With a cookie crust, creamy chocolate mint cheesecake, and a rich chocolate ganache, this Girl Scout cookie inspired cheesecake just may be your new favorite dessert.
A great way to use Girl Scout Cookies
My family and I love Girl Scout Cookies and dream about them all year long! I would have to say our favorites are Thin Mints and Samoas. I knew I had to make a dessert using one of our favorite girl scout cookies – Thin Mint. This smooth and rich thin mint chocolate cheesecake takes grasshopper pie to the next level. You can make this as a classic cheesecake style or in a standard pie dish. The taste remains equally incredible. Just be sure to take note of my first instruction in the recipe to guide the proportions for the direction you want to serve this tasty dish!
Thin mint cookie crust
This recipe calls for a thin mint cookie crust, makes sense! Although if it is not girl scout cookie season, don’t let that stop you from making this delicious pie! You can use Keebler or similar brands with a thin mint cookie at your local grocery store.
Or if you would rather, you can make a crust using oreos instead! Just substitute the thin mint cookies for oreos. I have a post about how to make my easy oreo pie crust with instructions on how to make it.
Adaptation suggestion:
Don’t love oreo crust? Use my death by chocolate brownie recipe as a soft brownie crust. That’s actually the first way I tested the recipe and I loved it. I added the oreo crust later on to replicate the girl scout cookie taste and feel better. Just bake the brownie recipe as directed in the pan first before adding and baking the cheesecake filling. If you’re making this into two 9″ pies, follow the brownie recipe exactly. If you’re making this into one cheesecake or pie, half the brownie recipe.
Another fun way to pipe is below – using a wilton star tip and cookie crumbles!
I hope you’ll give this thin mint cheesecake pie a try real soon. I know you’ll love it as much as me, especially if you are a Girl Scout cookie thin mint fan! Would be a great excuse to make these for St. Patrick’s Day, Pi Day, or any day of the year you want a delicious dessert! Leave a comment below if you make this recipe or have any ideas for other Girl Scout cookie inspired desserts. I love any reason to buy some more Girl Scout cookies. Happy baking!
You may also like…
Classic Chocolate Mint Brownies
Samoa Cookie Pie (another Girl Scout cookie inspired favorite!)
Thin Mint Cheesecake Pie
Ingredients
CRUST
- 24 Thin Mint cookies*
- 3 TB butter, melted salted or unsalted is fine
CHEESECAKE
- 12 oz cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream room temperature
- 6 oz bittersweet chocolate melted and cool
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp peppermint extract* or slightly more or less based to taste
GANACHE
- 4 oz (about 1/2 cup) semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
WHIPPED CREAM
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- whip it stabilizer optional; adds extra stability to whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Start by making the crust. In a food processor (or using a ziplock bag and rolling pin) blend or crush the cookies into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and mix until evenly combined. Press the crust into a springform pan or pie plate and gently smooth out, working the crumbs partially up the side.
- Bake the crust for 9-10 minutes. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, cocoa powder, salt, and sugar together for 2 minutes until light and smooth.
- Add sour cream and heavy cream and mix until smooth and creamy. Gradually add melted chocolate and mix again until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing gently in between. Add vanilla and mint and mix one more time. Do not over mix at this point, mixing until incorporated.
- Pour the filling onto the prepared crust, smoothing out with a spatula.
- Optional: To prevent cracks in the cheesecake, place the baking dish into a roasting pan. Pour hot water around the springform pan, taking care not to get any on the cheesecake. You’ll want the water to go halfway up the side of the pan.
- Place in the oven and bake at 325 degrees for about 35 minutes. The cheesecake should be set around the edges and just slightly jiggly in the center. After the cheesecake has baked, turn off the oven, slightly crack the door open and allow to cool for an hour. This will help prevent cracking.
- Remove the cheesecake from the bath. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
- Once cheesecake has rested in the fridge, heat up the cream in a microwave safe bowl until boiling. Add chocolate and cover. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to naturally and slowly melt.
- Whisk together until the melted chocolate blends with the cream. Pour on the cheesecake and spread to get an even layer. Put the cheesecake back in the fridge and let it set for another 30 minutes.
- Make the whipped cream by using a hand or stand mixer to beat together the cream, powdered sugar, and optional stabilizer. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. Pipe on your cheesecake as desired, or serve on the side to dollop!
- Feel free to garnish with chocolate shavings, fresh raspberries, mint, or Girl Scout cookies! Keep stored in refrigerator for 5 days. Freezes well for up to 3 months for best freshness.
