Description
These Irresistible Valentines Cream Cheese Mints are a delightful homemade treat featuring a smooth, buttery, and creamy texture balanced with the sweetness of confectioners’ sugar. Customized with your choice of flavor extracts and pastel food coloring, these mints make a perfect festive gift or party favor. Soft on the inside and slightly firm on the outside, they are easy to shape and coat, resulting in charming, flavorful candies that store well in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1 package cream cheese (8 oz, softened to room temperature)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
- 4 to 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
Flavoring and Coloring
- 1 tsp preferred flavor extract (peppermint, vanilla, lemon, cherry, raspberry, strawberry, or others)
- Food coloring (optional, to achieve desired pastel shades)
For Coating and Shaping
- Granulated sugar (optional, for coating)
- Non-stick spray or melted butter (optional, to prepare cookie cutters)
Instructions
- Melt Butter and Cream Cheese: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter until fully liquefied. Add the 8 oz softened cream cheese and stir continuously until the cream cheese softens completely and combines smoothly with the melted butter. The mixture should become very soft and smooth, but the cream cheese will not fully melt like the butter.
- Mix in Powdered Sugar: Remove the saucepan from heat. Gradually add 4 cups of confectioners’ sugar to the butter and cream cheese mixture, stirring thoroughly with a spoon as you add it. If the dough remains sticky, add additional powdered sugar a little at a time until it reaches a very soft playdough 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 desire. 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 and knead until the color is fully and evenly incorporated. Popular color and flavor pairings include pink with strawberry, yellow with lemon, and green with peppermint.
- Shape the Candies: For classic butter mint circles, scoop about 1/2 teaspoon portions of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly with the back of a fork to create a scored pattern. Alternatively, roll dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and use cookie cutters for various shapes. To prevent cutters from sticking, spray them lightly with non-stick spray or dip them in melted butter and then granulated sugar between cuts.
- Coat and Set the Mints: Optionally, roll the shaped candies in granulated sugar to lightly coat all sides. Arrange the mints in a single layer on waxed paper and let them sit for a few hours until the exterior firms and the candies are no longer sticky. Store finished mints in an airtight container in the refrigerator to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Ensure cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature before starting for easier mixing.
- Adjust the amount of powdered sugar to get the correct non-sticky dough consistency.
- Flavor extracts and food coloring can be customized to suit personal preference or themed events.
- If cookie cutters stick, use melted butter and granulated sugar as a coating for easier cutting.
- Store mints in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh longer.
- Allow mints to set fully at room temperature for a few hours before storing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 mints (approx. 20 grams)
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
