A simple recipe for old-fashioned Cream Cheese Mints! This is a variation of a recipe from my grandmother. They can be made in a matter of minutes and I include instructions for making them in molds for baby showers or bridal showers!
Old-Fashioned Cream Cheese Mints
I’d bet you’ve had, or at least seen these cream cheese mints before.
Sometimes formed into cute little discs (as seen here), and sometimes molded into pretty little flowers at bridal showers or rattles at baby showers, or made into just about any shape or color to suit any occasion (how about some green Christmas trees!?). In fact, they’re often referred to as “wedding mints” or “baby shower mints” because they’re so commonly seen at these events.
I wanted to share a sweet and simple candy recipe with you before Christmas, one that didn’t require a candy thermometer (like most of my candy recipes from last year did!), and these cream cheese mints were the perfect choice. You need only a handful of ingredients. The end result is firm on the outside and creamy on the inside. They just melt in your mouth, it’s a bit like eating a minty cream cheese frosting.
Have you ever made these before? If so, you already know how easy they are to make…
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Mints
This is such a straightforward recipe. You only need 5 ingredients:
- Cream cheese. I think this one goes without saying. You’ll ideally want it to be softened a bit before using. I like to set mine out an hour before I begin making the mints. Make sure to use a brick-style cream cheese (like the one shown above) and not a spreadable type of cream cheese (that comes in a tub).
- Butter. Just a tablespoon for this recipe! It adds a nice creaminess to the texture.
- Powdered Sugar. This is what will make your mints hold their shape. You’ll be using a lot of powdered sugar, and it’s going to be quite an arm workout if you try to stir all of this in without an electric or stand mixer. The “dough” will need to be very stiff.
- Peppermint Extract. I much prefer this to “mint” extract, which I think makes these cream cheese mints taste like toothpaste. Start with just the ½ teaspoon indicated and then increase if desired/as needed. Not a fan of mint? you can play around with other flavors and extracts, too!
- Vanilla Extract. I find that this helps temper the mint flavor and adds an incredibly tasty but subtle depth of flavor. Just a tiny bit is needed — ⅛ teaspoon.
One last ingredient you might like to use is food coloring.
This is completely optional, but I like to divide my dough into different bowls and tint it with a bit of food coloring. While I’m generally a fan of gel food coloring, which yields vibrant colors, something about cream cheese mints calls for a more pastel look, so I used liquid food coloring today. Whichever you prefer is fine (and of course you can leave out the color entirely).
How to Make Cream Cheese Mints:
- Combine cream cheese and butter and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add about two cups of powdered sugar and stir until well-blended.
- Add extracts and stir well. I like to stir the extract in at this point to ensure that it is well-combined into the batter. If you wait until the end the dough can get so stiff that you end up with pockets of intense mint flavor in some places.
- Slowly, with mixer on low speed, add remaining powdered sugar. The dough should become very stiff. Pause periodically to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is very well-combined.
- This dough should be a very thick, stiff dough. If it’s not or if it’s still sticky, continue to add more powdered sugar until a play-dough like consistency is reached.
- If using food coloring: If using just one color you can use your electric mixer to beat the color into the dough. If you’d like to do several colors, divide the dough into as many bowls as you would like colors and color each individually, stirring well until color is well-incorporated.
- Roll dough into teaspoon-sized balls and transfer to a wax paper-lined cookie sheet.
- Dip the tines of a fork in additional powdered sugar then gently but firmly press down into each mint.
- Let sit at room temperature to firm up for several hours, then transfer cream cheese mints to the refrigerator until ready to serve!
If you like these, make sure to also try my easy butter mint recipe!
Can I use these in a Mold?
Yes! Cream cheese mints are commonly seen at bridal showers and baby showers and are often formed into cute shapes in silicone molds. You can absolutely use this recipe with your molds.
To do so, roll a bit of the dough into a ball, roll that thoroughly through granulated (not powdered) sugar, and press it firmly into your mold. Invert the mold and pop out your adorably shaped cream cheese mint!
How to Store Cream Cheese Mints:
Once your mints are prepped and firm, store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two weeks or in the freezer (in an airtight container) for several months.
Enjoy!
More Easy Candy Recipes to Try:
Let’s bake together! Head on over to my YouTube channel where I’ve already uploaded over 200 recipe videos that you can watch for free!
Cream Cheese Mints
Ingredients
- 4 oz cream cheese¹ softened (113g)
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar plus additional as needed and for imprinting mints (500g)
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring optional
Instructions
- Combine cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl and use an electric mixer) and beat until creamy and well-combined.
