Soft Christmas Peppermints Recipe tastes creamy, cool, and sweet with that melt-in-your-mouth texture everyone craves around the holidays. This fits gift-givers, cookie platter builders, and last-minute dessert heroes, and it takes about 1 hour 20 minutes total, drying time included. I learned to roll these at my aunt’s kitchen table while my cousins argued over who got the green bowl.
Easy Soft Christmas Peppermints Recipe
Soft Christmas Peppermints Recipe uses simple pantry staples and needs no stove. You mix the dough in one bowl and shape it in minutes. The rest is just drying time while you cue up a cozy movie.
You control the sweetness and the mint level. The dough handles like play-dough, so kids can help. Gel colors give bold holiday tones without watering the dough.
Ingredients You Need
- Cream cheese: 8 ounces, full-fat block, room temp. Avoid whipped tubs, since they hold extra air and loosen the dough.
- Unsalted butter: 1/4 cup, room temp. You can skip it for a firmer mint, but butter adds rich flavor.
- Peppermint extract: 3/4 to 1 teaspoon. Use 3/4 teaspoon for a softer mint flavor; go to 1 teaspoon if you love a strong mint.
- Vanilla extract: 1/2 teaspoon, optional. It rounds the flavor and keeps the mint from tasting sharp.
- Fine salt: a small pinch to balance all the sugar.
- Powdered sugar: 7 to 8 cups. Start with 7 cups, then add more until the dough turns soft but not sticky. A 2-pound bag usually covers it.
- Gel food coloring: red and green. Gel color keeps the dough thick; liquid color thins it.
- Granulated sugar: about 1/2 cup for rolling, optional for a sparkly finish.
Equipment list:
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large mixing bowl and spatula
- Baking sheets lined with parchment or a silicone mat
- Small cookie scoop or teaspoon
- Fork for crosshatch or flexible candy molds
- Plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel
How to Make Soft Christmas Peppermints
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Cook: 0 minutes
- Total: about 1 hour 20 minutes (includes drying time)
- Yield: about 90 to 110 bite-size mints
- Beat the base: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add peppermint extract, vanilla, and salt. Mix until the mixture looks glossy.
- Add the sugar: Beat in 4 cups of powdered sugar on low speed. Add the next 3 cups, 1 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. Add up to 1 more cup if the dough still feels sticky; it should feel like soft fondant.
- Tint the dough: Divide the dough into three portions. Tint one red and one green with gel color; keep one white. Fold the color in with a spatula to avoid overmixing.
- Shape: Scoop 3/4-inch portions and roll into smooth balls. For the classic look, roll in granulated sugar, set on lined sheets, then press a fork on top to make a crosshatch. You can also press the dough into candy molds, then pop the shapes out.
- Dry: Let the mints stand at room temp until dry to the touch, 60 to 120 minutes, depending on humidity. If you need a quick set, chill the sheets for 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container once they feel firm on the outside.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- Measure the powdered sugar loosely; packed cups throw the texture off.
- Start with 3/4 teaspoon peppermint, then taste and adjust. Overdoing extract can turn the mints bitter.
- Use full-fat block cream cheese for structure. Tubs soften the dough too much.
- Keep the dough covered while you shape. It dries on the surface if you leave it uncovered.
- Dust your fork with powdered sugar to prevent sticking when you press the crosshatch.
- If the dough cracks when you press it, knead in 1 teaspoon cream or a touch of softened butter.
- If the dough sticks to your hands, chill it for 10 minutes or knead in a bit more powdered sugar.
- Shape small. Bite-size pieces taste best and set faster.
Variations I’ve Tried
- Chocolate stripe: Drizzle set mints with melted dark or white chocolate for a tuxedo look.
- Candy cane crunch: Press a pinch of crushed peppermint candy on top right after shaping.
- Spearmint version: Swap peppermint extract for spearmint extract for a softer mint flavor.
- Citrus twist: Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract to half the batch for red, green, and yellow trays.
- Dairy-free test: Use plant-based cream cheese and butter; add sugar slowly since some brands run softer.
How to Serve Soft Christmas Peppermints
Set these soft peppermints on cookie trays with gingerbread, sugar cookies, and fudge for color and texture contrast. Pair with hot cocoa, coffee, or chai since a warm sip makes the mints melt even softer. Pack them in tins or jars with parchment between layers for sweet gifts. I also sprinkle chopped mints over brownies and chocolate cupcakes for a cool finish.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Store the mints in an airtight container at cool room temp for 3 days if your kitchen runs dry. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 2 weeks. Freeze for up to 2 months, with parchment between layers to prevent sticking. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then let them sit at room temp for 10 minutes for best texture.
Nutrition Information
- Approx per mint (1 of 100): 50 to 55 calories
- Carbs: about 9 g
- Fat: about 2 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Sodium: about 10 mg
- These numbers vary by size and brands used.
Soft Christmas Peppermints Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk, peppermint extract, and salt, and mix to combine.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough into three portions. Leave one plain, tint one with red food coloring, and tint the other with green food coloring. Knead each portion until color is evenly distributed.
- Pinch off small pieces and roll into balls (about 1-inch). Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted lightly with powdered sugar.
- Gently flatten each ball with a fork or your fingers to make a traditional peppermint shape.
- Let the candies dry at room temperature for 6-8 hours, or until the outside is set.