These mint oreo cheesecake bars take me back to my Girl Scout days. Except without the bowl cut and glasses as big as my face.
When I was 8 I had a bowl cut with hair that begged to be curly, giant purple glasses that covered up 1/3 of my face, and chubby, rosy cheeks.
The glasses were new then thanks to my teacher finally pointing out to my parents that I couldn’t read the board from my seat in the back ‘well-behaved’ row. The haircut wasn’t, though. I’d been on a competitive swim team since I was 4 years old. And by the time I was about 6 my mom got tired of drying and washing my long, curly hair so she forced me into what she insisted on calling a pixie cut but was basically a bowl cut sans bowl plunked on top of my head.
Traumatizing.
At some point during those awful bowl cut years…I’m not exactly sure how it happened…I joined the Girl Scouts. Maybe my mom desired doing something besides sitting in a loud, echoing chamber that smelled of chlorine or maybe she wanted me to finally learn how to tie knots or maybe she wanted a first row seat to some Girl Scout cookies.
Whatever the reason, I don’t specifically remember asking to join the Girl Scouts until BAM. There I was in one of those chocolate colored Brownie sashes earning a bunch of patches I never bothered to sew on. I did eventually graduate to the green vest and I vaguely remember an overnight trip to the planetarium and an awkward father daughter dance.
But I won’t lie. My favorite part about joining the Girl Scouts was seeing how many boxes of cookies I could sell. Or eat. Or whatever. And my favorite flavor was — you guessed it — Thin Mints.
Honestly I haven’t eaten an actual Thin Mint in years because I don’t know anyone who sells them anymore. Which is why when I found out that Girl Scout cookie season was over before I even knew it had begun I was CRUSHED!
Especially after seeing these Samoas Cheesecake Bars from Goodie Godmother. I saw Samoas. I thought Girl Scouts. I immediately thought Thin Mints and thus these cheesecake bars were born.
Now before we get to the recipe I’m going to confess that the reason this recipe doesn’t actually use Thin Mints is because 1) I didn’t have any and 2) if I did have some I can’t promise I would use them in this recipe rather than hoarding them to last me till next year.
If you do have some and you aren’t stingy like I would be more power to you. But if you don’t have any {or want to keep them safely in your freezer} then the mint Oreo Thins are the perfect substitute!
Excuse me while I go enjoy another bar or three and reminisce over these old bowl cut photos while simultaneously stroking my long, loooooong hair.
Mint Oreo Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
- 1 package Mint Oreo Thins
- 4 Tbs butter,, melted
- 2 8 oz packages cream cheese,, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp mint extract
- green gel food color,, optional
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate,, roughly chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In food processor chop Mint Oreo Thins into fine crumbs then add in melted butter and mix until mixture forms course crumbs.
- Pour mixture into an 8x8 baking dish lined with parchment paper and press firmly into an even layer then set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment beat cream cheese, sugar, and flour until creamy and fluffy.
- Add eggs and mint extract and beat well. If desired add about a pea sized amount of green gel food color and mix until completely combined.
- Pour cheesecake mixture over the crust and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 10 minutes then, without opening the door, bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until the cheesecake is just set but still slightly jiggly in the middle.
- Turn off the oven, crack the oven door, and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 30 minutes.
- While the cheesecake is cooling heat the heavy cream in a microwave safe dish until bubbly around the edges.* Pour the hot cream over your chopped chocolate and cover it with a plate to keep the heat from escaping. Let sit five minutes.
- After five minutes stir the chocolate/cream mixture until chocolate is completely melted, no lumps remain, and ganache is thick and glossy. Let stand and thicken on the counter while your cheesecake finishes cooling.
- After 30 minutes pour your thickened ganache over the cheesecake layer, spreading it out evenly, and refrigerate, covered, for at least an hour or overnight. Slice into bars and serve.
Notes
*I put it in the microwave for 2 minutes and stand there and watch for bubbles to form around the edges. If you leave it too long and let it boil the cream will burn and leave your ganache tasting bitter.
Lecy | A Simpler Grace
Saturday 8th of April 2017
Giiiirl... I was also in the Girl Scouts (in the 80's) and my mother was our troop leader. I was already a blossoming introvert then and could remember dreading those weekly meetings in my kitchen or on the back deck picnic table and counting the seconds until the show was over and it was quiet in the house again. I do have a few good memories (mainly the friends I made in my troop) but I spent a couple years in Brownies and dropped out after that. Organized clubs were never my thing. I did love some Thin Mints though... Can't wait to try this recipe! :)
Meaghan
Friday 14th of April 2017
Thank goodness my mom was never committed enough to be the leader! These bars will take you back to those thin mint days!
~Meaghan