Thin mint julep

This beyond-awesome illustration courtesy of graphic designer and cocktail blogger Dr. Bamboo.Do I really need to break down where the inspiration for this cocktail came from? Fine, okay, I was eating Thin Mint cookies while drinking bourbon. Oh, like you haven't.Anyway, this is a drink recipe that practically writes itself. After all, if my cocktail math is right:

• Mint + bourbon = mint julep = yum
• Mint + chocolate = Thin Mint cookie = yum
• Chocolate + bourbon = just plain old yum

So, applying the law of conservation or whatever, that's, like, yum cubed. I may be wrong on that, since they didn't teach cocktail math in my high school, which is just one more reason why I don't need to relive those years.My first attempt at building this recipe involved making my own chocolate liqueur, made with a mint-infused simple syrup, and muddling mint leaves in the glass. The end result was fine, if rather ... subtle. But sometimes subtle is highly overrated. I mean, this is a cocktail modeled after a Girl Scout cookie, fercryinoutloud. Do you think they sell hundreds of thousands of boxes of cookies with subliminal advertising and gentle hints? No, they cast their doe eyes on you and beat you over the head with their cuteness. Subtle ain't exactly the name of the game.I knew this much; I wanted the drink to have a rich chocolate base and a clean peppermint high note. Casting artisanal ingredients and techniques out the window, I went straight for the peppermint schnapps -- which our local booze store doesn't even stock, it's so lowbrow. I also invested in some crème de cacao, but opted for the good stuff since that's something that might actually have an application in a future drink. (For the record, as far as I can tell, there is no "good stuff" when it comes to peppermint hooch.) Et voilà -- one of America's favorite cookies in cocktail form. Bottoms up!So promise me this: When this gets picked up and becomes the hottest girl drink of 2009 and is sold prefab in bottles and poured directly from spigots and is converted into one of those frozen slushie cocktails served from a churning machine, remember that you read it here first. Scout's honor?Thin Mint Julep3/4 oz peppermint schnapps, plus extra3/4 oz dark crème de cacao, plus extra3 oz bourbon1 Tbsp cocoa powder1 Tbsp fine sugarMint sprigSift together sugar and cocoa powder into a shallow dish. In another dish, pour a splash each of peppermint schnapps and crème de cacao; stir to mix. Dip the rims of your cocktail glasses in the schnapps-cacao mixture, then into the cocoa-sugar mixture. Let stand for a minute to set. Alternative: If you actually have Thin Mint cookies and are a glutton for punishment, cut away the chocolate exterior, and crush the cookie part to a fine dust with a mortar and pestle, then rim the glasses with that.Fill a shaker with ice; add the crème de cacao, peppermint schnapps and bourbon. Stir well, and strain into the rimmed cocktail glass. Add mint sprig for garnish.Related:I guest blogged the regular old mint julep over at Married... with Dinner a while back, then made some juleppy poached peaches.Heidi makes an all-natural, trans-fat free homemade Thin Mint.Or how about a chocolate mint cupcake? You can still have it with bourbon.Don't forget to visit Dr. Bamboo!