Easy Butter Mints
These Easy Butter Mints are melt-in-your-mouth delicious! I love a good old fashioned candy recipe, and this is one of the very best. Made with simple ingredients and easy to follow steps, you’re going to love making a batch of these colorful, sweet butter mints!
Easy Butter Mints
Growing up, I never knew what these candies were called. I just knew that my grandparents always had them in a little jar on the coffee table, and I loved them! Butter mints are old fashioned candies, originating way back to 1893 when they were sold at a department store in Philadelphia. They may not be too common in most candy aisles anymore, but I keep my love for them alive with this simple recipe.
The best part about making your own butter mints is that you can color them however you want! While I like to keep things traditional with their pastel yellow, green, and pink colors, you can also have fun for the holidays.
If it’s Christmas, make them white, green, and red! Or for Valentine’s Day, make them white, pink, and red. There are so many fun options you can create!
What I enjoy most about snacking on a butter mint is the consistency. The whole reason they’re called butter mints isn’t just because they’re made with butter, but also because they truly melt in your mouth.
You’ll never have a mint as soft and sweet as these! Plus, I find a lot of joy in introducing little ones to older candies like these. That way, recipes like butter mints get passed down through generations and never disappear!
How to Make Them
Cream the butter. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
Add sugar. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the sugar to the butter beating until well combined.
Add wet ingredients. Mix in the half and half, vanilla and peppermint extract.
Form a dough. Turn the mixer to high and beat until a dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Divide. Remove the mixture from the bowl and divide into even pieces if you’re going to be dying the mints different colors.
Make it colorful! Add three drops of food coloring to each ball of dough and mix together until the color is evenly distributed. This works best if you knead with your hands, gloves will keep your hands from becoming colored by the dye.
Roll it. Break off about 1/4 cup of the dough and roll into a long thin strand about 1/2 inch in diameter.
Cut it. Cut the dough strand with a knife at 1/2 inch intervals.
Repeat. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Dry them. Arrange the mints on a baking sheet in a single layer and allow to dry for 6-12 hours.
Enjoy! Transfer to an airtight container and store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze butter mints?
Yes, you sure can! Homemade butter mints will stay fresh in the freezer for about 2 months. Just make sure to keep them stored in an airtight container to avoid freezer burn.
Should I use peppermint oil or peppermint extract?
Peppermint extract is what’s called for in this butter mint recipe. Peppermint oil is usually much stronger than extract, and we don’t want to go overboard with the peppermint flavor here. There should be just a touch of sweet peppermint that’s not overwhelming, and that can be accomplished with peppermint extract.
How can I make butter mints into different shapes?
It’s pretty easy! While I like my mints to just be small and traditionally shaped, there are other ways to get creative. You can make an indentation with a toothpick and try to angle them to look like hearts, for example! You could also whip out the cookie cutters, but just keep in mind that these candies are meant to be mints, not cookies. Plus, if they’re too big, they won’t dry properly.
Make more of my favorite candy recipes at home!
For more easy candy recipes, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Get the Recipe: Easy Butter Mints
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 16 ounces confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon half and half or milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
- Assorted food coloring
Equipment
- hand mixer
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the sugar to the butter beating until well combined.
- Mix in the milk, vanilla and peppermint extract.
- Turn the mixer to high and beat until a dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Remove the mixture from the bowl and divide into even pieces if you’re going to be dying the mints different colors.
- Add three drops of food coloring to each ball of dough and mix together until the color is evenly distributed. (This works best if you knead with your hands, gloves will keep your hands from becoming colored by the dye.)
- Break off about 1/4 cup of the dough and roll into a long thin strand about 1/2 inch in diameter.
- Cut the dough strand with a knife at 1/2 inch intervals.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Arrange the mints on a baking sheet in a single layer and allow to dry for 6-12 hours.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.