Description
These festive Christmas Mints are a soft, creamy, and flavorful holiday treat that combines a smooth cream cheese base with peppermint extract, colored vibrantly in red, green, and white. Perfect for gifting or enjoying at holiday gatherings, these bite-sized candies have a delicious crumbly texture and a refreshing mint flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons light/clear corn syrup (such as Karo)
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Dry Ingredients
- 4 1/4 – 5 cups powdered sugar, divided
Coloring
- 6 drops green liquid food coloring
- 6 drops red liquid food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare the Workspace: Line a large rimmed baking tray with parchment paper and place the granulated sugar into a small bowl; set both aside to use later.
- Mix the Base Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, use a handheld mixer on low speed to beat together the cream cheese, unsalted butter, corn syrup, and peppermint extract for about 1 minute or until smooth and combined.
- Incorporate the Powdered Sugar: Gradually add 4 1/4 cups of powdered sugar to the mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, keeping the mixer on low. When the dough becomes too stiff to mix with the mixer, switch to using a spatula or wooden spoon to finish mixing by hand.
- Knead the Dough: Sprinkle a piece of parchment paper with 1/4 cup powdered sugar, turn the dough onto it, and divide into three equal parts.
- Color the Dough: Make a shallow well in two of the dough portions. Add red food coloring to one and green to the other, leaving the third portion white. Carefully knead each portion until color is evenly distributed. Add up to an additional 1/4 cup of powdered sugar if the dough becomes too sticky.
- Form the Ropes: Roll each dough ball into an 18-inch long rope about 1 inch thick.
- Slice and Shape the Mints: Cut the ropes into 1/2-inch slices and roll each slice between your palms to form small balls.
- Coat with Sugar: Toss 2-3 dough balls at a time into the bowl of granulated sugar to coat evenly. Place the coated balls onto the prepared baking tray.
- Press into Discs: Using the tip of a fork, gently press each dough ball to flatten into a disc, creating a striped pattern on top.
- Dry the Mints: Let the mints sit at room temperature on the tray for up to 24 hours to set and dry before serving.
Notes
- Make sure the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature for easier mixing and smoother dough.
- Add the powdered sugar gradually to avoid a dry or crumbly dough.
- If the dough becomes too sticky while coloring, add powdered sugar slowly until manageable.
- Letting the mints dry is essential to achieve the perfect texture and firmness.
- You can use gel food coloring as an alternative for more vibrant colors without adding extra moisture.
