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 (113 g) cream cheese¹ softened
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter softened
- 4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar plus additional as needed and for imprinting mints
- 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.4 oz (113 g) cream cheese¹, 1 Tablespoon salted butter
- With mixer on low-speed, gradually add 2 cups (250g) of sugar, stirring until completely incorporated.4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar
- Add peppermint and vanilla extract and stir well.½ teaspoon peppermint extract, ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 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.Food coloring
- 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.
Julie
Sooooooo yummy
Tracy Blackburn
Love!! My husband is addicted. I followed the recipe and turned out great. It tastes like a cross between a peppermint patty and the butter mints that melt in your mouth. Everyone is getting some for Christmas
Malin Lundgren
can they be chocolate coated?
Sam
Hi Malin! I would freeze them before coating in chocolate, but it can work. 🙂
Doug Smith
My Mom used to make a soft mint treat and I have tried to find the recipe. This seems very close to it. I have not had this in 50 years. As I recall, her recipe for Christmas time included some streaks of red color not blended for strips and some crushed candy canes either pressed into the top of mixed in the dough before shaping. I m planning a Christmas treat making day with my daughter, son, and 2 granddaughters this Dec ( 2024). I m reaching back 50 years, but we ll make some new memories.
Sam
Hi Doug! I would describe these as hard, but at the same time they melt in your mouth. They aren’t really soft. I hope you love them! 🙂
Samantha
Can these be kept frozen until the event or will they not turn out after thawing?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Samantha! These freeze just fine. Enjoy 😊
Sherrie Townes
Exactly the recipe I’ve loved for many years and lost on paper- hers is even better!
Marcy
I only have unsalted butter in my fridge. Should I add salt, and if so, how much should I add?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Marcy! You can just leave it out or add a very tiny pinch. Enjoy 😊
Jenny
This was delicious so good my only problem was I used tub cream cheese and not brick I used cornstarch to thicken and it took and while but it worked !
kb
These were the best mints ever, delicious. Simple ingredients without any preservatives or additives. My mixture was very thick and the perfect consistency. Long process rolling them out, but well worth it. I doubled the recipe and rolled smaller balls and had 130 mints.
I added no food coloring and sprinkled crystal sugar on top. Very classy appearance for a wedding.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for the review! We’re so happy the mints were a hit for you 😊
Crystal
so I followed this exact recipe and it’s too much mint extract not enough cream cheese.
Sam
Hi Crystal! That’s very odd, the recipe only calls for 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract which gives a nicely balanced flavor and I haven’t had anyone else complain of them being too minty. Did you use more than that by chance, or substitute mint extract?
Crystal Thornhill
I mixed the rest of the cream cheese took the ball of very minty cut it into four mixed half of that with it added more powdered sugar seems to be better. the other half went to the freezer until further notice the extract is a very small bottle very strong I guess
Sonja
Hi, Crystal.
Especially since you mentioned that the bottle of extract was very small, I wonder if perhaps you had peppermint oil, rather than peppermint extract. Peppermint oil is much, much stronger than extract, and would definitely have made your mints much too strong.
Crystal Thornhill
I think you are right I am going to check the bottle. thank you 😊
Deb
Love this recipe.
Have used it for bridal and baby teas.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you like it, Deb! Thanks for the review 🥰
Rodger True
Funny as it might sound, I’ve been looking for this recipe for years. At 74 years old I can remember the last time I had these was in the late 1950’s when my Mother and her sister made them around Christmas time. I will be looking forward to making a batch and enjoying them. I have always loved York peppermint patties and I know several of my grandchildren do as well. Maybe I’ll be able to introduce them to my Grandchildren at Easter this year. I remember them being made in the pastels just as shown.
Donna Sweet
I made these without any problems. But when I made them in molds for a bridal shower, I left the hearts white and rolled the dough balls in red sanding sugar before putting them in the mold. The effect was glittery and so pretty.
Ann
Well, the taste is great so far. So far? Yes, I was misled by the picture and used the whole brick of 8oz instead of the 4oz in the recipe. I’m about up to 4 cups of powdered sugar, gonna put it in the frig for a bit. Luckily I have another sack of powdered sugar since I’ll probably have to double the recipe. But hey, I can freeze the extras, so all is good. I wonder if others did as I did, who are complaining they couldn’t get past the frosting consistency. I just know I’ll be using my stand mixer on the next batch & not my hand one!
Julie
These tasted so delicious! However, like several other’s mentioned, I could never get it past the frosting consistency. I even added 2 additional cups of powdered sugar. I’ve been cooking over 30 years, a lot of it with candy. I used exact measurements, used bar cream cheese (not low fat or fat free) and made sure the cheese and butter were softened. Not sure what we t wrong or if maybe there are some typos in the recipe but I’m not the only reporting to have this issue.
Sam
Hi Julie! That’s very odd. You can try popping it in the fridge for about 15 minutes and see how the dough seems.
Stephanie Wingard
Well, I live in Europe and the only phili cream cheese is in a giant tub. Unfortunately, no amount of sugar could get it to a dough consistency. Sitting here staring and wondering what I can make of this now. 🤷🏻♀️
Patti
Did you refrigerate the dough? After mixing it, you have to refrigerate so you can form the balls. I usually refrigerate the dough for two hours before making the mints
Corita
if it’s in a tub it’s possible it’s whipped cream cheese. With air incorporated I don’t think it would work in this recipe. In the U.S. the cream cheese comes it small ‘foil’ wrapped bricks and has an approximately slightly firmer texture than a brie.