Description
Delight in these Soft Christmas Peppermints, also known as Easy Butter Mints, perfect for holiday gifting or festive treats. Creamy, buttery, and infused with refreshing peppermint flavor, these mints are easy to make with simple ingredients and require no baking. Their cheerful red and white twisted design adds a charming touch to your holiday table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (more or less to taste)
- Red coloring gel or food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare your workspace: Lay down parchment paper, waxed paper, or a baking mat to work on. Keep extra powdered sugar nearby for rolling the dough if it gets sticky.
- Beat the butter: Place the room temperature butter into a large mixing bowl and use a mixer to beat it until light and fluffy, making sure it’s smooth and creamy.
- Add remaining ingredients: Incorporate the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and peppermint extract into the butter. Mix thoroughly until the dough forms a firm consistency.
- Divide and color the dough: Separate the dough into two portions. Color about 1/4 of the dough red with the coloring gel, leaving the remaining 3/4 white. Roll each portion into a ball and set aside.
- Form the peppermint ropes: Take small amounts from each colored ball and roll them into ropes—use a thinner rope for red and a thicker one for white.
- Twist together: Place a red rope alongside a white rope and twist them gently together to create the classic peppermint swirl look.
- Shape the candy pieces: Pinch off small sections of the twisted rope, then roll them between your palms to smooth out.
- Dry the twisted ropes: Lay the twisted ropes on the prepared wax paper and allow them to dry for about 1 to 2 hours. This helps reduce stickiness.
- Cut into pieces: After drying, use a pizza cutter to slice the ropes into bite-sized peppermint pieces. Waiting until the candy is less sticky makes cutting easier.
- Final drying: Leave the cut pieces out on the wax paper for 24 hours to fully dry and firm up.
- Store the mints: Once dried, place the candies in an airtight container. They do not require refrigeration but can be refrigerated if preferred for longer freshness.
Notes
- Room temperature butter is essential for achieving the right smooth and fluffy texture.
- Adjust peppermint extract quantity to your taste preference for stronger or milder flavor.
- If the dough is too sticky, add more powdered sugar gradually until firm enough to handle.
- Use gel food coloring for more vibrant colors without altering the dough’s consistency.
- Keep the candies in a cool, dry place to maintain their soft texture.
- You can experiment with different colors and flavors to personalize your butter mints.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Candy
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: butter mints, peppermint candy, soft peppermint, holiday candy, Christmas mints, easy butter mints, no bake candy
