanks
chelseamessyapron says
Hi Dona! Glad to hear you liked the filling, but so sorry the crust didn’t work out like you were hoping. I’d love to help trouble-shoot it with you, but it’s hard to know what exactly went wrong so I’ll ask a few questions. Did you blend/food process the crumbs until they were super fine? If the cookies were even a little chunky that would cause a problem. Next, did you very firmly press the crust together? I used a hard object to really press the crumbs down and to get them to hold. Some other ideas – maybe the butter measurement was off a bit for your batch? Or you could just try using a little more butter in the crust. Another thing is it’s very important to grease the pan before laying down the cookie crumbs and then pressing them in very well. Hope this is helpful, please let me know if you have any other questions.
Dona says
Thanks for your reply. The answer is yes to your questions: crumbs were super fine and pressed down firmly in the pan. BUT, there was no mention of using butter in the recipe above. I thought that was odd that there was no butter added to the crust, but followed the recipe anyway. How much butter should I add to the crust? That should definitely solve the problem. Thanks! Dona
Dona says
Please try to post the amount of butter you used as soon as possible. I will be making this for a gathering at my house next Wednesday. Thanks!
chelseamessyapron says
Ah I’m sorry Dona, I didn’t use butter in this recipe, I misread the post you were commenting on. When I ground up the thin mints they were so sticky on their own that after pressing them down hard they held perfectly for mine. But perhaps a few tablespoons of butter would help. I would recommend starting with 3 tablespoons and seeing how sticky your mixture is. I’m wondering if the stickiness of your cookies verses the ones I used are due to a brand difference. I used an off brand thin mint cookie package from Wal mart if that helps.
Dona says
Chelsea, Just want you to know that I did not give up on your recipe. Here it is over a year later, and I bought another box of Girl Scout Thin Mints and tried it again. I added three tablespoons of butter as you suggested, and it turned out great. I served it to a group of friends, and they said it was delicious. I might suggest that you add the butter to your original recipe. Thanks! Dona K.
Adele says
I made this last night for a book club meeting tonight. I just tasted it– wowza! So rich and packed with flavor! Really great recipe. I’m sure my ladies will love it.
Dona Kubina says
Adele, glad to hear that you had success with this recipe. My crust did not work, and I want to make it again this week for my scrapbooking club. The recipe does not call for butter, but Chelsea messaged me that I might not have put enough butter into the crust. I have two questions that you may be able to help me with:
1. How much butter did you put into your crust?
2. Did you bake the crust? If so, for how long and at what temp?
I would appreciate your help, since I will try to make it two days from now. Thanks! Dona K.
Dianah says
I really wAnt to make this cheesecake but I will be taking it to a function. What would happen and how would it taste if it thaws before serving?
chelseamessyapron says
It will completely melt. It’s supposed to be a frozen cheesecake so basically like ice cream it has to be eaten out of the freezer and returned to the freezer after serving. Hope that helps!