- With mixer on low-speed, gradually add 2 cups (250g) of sugar, stirring until completely incorporated.
- Add peppermint and vanilla extract and stir well.
- With mixer on low-speed, gradually add remaining sugar. Stir until sugar is completely combined and pause occasionally to scrape sides and bottom of the bowl. Dough should be very stiff and not sticky (if it’s still sticky, add more powdered sugar until it has a play-dough-like consistency).
- If using food coloring: If using just one color you can use your electric mixer to beat the color into the dough. If you'd like to do several colors, divide the dough into as many bowls as you would like colors and color each individually, stirring well until color is well-incorporated.
- Roll dough between your palms into teaspoon-sized portion until smooth. Transfer to wax-paper lined baking sheet. Dip the tines of a fork in powdered sugar and use that to gently but firmly press down on each mint.
- Allow mints to dry at room temperature for several hours (they should be dried through and if you squeeze them firmly they shouldn't squish or give) then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. To help minimize any sticking, store mints in single layers with a sheet of wax paper between them.
Notes
To Make Into Molds
If you’d like you can make these mints into just about any shape you’d like using molds. To do so, roll a bit of the dough into a ball, roll that thoroughly through granulated (not powdered) sugar, and press it firmly into your mold. Invert the mold and pop out your adorably shaped cream cheese mint!Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Craig
You can also add 4 TBS of dark Caribbean rum instead of peppermint and make rum mints.
Jean
What do you think about leaving out the coloring and dipping the mints in melted chocolate? Would plain chocolate (candy bars, or chips) work or should I add a drop of canola oil?
Thanks so much. I’m really looking forward to trying these!
Sam
I think that would be delicious! A quality baker’s bar would probably be fine melted on its own, but if using chocolate chips I’d thin it with a small bit (less than a teaspoon) of oil. Enjoy!
Cherie
These are so good! Made exactly as directed. Thanks for the recipe. ❤️
Brittany
I had been craving these mints for wks. Ppl are selling them for $25-35 online for three dozen. Because I’m cheap I decided to just make them which since I had everything on hand only cost me $5 for the peppermint extract. I used my kitchen aid pulser and they turned out AMAZING! Let them dry on the counter for an hr then put them in a tub in the fridge. Had a couple this am and they are delicious, very creamy and smooth 🤤 literally made my mouth water. Only thing I’m going to change next time I make them is using a lil less peppermint. Definitely want to try these with lemon extract like one of the previous reviews uses 😀
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Brittany! $25 is a lot of money for some cream cheese mints! PHEW! It’s always better to make them at home anyway. 🙂
Ann Berggren
Will be surprising my niece for her wedding with the mints. July 29th, on Lake Michigan, outdoor of course. Will have a pavilion for shade. Thoughts on how to keep them cool? Or will I need to worry about it? Thank you!
Sam
Hi Ann! These should be fine outside. If it’s really warm they may get a bit sticky. If you are concerned about it you could potentially just keep them in a cooler on ice until it’s time to serve them. 🙂
Debbie Threatt
Easy to follow recipe and they turned out perfect and delicious but I dried them in the fridge like you recommended for 2 hours, turning them over to dry both sides and then boxed them up. I had a few leftover for us and I noticed when they sit out for 10 to 15 minutes, they get soft. Is that correct?
Sam
Hi Debbie! They should stay pretty firm so they may have needed just a little more sugar. I’m glad you still enjoyed them! 🙂
Penny
How long will they keep if you make ahead of time? And I am assuming you have to keep in refrigerator?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Penny! We actually address this within the post 😊
Kayla
This was quick and easy. I need a recipe for toast and this was the equivalent. I used a kitchen aid mixer. Creamy and dreamy. I used wintergreen flavoring. Pink food coloring. Chilled in fridge. Rolled into balls. Let stand. Flipped. Let stand. Flipped and ate! Delish! Thank you!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Kayla! 🙂
GG
Thought I’d try a new recipe. I am a pretty good baker and cook. It didn’t sound difficult and I had all the ingredients on hand. Boy was I wrong. Tried this recipe two different times and it never got to the point where I could pick it up with my fingers and roll it into a ball. I used everything listed in the recipe and followed directions exactly. (Four ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, 1 tablespoon room temperature butter, and 4 cups of powdered sugar.) I used my kitchen aid mixer. Don’t get me wrong; it tasted great but it was always a gooey mess and had the consistency of a thick frosting. I added more powdered sugar as suggested, thinking it would help to thicken up the goo. It never turned into a doughy ball. Unfortunately, I will now have to look for a new recipe to present at my Easter dinner. Such a waste of ingredients and my time.
