I make these every year for my holiday cookie trays. They are easy and fun to make. You don’t need to make very many. Just a few mints look great on a tray or by themselves. Trade them at a cookie parties or give them as gifts.
Recipe:
• 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
• ¼ c. soft butter
• 2 boxes powdered sugar 2 lb. (plus 1 box on hand for rolling)
• Food coloring (Try the gels if you haven’t yet. You can control color intensity better than with liquids.)
• Various extract flavors of your choice.
Preparation:
Combine cream cheese and butter in heavy pan. Stir over low heat until cheese to soft, butter melted and mixture blended. Add in powdered sugar. Divide mint dough into small bowls, each of which you will add color and flavor. Here’s what I like: green for mint, pink for almond, yellow for lemon. Any flavor works well with this mixture so go crazy; rum, anise, orange – whatever. Mix each with spoon. Use separate utensil for each one – don’t transfer color and flavor from bowl to bowl by using the same spoon.
Line a cookie sheet with wax paper or parchment. Work the dough, one bowl at the time, by first rolling into small balls about one inch. If it’s too sticky, mix in a little more powdered sugar. Use a cookie stamp or whatever you like to press each ball into your desired round. Dust your stamp in powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Let dry on the cookie sheets for a couple days before removing. I turned mine over to dry on other side. I dry them under a clean dish or wax paper.
Tip: I roll a few candies and lay them out before I start to stamp, but don’t wait too long or the drying edges will crack when you stamp them.
Packaging:
Arrange a few into a small box for colorful treat. Tip: plan and adjust the size of your mints to fix whatever gift box you want to use. Or add several to a plate of holiday cookies. Tie on your My Own Labels gift tag and label.
Helpful Links
- Fancy Square Labels • I chose the “Snowswirls” style in Pink and Pale Green.
- Gift Boxes
More homemade holiday gift ideas…
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Hi Barbara! I was just thinking this morning- you can’t go wrong with Cream Cheese… Ever. However, I can ruin it with being too generous with the flavoring, what amount would you say is best to start with?
Thanks in advance!
I don’t heat the cream cheese and butter. I cut mine together with a pastry blender, one fairly blended i add the flavoring (spearmint) then add powdered sugar until it is not sticky and you can roll easily in balls. then use rubber molds to shape.
Hi Barbara~
I was wondering about your cookie stamp. Brand name? Where to purchase? Thanks.
~Lois
Made these today. They turned out great! I want to compare them to my grandmother’s recipe now. I found good success in piping them from a pastry bag with a #7 tip. Made the sweetest little rosettes! Wish I could attach a photo for you to see them!
Hi Kimberly,
We would love to see a photo of your mints! Feel free to add it to our flickr group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/myownideas/
Hi,
I am wondering where one can find cookie stamps. . .
Thanks!!
Thanks for asking about the cookie press. I seem to shop for fun only while I’m on vacation. Somehow I always end up in the gourmet kitchen shops. These little things are always hidden in little bins or baskets. Keep an sharp eye out! I’m looking for one with an “acorn.” I have also seen them vintage resale shops. Sometimes they are wooden. I’ve seen tiny butter presses that would work too.
I am guessing these would have to be refrigerated?
My Mom and I have been making mints for 50years. We spent many hours together at the kitchen table making for weddings and showers. I make mine with just cream cheese and powdered sugar. No melting and no butter. Just use room temp cream cheese and hand mix with powdered sugar till it holds together and no longer sticky. Divide in small balls….add flavor and color. I use regular sugar in the molds. Online you can find candy molds. These always go over great.
Hi I was wondering how does the cream chesse
Not spoil? When you keep it out to dry for two days , thought you had to keep cream cheese
In the frig. Love to try these.
These were easier than I expected and so pretty. I bought some rubber stamps at Hobby Lobby, and used about 1/2 tsp. of flavoring which seems to be about right. A single recipe made almost 100 mints.
Help! Do these wonderful mints need to be refrigerated after during for two days? They are delicious and beautiful. I used the bottom of a crystal cordial glass to press the design.
Barb says she has dried her mints for up to 3-4 days, and then keeps dry between wax paper or parchment in airtight container in the refrigerator.
Hope that helps!
Is it ok the leave the mints to dry for 2 days and then put in fridge? I am making these for my daughter’s baby shower. I don’t want anyone to get sick.
Hey Teresa,
I’m responding on behalf of Barb. She says she has dried her mints for up to 3-4 days, and then keeps them between wax paper or parchment in airtight container in the refrigerator.
Hope that helps!
Lindsay