These Cream Cheese Mints are soft, creamy homemade candies that dry lightly on the outside while staying smooth and melt-in-your-mouth in the center. Made with just a few simple ingredients, they’re especially popular for weddings, baby showers, holidays, and parties, which is why you’ll also hear them called wedding mints or baby shower mints.
The key is getting the dough consistency just right. Add the powdered sugar gradually until the mixture is thick, smooth, and easy to roll without sticking too much to your hands, similar to a soft play dough. If it still feels too sticky, add a little more powdered sugar until it holds its shape.
We also found during testing that gel food coloring gets bright very quickly, so for pretty pastel pink, yellow, blue, and green mints, start with just the tip of a toothpick dipped in color and add more only if needed. These are easy to make ahead, simple to customize for any celebration, and especially good served cold.
Serve them cold for an easy little treat that can be made ahead for holidays, weddings, baby showers, or gifting. If you love homemade candy, try our Butter Mints, Peppermint Bark, Oreo Cream Cheese Balls, and Caramel Candy next.
Why You’ll Love Them + Why They Work:
- Only a Few Ingredients. Cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and peppermint oil make these simple little candies easy to put together.
- Easy to Make Ahead. The mints can be prepared ahead and chilled until you are ready to serve them.
- No Candy Thermometer. These simple mints come together without cooking sugar or checking temperatures.
- Powdered Sugar Builds the Dough. Adding the powdered sugar gradually lets you stop when the mixture is firm enough to roll but still soft and creamy.
- Softened Dairy Mixes Smoothly. Soft cream cheese and butter blend together evenly and help prevent lumps in the mint dough.
Cream Cheese Mints Ingredients
- Cream cheese (6 ounces, softened): Gives the mints their creamy texture and slight tang. Be sure it is softened so it blends smoothly with the butter.
- Butter (2 tablespoons, softened): Adds richness and helps create a smooth, soft mint dough. Unsalted butter is a good choice so the peppermint flavor stays front and center.
- Powdered sugar (5 to 5¼ cups, plus more for dusting): Sweetens and thickens the mixture into a dough that can be rolled and shaped. Start with 5 cups, then add more only if the dough is too sticky. Extra powdered sugar also keeps your hands, work surface, and fork from sticking.
- Peppermint oil (4 drops, or to taste): Adds concentrated peppermint flavor. Add it one drop at a time because peppermint oil is strong. Use food-grade peppermint oil, not essential oil. The current Lil’ Luna recipe also notes that peppermint oil is more concentrated than peppermint extract.
- Gel food coloring (optional): Adds pretty color without thinning the dough as much as liquid food coloring can. For soft pastel colors, divide the dough into four portions and use only the tip of a toothpick dipped in pink, yellow, blue, or green gel color to start.
How to Make Cream Cheese Mints
MIX. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and well combined. Gradually add 5 cups powdered sugar and mix until a soft dough forms. If the mixture is still too sticky to roll, add more powdered sugar a little at a time, up to about 5¼ cups.
FLAVOR. Add the peppermint oil one drop at a time, mixing well after each addition.
DIVIDE + COLOR. Divide the mint mixture evenly between 4 bowls. Add a very small amount of gel food coloring to each bowl, making one pink, one yellow, one blue, and one green. Start with just the tip of a toothpick dipped into the coloring, then mix well before adding more. A little goes a long way, especially if you want soft pastel colors.
ROLL. Dust your work surface and hands lightly with powdered sugar. Roll the mint mixture into small balls and place them on wax paper.
FLATTEN. Dip the tines of a fork in powdered sugar, then gently press each mint to flatten it.
DRY. Let the mints sit on wax paper for about 2 hours, or until the outside feels dry.
CHILL. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. They are especially good served cold.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Watch the dough consistency. Start with 5 cups powdered sugar and only add more if the dough is still too sticky to roll. You want it soft but firm enough to hold its shape.
- Keep extra powdered sugar nearby. Lightly dust your hands, work surface, and fork whenever the dough starts sticking.
- Go very light on the coloring. Start with a toothpick amount of gel coloring, mix completely, then add more only if needed. It is much easier to deepen the color than lighten it.
- Keep unused dough covered. If you are shaping one color at a time, cover the remaining portions so they do not start drying out. The current Lil’ Luna recipe also recommends wrapping divided portions while working.
- Check the bottoms before storing. If the bottoms still feel soft or damp after drying, flip the mints over and let them sit a little longer before stacking them.
- Change the flavor. Peppermint is our favorite, but you can use another candy-friendly extract such as vanilla, almond, lemon, or orange. Start with a small amount and add more to taste.
- Make Ahead: These are a great make-ahead candy. Prepare them at least a few hours before serving so they have time to dry, or make them a day or two ahead and keep them chilled.
Cream Cheese Mints Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 5 to 5¼ cups powdered sugar
- 4 drops peppermint oil
- any food coloring paste optional
Halved
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 2¾ powdered sugar
- 2 drops peppermint oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. Cream together until well blended. Add in peppermint oil, one drop at a time. Color as desired or leave white.
- Roll into small balls, and place on wax paper. Use a fork dipped in powdered sugar, to flatten each ball.
- Let dry on wax paper for about 2 hours then freeze or refrigerate.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe FAQ
The dough should be thick, smooth, and easy to roll without sticking badly to your hands. If it is too sticky to shape, add powdered sugar a little at a time until it feels similar to soft play dough.
Yes. Roll a small piece of dough into a ball, coat it lightly in granulated sugar, then press it firmly into a candy mold. Turn the mold over and gently pop the mint out, then let it dry as directed.
Yes, but peppermint oil is much more concentrated than extract, so the amounts are not interchangeable. If using extract, add a small amount at a time and taste before adding more.
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Place wax paper or parchment paper between layers to keep them from sticking.
Freeze completely dried mints in an airtight freezer-safe container with wax paper or parchment between layers for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw before serving.
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This recipe was first shared March 2019.
I think tbe powered sugar amount is missing from the recipe list? I’m guessing it is cups, but would like to be sure.
It’s there 🙂 It is 5 to 5 1/4 cups.
Easy and beautiful mints! This recipe made 96 1-inch rounds. They are perfect! I also substituted neufchatel cheese which I wasn’t sure would work. Regarding questions about the stickiness. Add enough sugar so that it can be kneaded like bread dough. I am so pleased with your recipe and my results!