Description
Irresistible Valentines Cream Cheese Mints are soft, creamy, and delicately flavored pastel candies perfect for gifting or sharing on special occasions. Made with melted butter and cream cheese combined with confectioners’ sugar and flavored with your favorite extracts, these melt-in-your-mouth mints are easy to shape and customize with colors and flavors. They set to a firm exterior while staying soft inside, making them a delightful homemade treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 4 to 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
Flavoring and Color
- 1 teaspoon preferred flavor extract (peppermint, vanilla, lemon, cherry, raspberry, or strawberry)
- Food coloring (optional, to achieve desired pastel shades)
Instructions
- Melt Butter and Cream Cheese: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup butter until fully liquefied. Add the softened cream cheese and stir continuously until the cream cheese softens completely and blends smoothly with the melted butter.
- Mix in Powdered Sugar: Remove the saucepan from heat. Gradually add 4 cups of powdered sugar, stirring thoroughly as you add it. If the mixture remains sticky, add more powdered sugar a little at a time until the dough reaches a soft playdough-like consistency that does not stick to your fingers.
- Flavor and Color the Dough: Divide the dough into portions based on how many flavors or colors you want. To each portion, add about 1/3 teaspoon of your chosen extract and mix well. Add a few drops of food coloring as desired, kneading until the color is consistent.
- Shape the Candies: For classic butter mint circles, scoop about 1/2 teaspoon of dough, roll into balls, then flatten slightly with the back of a fork to create a scored pattern. Alternatively, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. To prevent cutters from sticking, dip them in melted butter and granulated sugar or spray with non-stick spray.
- Coat and Set the Mints: Optionally roll shaped candies in granulated sugar to lightly coat. Arrange mints on waxed paper in a single layer and let sit for a few hours until set and no longer sticky. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
Notes
- If the dough is too sticky, gradually add more powdered sugar until the consistency is correct.
- Use food coloring sparingly to achieve delicate pastel shades that complement the flavors.
- Flavor extracts like peppermint and vanilla are popular, but lemon, cherry, raspberry, and strawberry also work well.
- Storing mints in an airtight container in the refrigerator maintains freshness and texture.
- For a professional look, experiment with different shapes and colors to suit your theme.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 mints (approx. 15 grams)
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 25mg
- Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