Sam
This is very strange. Did you use fat-free or low-fat cream cheese by chance?
GG
I used full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese. Twice.
Sam
Very strange. Usually my stand mixer (kitchenaid) struggles even with the ingredients as listed because the mixture is so dry. You can see the consistency it is in the video. I honestly have no clue why on earth this would’ve happened, I use this recipe often for showers and have never experienced it nor has anyone else mentioned having this issue. So honestly I’m just completely stumped.
Melissa Lucas
Love this .💜. but I use lemon extract instead of peppermint ..husband really seems to love it.. and I hand mix it. I have a stand mixer and electric one 😵💫 I guess I’m just old school
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Sounds delicious, Melissa! Enjoy 😊
Carmen
“let sit at room temp for “several” hours – like in 3, 6 ? What am I looking for as they sit for several hours before moving them to the fridge ? And I assume move them in trays they’re resting on until cold and then transfer to air tight container.
They were easy to make and definitely quench my sweet tooth.
Sam
Hi Carmen! I don’t list a specific time because it will vary from kitchen to kitchen. A cooler kitchen on a dry day may take 2-3 hours, a warmer kitchen in the summer may take closer to 6. In my kitchen it typically takes 3 hours.
I added a note to the recipe to be more specific about what you are looking for to tell they are dry (mints should be dry, if you squeeze them gently but firmly they shouldn’t give) and tried to make the line about storing them more clear. I really hope that helps, and I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Clover
Well. I’m not sure why but I’m finding it literally impossible to get a smooth creamy consistency. Mine is Lumpy. Lots of lumps. I’m using an old school black and decker electric hand mixer and I have kept it mostly on low but once I kicked it up a few notches just for the hell of it because I feel like nothing is working so why not.
I haven’t quite finished adding the powdered sugar but I’ve done it gradually at 1/2 cup at a time, mix it with mixer; etc. But it was lumpy before the powdered sugar was added; the cream cheese and butter never seemed to play well together. :/ both were softened. Used bricks. The only thing I can think of is the cream cheese was the 1/3 less fat one which was not my choice someone else wasn’t paying attention and bought the wrong one; I got impatient and made them anyways thinking that it couldn’t be that big of a deal since in several recipes for this same thing no one has mentioned not to use less fat cream cheese.
It is however much softer than the full fat. And not as rich a flavor. So when I couldn’t get it to thicken I went to buy another brick of reg full fat cream cheese and i basically am now doubling the recipe and it’s thicker, richer, but still lumpy.
Also I find that it’s quickly becoming too sweet and kinda getting a touch of that bizarre sort of bitter aftertaste that comes along with excessive powdered sugar?? So I’m supposed to keep adding it to thicken the dough but feel like that could be a mistake as well in the taste.
Idk dude. This seemed pretty fool proof because I cook and bake from scratch all the time and with desserts I usually don’t f up (even if the texture or whatever isn’t quite right, it’s still tastes good. That being said I’ve never attempted mints before and the times I have done candy, aside from fudge it ended up in regret with a bout of tourettes.
PS. Upon closer inspection, the lumps are from the butter. Which is just from a stick of real pure full fat salted butter. Lumps seem to be Disappearing some as it gets warmer but the butter wasn’t straight from the refrigerator….
Idk…but I guess. Still trying to get it thick and smooth and like a dough. But it is still more like a really thick frosting instead. And still some lumps which in some things I don’t care but in a mint?? Prob not ok.
Sam
I would start over unfortunately and make sure your butter and cream cheese are completely softened. The lumps would be from either the butter or cream cheese (or both!) being too cold, likely the exterior may have felt a bit soft but the centers may have been cold still. I don’t recommend low-fat cream cheese as it can make the mixture too soft and runny 🙁
Cindy M
I made these diary and gluten free as a gift for a friend that that has food intolerances.
I followed the recipe but used “Vialife 100% Vegan Original Cream Cheese” and “Blue Bonnet Plant Butter” for substitutes for the cream cheese and butter. They turned out delicious!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy they still turned out nicely for you, Cindy! Thanks for commenting ❤️
Nene
Amazing! It’s been years. My Mother made these for her bridge club when I was young. Now at 64 my grandson, 12 years, mentioned he loved mints. So I decided to find a recipe for cream cheese mints. These were a huge hit, daughter’s decided they are a new tradition to add. 🎄🎄
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy they were a hit with your family, Nene! Thank you for coming back to leave a review ❤️
Rhonda
I would like to make these but would like to know how many recope makes if need to double. Thanks
Sam
Hi Rhonda! It will make about 100 if doubled. 🙂