Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours before scooping to prevent excessive spreading and achieve those signature deep crinkles on the cookie surface.

Cut the Andes chocolates into small chunks rather than using whole pieces—this ensures even distribution throughout the dough and creates pockets of minty fudginess in every bite.

Sift your cocoa powder with the dry ingredients to eliminate lumps and ensure a smooth, uniform chocolate flavor without any bitter powder pockets in your cookies.

Use peppermint extract sparingly (usually ½ to ¾ teaspoon) as it's potent—taste the dough and add gradually to avoid an overpowering medicinal flavor that overshadows the fudgy chocolate base.

Remove cookies from the oven when they appear slightly underdone (about 1-2 minutes before edges look fully set)—they'll continue cooking on the hot baking sheet and develop that coveted ultra-fudgy, brownie-like texture.