Description

Learn how to make classic cream cheese mints with this easy recipe! These soft, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth mints are perfect for weddings, baby showers, bridal showers, and holiday parties. Made with just cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and peppermint extract, these elegant homemade candies can be customized in any color to match your party theme. Includes step-by-step instructions, pro tips, flavor variations, and make-ahead storage tips.

Ingredients

For the Mints:

4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened (brick style, not tub)
1 tablespoon salted butter, softened
4 cups (approximately 500 g) powdered sugar, plus extra as needed
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring (optional – gel colors work best)

You’ll Also Need:

Extra powdered sugar for dusting
Wax paper for drying

Substitution Notes:

Cream cheese: Must be brick-style! The spreadable tub kind has too much moisture and won’t work.
Butter: You can use unsalted if you prefer, though the tiny bit of salt adds nice balance.
Peppermint extract: Try spearmint, orange, lemon, or almond extract for different flavors.
Food coloring: Gel or paste colors give the most vibrant results without adding extra moisture.

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Instructions

Step 1: Beat the Cream Cheese and Butter

Let them sit out until they’re soft. Took mine about 45 minutes yesterday because my kitchen was cold. Beat them together. Should take maybe a minute. No lumps.

Step 2: Add the First Half of the Sugar

Turn mixer to low. Add sugar slowly. First time I just dumped it all in and my entire counter was white. Learned that lesson.

Step 3: Mix in the Extracts

Pour in peppermint and vanilla. Mix. Kitchen smells good now.

Step 4: Add Remaining Sugar

Rest of the sugar goes in. Mix until your arm hurts if you’re using a hand mixer. It gets thick. Really thick. Sometimes I end up using closer to 5 cups because it depends on humidity or something.

Step 5: Divide and Color (Optional)

Split it into bowls if you’re doing colors. Add gel coloring. Mash it around with your hands until it’s mixed. Start with a tiny amount. You can add more but you can’t take it back.

Step 6: Shape the Mints

Roll balls. Teaspoon-ish size. Put them on wax paper. I did this during a Zoom meeting once. Nobody knew.

Step 7: Create the Textured Top

Dip fork in powdered sugar. Smash each mint. Makes lines. Looks fancy. Re-dip fork every time or your third mint will have dough stuck all over the fork.

Step 8: Let Them Dry

Walk away. Go do something else for 4-6 hours. They have to firm up. Can’t rush it. Tried once. They stuck to everything.

Step 9: Store Properly

Put them in a container with wax paper between the layers. Fridge. They’ll keep for two weeks but mine never last that long.

Notes

Prevent sticky situations: If your hands get sticky while rolling, dust them lightly with powdered sugar. Keep a small bowl nearby for easy access.

Batch coloring is smarter: If you’re making multiple colors, work with one color at a time and keep the remaining dough covered with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out.

Common mistake to avoid: Don’t skip the drying time! I know it’s tempting to package them up right away, but they need those hours to firm up properly. Rushing this step results in mints that stick together.

Smart shortcut: Use a small cookie scoop to portion out perfectly uniform mints every time. A level teaspoon-sized scoop works beautifully!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: Chill/Dry Time: 4-6 hours
Category: Dessert
Method: No-bake
Cuisine: American