Description
Delightfully creamy and colorful, these Cream Cheese Mints are easy to make and perfect for festive occasions or a sweet treat. Softened cream cheese and butter blend with powdered sugar and mint extract, then divided into vibrant colors for a fun and flavorful candy that requires no baking or cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon mint extract
Coloring
- Neon green gel food coloring
- Neon pink gel food coloring
- Classic blue gel food coloring
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, butter, mint extract, and powdered sugar. This forms the base mixture for your mints.
- Mix Thoroughly: Use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to blend the ingredients for 3-4 minutes. The mixture will initially be very crumbly but keep mixing until it comes together.
- Knead by Hand: Put the mixture aside and use your hands to knead it into a round ball, ensuring it has a playdough-like consistency. Add 1 tablespoon more cream cheese if the mixture is too dry or crumbly.
- Divide Mixture: Using a sharp knife, cut the ball into four equal parts. Place each portion into its own small mixing bowl.
- Add Color: Add 3-4 dots of gel food coloring to three of the bowls for neon green, neon pink, and classic blue colors. Leave one bowl uncolored for the white mints. Fold in the gel coloring by hand or with a fork until the color is uniform.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to place the mints on after shaping.
- Shape the Mints: Roll teaspoon-sized balls from each colored mixture. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet.
- Flatten the Mints: Dip a fork into powdered sugar before pressing it gently onto each ball, flattening them about halfway without sticking.
- Rest and Set: Allow the mints to rest at room temperature for 4-6 hours to firm up before serving.
Notes
- Storage: Store mints in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezing: Freeze mints in airtight containers with parchment paper between layers for a few months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
- Use both neon and traditional gel food colorings to achieve vibrant colors.
- The mixture will feel crumbly at first; mixing with an electric mixer first and then kneading by hand improves texture.
- Ensure butter and cream cheese are thoroughly softened for best results.
- If the mixture is sticky, add 1 tablespoon more cream cheese until it feels like playdough.
- Wash your hands between kneading different colored mixtures to avoid color mixing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mint
- Calories: 40
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 15mg
- Fat: 1.5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0.3g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
