Easy Cream Cheese Mints
This Easy Cream Cheese Mints recipe is a Spring time tradition in my kitchen. These delicious cream cheese mints are colored in pretty pastel colors making them ideal for serving at any special occasion. They’re made with 4 simple ingredients and can be customized using any color to suit your fancy or the theme of the celebration. They’re soft and creamy just as a homemade candy confection should be.
Ingredients to Make Easy Cream Cheese Mints Recipe
Making mints may sound complicated, but you’ll be happy to know that it’s not. These homemade mints are made using plain cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar that are combined into a play-dough consistency for the perfect after dinner treat. Serve them for Easter, wedding showers, graduation parties, Christmas or serve them as baby shower mints. Ingredients you’ll need to make easy Cream Cheese Butter Mints. (Scroll down for the full printable recipe card.)
- Cream Cheese – Plain cream cheese forms the base of the mints.
- Butter – Salted butter combines with the cream cheese gives them a rich flavor.
- Flavoring – Peppermint extract amps up the flavor. You can adjust the amount using more or less to your taste.
- Sugar – Powdered sugar for sweetness.
- Food Coloring – Food coloring gels in assorted colors depending on the occasion.
How to Make the Best Easy Cream Cheese Mints Recipe
When is the Best Time to Serve Homemade Cream Cheese Mints? These mints melt in your mouth making them a delicious way to celebrate most any occasion. Sometime called wedding mints, they’re the kind of confection that will take you from Spring celebrations to fall and winter holidays as well as weddings, graduations, baby showers and bridal showers. How to make Easy Cream Cheese Mints: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)
- Cream Cheese and Butter – Using a food processor or using an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese, butter and peppermint extract.
- Add the Powdered Sugar – Gradually add the powdered sugar. Mix on low speed just until it comes together.
- Transfer the Cream Cheese Mixture to the Counter – Dust a non-stick surface with additional powdered sugar.
- Divide and Tint – Divide evenly in 4 even pieces. Add a few drops of desired food coloring into the mint mixture.
- Roll – Roll each color into a 20-inch rope. Cut into even 20 even pieces. Dust with additional powdered sugar between batches to prevent sticking.
- Form into Balls – Roll each cut piece into a ball.
- Press with a Fork – Press the center with the tines of a fork dipped in powdered sugar.
- Leave at Room Temperature to Dry – Leave on a wax paper lined baking sheet for 2 hours or until dry.
- Storage – Store chilled in the refrigerator in an airtight container using wax paper or parchment paper between layers.
How Long Does it Take for Mints to Dry?
Once the mints are made, leave them uncovered at room temperature for 2 hours to dry. Check them, they shouldn’t be sticky when gently touched. Once the mints have dried, pack the mints into an airtight container in a single layer with wax paper between the layers to prevent them from sticking together.
Tips for Making Homemade Cream Cheese Mints
- Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need: A mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a silicone mat or non stick surface for rolling out the mints, measuring cups and spoons, a food processor or a stand mixer, a sharp knife and mixing bowls.
- Do I Need Candy Molds to Make Homemade Mints? This recipe doesn’t require molds or any special equipment to make.
- Tint the Mints Any Color: Please note, these easy cream cheese mints can be tinted with any food coloring that you like. Adapt the color according to the theme of the event or to match the theme of your holiday table. I highly recommend using gel food coloring to avoid adding liquid to the dough.
- Chocolate Dipped Mints: Can you dip these no fail mints in melted chocolate? Yes, you can. When doing so, allow them to dry then dip into chocolate and into the refrigerator to set.
Recipe Variations
- Food Coloring: I prefer using gel food colorings since they don’t introduce any additional liquid to the cream cheese mixture. That said, you could use a few drops of liquid food coloring in a pinch.
- Be Creative: Spring gatherings call for pastels, but at Christmas you can have fun with red and green or match your holiday décor whatever it may be. For Thanksgiving it would be terrific using autumn shades and seasonal mini cupcake liners for serving.
- Flavoring Substitutions: You can flavor the cream cheese mixture using lemon extract, almond extract or vanilla extract.
- More Mint Dessert Options: My family are huge chocolate mint fans. That’s why you’ll find a stunning Chocolate Fudge Grasshopper Trifle on our dessert table for St Patrick’s Day or Christmas. I also like to bake Dark Chocolate Mint Brownie Cookies that are rich and fudgy and no bake Mint Chocolate Cookie Bark when we need something sweet with little fuss.
Storage and Leftovers
- Leftovers: Homemade mints can be packaged into an airtight container and stored chilled in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Freezing Mints: These cream cheese mints can also be made in advance and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thawing: When freezing, thaw them in the refrigerator and keep them cold until serving. You can stack them adding a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper between the layers.
- Serving: Can mints sit out at room temperature? Yes, when serving it’s perfectly fine for them to sit out at room temperature for short periods, even a few hours. It’s best to store leftovers chilled.
More Easy Candy Recipes to Make
These easy candies will take you from the holidays to summer picnics, potluck parties and more.
- Sweet and Salty Candy Clusters will thrill chocolate fans year-round.
- Billowy Southern Divinity Candy is a holiday classic.
- No campfire needed to make Easy S’mores Candy Bark.
- Toffee Peanut Clusters are so simple to make anytime you need a homemade sweet fix.
- Bourbon Pecan Pralines are better than any you’ll pay a mint for at a candy shop.
- Decorate these Chocolate Dipped Scotcheroo Bon Bons in colorful sprinkles for any occasion.
