The ultimate Thin Mint style Girl Scout Cookie Recipe. Tried and tested, this is the ultimate culmination of all the recipes out there for perfect imitation Thin Mints.

Over the summer, my brother and I spent weeks trying out different thin mint recipes and techniques and comparing notes so we could devise the perfect imitation. Several of the tips and tricks herein are a result of trial and error. We made them from scratch, and from mixes. Added the mint to the cookie and to the coating. Rolled the dough into tubes for cutting and rolled it flat to use with cutters. Froze the dough, refrigerated the dough, ate immediately and stored for days.

I hereby submit to you our final (and I believe perfect) interpretation of the Girl Scout's classic to test and enjoy!

Step 1: Ingredients

Chocolate Cookie Wafers

1 (18 1/4 ounce) package fudge cake mix
3 tablespoons shortening, melted
1/2 cup cake flour, measured then sifted
1 egg
3 tablespoons water
nonstick cooking spray

Coating

3 (12 ounce) bags semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
6 tablespoons shortening

Step 2: Make Cookie Dough

Combine chocolate wafer ingredients in a bowl until well mixed. You may need to get your hands in there!

On a surface lightly dusted with flour, shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches (or about 4 cm) in diameter.

Step 3: Freeze

Wrap in plastic wrap, waxed paper or parchment and freeze for at least 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm and can be sliced into wafers.

Step 4: Bake

Preheat oven to 375F.

Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick - if they are too thick, they will not be as crisp - and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

These cookies are firm and will not spread very much, so you can put them quite close together.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

Step 5: Prepare Coating

Combine chocolate chips with peppermint extract and shortening in a large microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl.

Heat on 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stir gently, then heat for an addition minute.

Stir once again, and if chocolate is not a smooth consistency, continue to nuke in 30-second intervals until smooth.

Step 6: Dip

Use a fork to dip each wafer in the chocolate.

Tap the fork on the edge of the bowl so that the excess chocolate runs off, and then place the cookies side-by-side on a wax paper-lined baking sheet.

Refrigerate until firm.

Step 7: Enjoy

These taste best after they've been refrigerated for a day, but of course, I recommend trying some now, and saving some for the next day so you can be properly assured of this.

Store these in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or two. Or freeze them for up to a month! They're great right out of the freezer too. But once they're in the open air, they will start to melt, so nom fast!