Colorful and delicious Cream Cheese Mints are easy to make with simple ingredients you probably have on hand! Cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar combine to make these melt-in-your-mouth candies. Peppermint extract offers the perfect mint flavor that balances the sweetness of the sugar. Simply roll the dough into balls and press with a fork for a beautiful appearance that requires no special tools.
Also called wedding mints, this no-bake recipe is ideal for baby showers, weddings, holiday parties, or another special occasion when you need a colorful candy that takes just minutes to make. Personalize these homemade mints to match your theme or decor with food coloring, or leave them snowy white for weddings or winter gatherings. For more candy recipes, try my peanut brittle recipe, homemade peppermint patties, or butter mints recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Cream Cheese – full-fat cream cheese will give the best flavor to this recipe. Softened cream cheese will smoothly blend with the other ingredients. Avoid using whipped or spreadable cream cheese because the mints will not set up well.
Butter – unsalted softened butter works best for this easy recipe. Let the butter sit at room temperature for a few hours before using, or until it is soft enough to easily indent with your finger.
Peppermint Extract – a small amount of peppermint extract adds a minty flavor that’s refreshing! This recipe can also be made using orange, lemon, almond, vanilla, or strawberry extract.
Food Coloring – while optional, a drop of food coloring makes these extra festive and allows you to match the mints to a holiday or party theme. Divide the mixed dough into a few small bowls to make multiple colors of mints. Use liquid or gel food coloring. For pastel colors, use just a small amount of coloring.
How to Make Cream Cheese Mints
1. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cream cheese, butter, and salt and beat together until smooth, about 1 minute.
2. On low speed, gradually add powdered sugar until a very thick and pliable dough forms. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Mix in the peppermint extract.
4. If using, add a drop of food coloring. For multiple colors, divide the dough into separate bowls, then add food coloring to each one, and knead until the color is even.
5. Pinch off small pieces of the dough into ½-teaspoon-sized balls.
6. Press the top of each of the small balls with the tines of a fork to flatten and make indentations. Allow to dry on a prepared baking sheet for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours to fully harden. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Use softened cream cheese and softened butter. For the smoothest mixing, allow the cream cheese and butter to sit at room temperature for at least 1-2 hours, or until softened.
- Customize the flavor. This recipe can be made using peppermint oil or extract, vanilla extract, almond extract, or fruity flavors like orange, lemon, and strawberry. Vary the flavor used to match your occasion or theme. To make more than one flavor with the same batch of dough, divide the dough into two or more portions and flavor and color each.
- Let the mints fully harden. The dough will be soft and pliable; dry the mints on the prepared baking sheets for at least 12 hours to harden before moving to a storage container.
- Make your own powdered sugar. If you are short on powdered sugar, you can still make this recipe. Learn how to make powdered sugar using my simple guide to transform granulated sugar into powdered sugar in minutes.
- Create multiple colors. For multiple colors, divide the dough into a few small bowls and add a drop of coloring to each. Knead the dough until it has a consistent color. Use liquid or gel food coloring.
- Scale the recipe. This recipe makes a generous amount of mints, about 100, but you can easily scale this recipe up for a bigger party. Most stand mixers will be able to handle at least a double recipe.
- Make ahead. Homemade cream cheese mints can be stored for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make these ahead for a party or holiday to save time the day of your event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze mints in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Cream cheese mints are often served at baby showers, bridal showers, graduation parties, and wedding showers. For showers, these are ideal for serving on a menu with petit fours and English tea sandwiches or quiche. Color the mints to match the party decor or the holiday celebration. You can also use small cellophane bags tied with a festive ribbon to give baby shower mints as party favors. This recipe also makes a great addition to a holiday nibbling board with caramels, oreo balls, and honeycomb.
Instead of using the tines of a fork to shape the mints on the cookie sheet, you can use candy molds by pressing the dough balls into the mold. A silicone mold will work best because it is naturally nonstick and is flexible making it easier to remove the mints. If you experience any sticking, roll the dough balls in the confectioner’s sugar before molding. A mold can be used to make special shapes like roses or teddy bears.
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If you’ve tried this cream cheese mints recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Cream Cheese Mints
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened (113g)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar (480g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt together until smooth, about 1 minute. On low speed, gradually add powdered sugar until very thick and a pliable dough forms. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in peppermint extract and a drop of food coloring, if using. (For multiple colors, divide the dough, then add food coloring to each one, and knead until the color is even.)
- Pinch off small pieces of the dough into ½-teaspoon-sized balls and press the tops with fork tines. Allow to dry on a prepared baking sheet for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours to fully harden. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Use softened cream cheese and softened butter. For the smoothest mixing, allow the cream cheese and butter to sit at room temperature for at least 1-2 hours, or until softened.
- Customize the flavor. This recipe can be made using peppermint oil or extract, vanilla extract, almond extract, or fruity flavors like orange, lemon, and strawberry. Vary the flavor used to match your occasion or theme. To make more than one flavor with the same batch of dough, divide the dough into two or more portions and flavor and color each.
- Let the mints fully harden. The dough will be soft and pliable; dry the mints on the prepared baking sheets for at least 12 hours to harden before moving to a storage container.
- Make your own powdered sugar. If you are short on powdered sugar, you can still make this recipe. Learn how to make powdered sugar using my simple guide to transform granulated sugar into powdered sugar in minutes.
- Create multiple colors. For multiple colors, divide the dough into a few small bowls and add a drop of coloring to each. Knead the dough until it has a consistent color. Use liquid or gel food coloring.
- Scale the recipe. This recipe makes a generous amount of mints, about 100, but you can easily scale this recipe up for a bigger party. Most stand mixers will be able to handle at least a double recipe.
- Make ahead. Homemade cream cheese mints can be stored for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make these ahead for a party or holiday to save time the day of your event.
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