With just five ingredients, you can make sweet and creamy homemade Butter Mints. They are perfect for any gathering, and make great gifts!
We love a good candy recipe – especially for Christmas. A word of caution, these Butter Mints are addicting – like our Homemade Turtles and Homemade Caramels!
homemade butter mints
If you’ve ever eaten Butter Mints at a wedding or baby shower, you know that they just melt in your mouth. Am I right?!
Well, this homemade version is even creamier – they dissolve into melty pools of minty goodness within seconds. They’re great favors for showers, holidays, parties, or just to have on hand!
These Homemade Mints are similar to our Cream Cheese Mints, and are often called “wedding mints”.
Homemade Butter Mints do need to dry for at least 24 hours, so plan ahead. If your house is like mine, you will have to hide them during the drying process, or they will all disappear!
How to make Butter Mints
DOUGH. Place your softened unsalted butter, heavy cream, salt, peppermint oil, and ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat till smooth and creamy, scraping the side of the bowl a couple of times.
- The peppermint oil used here is the kind you find in the baking aisle – not essential oils.
COLOR. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula often. Add food coloring if desired. Beat for 2-3 minutes till soft and fluffy.
CHILL. Scrape the mixture to the bottom of the bowl, and press plastic wrap firmly over the surface. Chill for at least an hour, or till firm enough to handle.
SHAPE. Divide into 5-6 sections. Sprinkle your counter with powdered sugar and roll each section into a rope about ½” thick. Use a dough scraper, sharp knife, or pizza cutter to cut each rope into pieces about ½” long.
DRY. Place each mint on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Let sit at room temperature for 24-48 hours to dry out.
Even after drying, they won’t be as hard as the commercial Butter Mints. Their soft middles are what makes them melt-in-your-mouth creamy and irresistible!
variations
Making Butter Mints from scratch means you get to make them exactly how you want. Easily change the flavor, and create different colors, or shapes.
Flavors. Change the flavor of these mints by replacing the peppermint extract with another flavor. Some good choices: mint extract, cherry extract, lemon extract, or something else! Remember to use food favoring, not essential oils.
Be sure to only add a little at a time and taste as you go. You don’t want to add too much extract.
Colors. To make different colors, divide the candy into smaller portions. Wrap each portion with plastic wrap so that it doesn’t dry out.
- When it’s time, add 1-2 drops of food coloring to the candy portion. I like to use gel food coloring because it won’t change the texture of the candy.
- Knead the food coloring evenly throughout the candy. (Wearing rubber gloves can help keep your hands from getting stained).
- If you’re not going to shape the newly colored portion, wrap it in plastic.
Change the shape
Shapes. The recipe gives directions on how to make pillow shapes. If you choose, roll the pieces in your hand to create a ball shape.
Another idea is to use mini cookie cutters to stamp out different shapes. In this case, you’ll want to press or roll the portion of candy out as you would Sugar Cookie dough. Use the mini cutters to stamp out different shapes.
storing info
STORE Soft Mints in a plastic airtight container so they don’t get smashed. They will keep at room temperature for a couple of weeks, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
FREEZE mints in airtight containers, or in heavy-duty freezer bags for up to 2 months.
But trust us – these won’t last long in your home. Everyone loves this Butter Mint candy recipe. They may take a little time, but they’re simple and so delicious. 🙂
For more easy candy recipes:
Butter Mints Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter unsalted, softened
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- 1 pinch salt
- 5-6 drops peppermint oil
- 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 drops food coloring, optional
Instructions
- Beat butter, cream, salt, peppermint oil, and ¾ cup of powdered sugar in a Kitchenaid till very smooth and creamy.
- Slowly add in the remaining powdered sugar, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Add food coloring if desired. Beat for 2-4 minutes, or till smooth and fluffy.
- Scrape all of the mixture into a mound, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Chill for at least an hour.
- When the mixture is firm enough to handle, divide it into 5 or 6 pieces. To form mints, sprinkle your counter liberally with powdered sugar. Roll each piece out into a rope about 1/2" thick.
- Use a dough scraper to cut each rope into small pillow-shaped pieces approximately 1/2" long. Place each mint on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Let mints sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours to dry out.
Can you use extract? Or has to be oil?
You may need to adjust the amount of extract since the oil is typically stronger. But you could give it a try! I have always used oil, so I’m not exactly sure how much to tell you. You’ll have to let us know how it turns out!
Hello! How long do these last in the fridge? And is one batch enough for about 2 cups of butter mints?
Hi! The mints last for about a month in the fridge. And I have’t measured out exactly how many cups it makes, but that sounds about right.
How many mints are in a serving?
It depends on how large you make the mints. The recipe breaks down into about 12 servings overall.
Can this recipe be used in a candy mold? It’s for an 80th birthday, the mold is a 1.25 inch circle with an 80 impression in the center. If so, should the mixture go in the mold before it’s refrigerated or after?
I have never tried making these in a candy mold before but you could certainly give it a try! I’d assume you put it in the mold before refrigerating? You’ll have to let us know if you end up using the mold and how they turn out!