Soft Christmas Peppermints (Old-Fashioned Butter Mints) Recipe
These Soft Christmas Peppermints are classic old-fashioned butter mints with a festive twist. Rich, creamy, and bursting with peppermint flavor, they feature a delightful soft texture perfect for the holiday season. The ribbons of red and white make them visually appealing and perfect for gifting or holiday gatherings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes active plus 24 hours drying time
- Yield: Approximately 40-50 mints depending on size 1x
- Category: Candy
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- ¼ tsp peppermint extract (adjust to taste)
- Red gel food coloring
Instructions
- Beat the Butter: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until it becomes fluffy and light, creating the perfect base for your mints.
- Add the Rest: Gradually mix in the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and peppermint extract. Continue beating until the dough is firm, smooth, and pliable enough to handle.
- Divide and Color: Separate the dough into two parts. Leave three-quarters of the dough white, and tint the remaining one-quarter with red gel food coloring to create the festive peppermint colors.
- Roll and Twist: Roll small portions of each colored dough into thin ropes. Twist the red and white ropes together, then pinch off small sections to form individual mints.
- Dry and Set: Let the mints air dry on a parchment-lined surface for 1-2 hours to firm up slightly. Then, cut into bite-sized pieces if needed and allow them to dry completely for 24 hours before serving or packaging.
Notes
- Adjust peppermint extract to your taste preference for stronger or milder mint flavor.
- Use gel food coloring to avoid adding extra liquid to the dough.
- For best results, store the mints in an airtight container once fully dried to maintain softness.
- If you prefer firmer mints, extend drying time beyond 24 hours.
- These mints can be made ahead and kept for several weeks when stored properly.
Keywords: Soft butter mints, Christmas peppermint candy, old-fashioned mints, holiday candy, peppermint extract candy
