Description
These Irresistible Valentines Cream Cheese Mints are smooth, flavorful, and perfect for gifting or enjoying as a festive treat. Made with cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and your choice of flavor extracts and colors, these soft yet firm mints can be shaped into charming circles or cut-out forms, coated with sugar, and set to perfection. With a simple stovetop melting method and no baking required, they offer a delightful balance of creamy texture and sweet taste, ideal for a romantic Valentine’s Day celebration or anytime you want a refreshing, homemade mint candy.
Ingredients
Scale
Cream Cheese and Butter Mixture
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
Sweetening and Flavoring
- 4 to 5 cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 teaspoon preferred flavor extract (peppermint, vanilla, lemon, cherry, raspberry, or strawberry)
Optional Additions
- Food coloring (to achieve desired pastel shades)
- Granulated sugar, for coating
Instructions
- Melt Butter and Cream Cheese: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup of unsalted butter completely. Add 8 ounces of softened cream cheese to the melted butter and stir continuously until the cream cheese softens and blends smoothly with the butter, creating a soft, uniform mixture. The cream cheese will not fully melt but should be well combined and creamy.
- Mix in Powdered Sugar: Remove the saucepan from heat. Gradually add 4 cups of powdered sugar to the butter and cream cheese mixture, stirring thoroughly after each addition. If the dough remains sticky, continue adding powdered sugar a little at a time until it reaches a soft playdough-like consistency that does not stick to your fingers.
- Flavor and Color the Dough: Divide the dough into the number of portions you want, depending on how many flavors or colors you plan to make. To each portion, add about 1/3 teaspoon of your chosen flavor extract and mix well. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring to each portion and knead until the color is evenly incorporated for a vibrant pastel shade.
- Shape the Candies: For traditional butter mint circles, scoop about 1/2 teaspoon of dough, roll it into a ball, then flatten slightly with the back of a fork to create a scored pattern. Alternatively, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and use cookie cutters to cut your preferred shapes. To prevent sticking, lightly spray the cutters with non-stick spray or dip them in melted butter and then granulated sugar between uses.
- Coat and Set the Mints: Optionally, roll the shaped candies in granulated sugar to coat them lightly on all sides. Arrange the mints in a single layer on waxed paper. Let them sit at room temperature for a few hours until set and no longer sticky on the surface. The inside remains soft while the outside firms up, making them perfect to store in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
Notes
- The dough consistency is key: add powdered sugar gradually until it no longer sticks to your fingers but remains pliable.
- Feel free to experiment with flavors and colors to create personalized mints for special occasions.
- Storing the mints in an airtight container in the refrigerator extends their freshness and prevents them from becoming too soft.
- If cookie cutters stick, coating them with melted butter followed by granulated sugar helps prevent adhesion.
- The mints do not require baking, making this recipe quick and convenient.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 pieces (approx. 15 grams)
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