- Homemade Caramels from It Tastes Better from Scratch.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Original recipe credit Betty Crocker
Easy Cream Cheese Mints
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 Tbsp salted butter softened
- 2 tsp peppermint extract May use more or less to your taste
- 2 lbs powdered sugar plus additional for rolling
- Food coloring gels in assorted colors
Instructions
- Using a food processor or using an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese, butter and peppermint extract.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar. Mix on low speed just until it comes together.
- Dust a non-stick surface with additional powdered sugar.
- Divide evenly in 4 even pieces. Add a few drops of desired food coloring into the mint mixture.
- Roll each color into a 20-inch rope. Cut into even 20 even pieces. Dust with additional powdered sugar between batches to prevent sticking.
- Roll each cut piece into a ball. Press the center with the tines of a fork dipped in powdered sugar.
- Leave on a wax paper lined baking sheet for 2 hours or until dry.
- Store chilled in the refrigerator with wax paper or parchment paper between layers for up to one week or freeze for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Food Coloring: I prefer using gel food colorings since they don’t introduce any additional liquid to the cream cheese mixture. That said, you could use a few drops of liquid food coloring in a pinch.
- Be Creative: Spring gatherings call for pastels, but at Christmas you can have fun with red and green or match your holiday décor whatever it may be. For Thanksgiving it would be terrific using autumn shades and seasonal mini cupcake liners for serving.
- Flavoring Substitutions: You can flavor the cream cheese mixture using lemon extract, almond extract or vanilla extract.
The exact recipe I’ve been looking for and nothing needed to be altered. Thank you!!! Everyone loved them!
I’m so happy you loved them, thank you!
This looked like a simple fun treat. I followed each step correctly and ended up with nothing that could be rolled out. I tried placing in the refrigerator with little change. I tried using a decorating tool but wouldn’t hold a shape. They tasted amazing so I spread it out on cookie sheets. 2 hours and still not set.
Are you certain you used the correct amounts? The only liquid in this recipe is 2 teaspoons of mint extract so, it should hold together with ease. Otherwise, I’m not certain I could tell you why this didn’t set for you. Check the amounts, especially if you used a conversion tool for the ingredients.
Can I cover these in chocolate
If you like, sure. Make sure they’re cold.
2 pounds of powdered sugar must be a misprint?
No misprint. These are mints a.k.a. candy so, it requires sugar.
No! It’s not a missprint! I made these with a recipe from another cook. Her recipe required one 8-ounce brick of cream cheese and 1 pound of powdered sugar. It ended up being the consistency of icing. It was a mess. The 2 pounds is definitely correct!
This is a really old recipe–from the 40’s. I remember my mother making these when she had the girls over for cards, but I did not have the recipe. Now I do. Thank you.
How wonderful, it’s an oldie but, goodie!
Could i use vanilla or anything instead of mint
These are mints so, the mint is important.
I am so excited to find this recipe! I used the recipe from another website I found on Pinterest and it turned out to be a mess. The recipe called for one 8 ounce brick of cream cheese and only 1 pound powdered sugar. I even added another cup of powdered sugar but it was the consistency of icing. I’m so excited to try this. Just a few ideas you may want to incorporate in the future: instead of using mint, Add different Kool-Aid flavor packets to the different pieces of dough and they’re great for kids. You can also place the dough into a spritz cookie maker and press out the mints into beautiful shapes. Thanks again for the great recipe.
Am going to attempt to make them. Can you use other flavors such as cinnamon, orange, lemon?
I suppose you could, if you want.
These were great! I accidentally got mint extract instead of peppermint extract but they were still really good!
Awesome, thank you!
Is it safe to leave these out for several hours? I’m wanting to make them for our family’s big Christmas party.
Thanks! I can’t wait to make these!
These mints should be stored chilled. That said, they will do fine sitting out to be served. They’re spectacular, we love them. Hope you do, too!
Hi, I am going to use a candy mold how long should I leave them in the mold to set?
Since this recipe doesn’t use a candy mold, I haven’t tested it and can’t answer that with certainty. Let us know how it goes.
i love these mints Thanks for the recipe
You’re most welcome.
How long can these be left out? I want to make them and put them in sealed plastic containers stacked on top of each other like a plastic mason jar.
These mints would do fine if left out for serving at a special occasion. However, please store them chilled.
Can I use unsalted butter?
Sure, no problem.
Awesome – thanks!
I’m not sure what or why but my mints turned out gooey. There was never a time when they were doughy like your video showed. They were so sticky. I put the dough in freezer for 15-20 min. Just to harden the cream cheese and butter, but the moment I started working with it it was sooo sticky and gooey. 😣
I’m not certain why yours would have turned out gooey. It sounds as if there wasn’t enough powdered sugar. When making these you could add more powdered sugar I suppose if they’re not coming together, I’ve just never had to.
I made these with my nieces.. They loved playing with the batter and then later eating it. Such a fun recipe. Thanks.
Thank you for the recipe. I have the rubber mint molds they use to use for making the mints. I just didn’t have a recipe.
These are so easy to make! Always a crowd-pleaser at parties!
This was really amazing! Such a fun treat!
My batch turned out amazing!
I make these all the time! So easy to make and great for all occasions.
I agree, thanks!
My girls are going to love helping me make this! They will be a hit on easter too!
Such fun for the kiddos, thanks!
My family loves these! I will be making them again for our Easter dessert buffet! Thanks for the terrific recipe!
My family loves them too, thanks!
Do you think these could be made in small candy molds or are they too soft?
I think they could be, yes.
Is there a video for this recipe ? I can’t find the link . Thanks
No, there isn’t.
Since these are not for the holidays I’m leaving out the color and, I’m planning on freezing them and dipping them in melted chocolate chips (with a tablespoon of coconut oil) for a “York” patti effect.
Dip them in regular Sugar before you press them into a mold!
These look lovely and when packaged in cellophane bags will make a nice gift.