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Homemade Butter Mints are old-fashioned, buttery, sweet, minty candies that melt in your mouth like no store-bought candy you have ever tasted.
I’ll go ahead and tell you that these innocent looking mints are absurdly addictive. I found myself walking through the kitchen several times today, just to taste one more, and then one more.
I used to love after-dinner mints, but I haven’t had one in years. The last ones I tried were dry to the point of being crunchy and the taste was so toothpaste-like I decided not to buy them again. These are nothing like that!
I found this recipe for Old Fashioned Butter Mints over at Averie Cooks and it’s a keeper! I’ve played with it a bit to make a chocolate mint as well and you’re going to love both versions.
Don’t be intimidated by the idea that this is candy making. These mints took far less time to make than I expected. (seriously, it was well under an hour from start to finish!) If you can roll play-dough, you can make these homemade butter mints!
If you’re looking for a few more sweet treats to make, these Cream Cheese Mints are beyond easy to make and they disappear almost as fast as you can make them. Old Fashioned Potato Candy is another fun candy to make that only requires a few minutes of effort in the kitchen. (I promise you can’t taste the potato at all!)
Homemade Butter Mints & Chocolate Butter Mints
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk or this homemade substitute for condensed milk
- 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar *
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract **
- Optional: 1/4 cup cocoa powder * reduce the powdered sugar by the amount of cocoa used
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the soft butter and salt. Beat for a moment to combine. Add the condensed milk and beat again to combine. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, beating to combine thoroughly. Add the peppermint, taste and adjust as needed. The dough will be mostly crumbs, but should stick together when squeezed into a ball. It should not be sticky at all.
- Remove the dough from the mixer and pull off golf ball size sections. (At this point, you can also wrap the dough tightly and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to roll them out.) Roll each ball out into a long skinny strip about 1/2" in diameter. Slice the strips into tiny mint-size pieces. I used a pizza cutter to easily roll back and forth and slice them quickly.
- Alternative method (for the impatient): Roll the dough out to approximately 1/4" thick. Use a knife or pizza cutter to slice the dough into 1/2" (or smaller) squares. They might not be as cute or as authentic looking, but it will only take a couple minutes to cut out all of the mints.
- Spread the soft pieces across a baking sheet and allow them to sit at room temperature overnight. You could speed up the process and put them in the refrigerator uncovered. Mine were fine on the counter though. When they have hardened enough to store, transfer the mints to an airtight container. Enjoy!
To Make Chocolate Butter Mints
- Reduce the powdered sugar by the amount of cocoa powder in the recipe. Whisk the cocoa powder into the powdered sugar first, before adding the powdered sugar to the recipe. You can skip this step, but it will take a little longer to combine the cocoa powder into the finished dough.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 3/29/13 – recipe notes and photos updated 12/23/17}
Can you use the essential oil peppermint?
Sure. It won’t hurt, it will just be more expensive.
I am making them now added more powdered sugar and they are still wet help
These look yummy and fun to make. Do I use unsalted butter or salted? Thanks. I want to make these for my daughter’s wedding next week!!
I use salted butter for everything, Sherry.
I’m curious if after i make them, can i put them on a dish or jar on my desk at work and enjoy them from time to time? Or will they go rancid?
I have always kept them in the fridge, Juanita. I think they’d be fine out for a day or so, but after that, I have no idea.
These butter mints are truly melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness! Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that you love them, Jeannene.
Would these mints be good if made 6 weeks before Christmas? How long will they last? I read somewhere that butter mints are good for up to a year.
I don’t know about a year, but I’ve frozen these ahead of the holidays without any issues.
Why kosher salt?
Kosher salt is my preference and it’s what I typically have in my home, Sally. I specify that because if you were to use table salt instead, you’d need to reduce it at least by half, as it will be far too salty.
Fabulous recipe that will definitely have you addicted to these delicious mints. They make wonderful gifts around Christmas time. My only suggestion is to use a kitchen aid mixer if you can. It makes a world of difference versus using a hand mixer. Also, I have used ground sea salt with good results. (I never remember to pick up kosher salt at the store)
I’m so happy to hear that you like the mints, Ashley.
I’m so glad to have found a recipe for a candy I ate as a child. There is another one I have been trying to find, It is the red and white striped old fashioned peppermint sticks. They also come in other flavors.
Can you help me?
I’ve never tried making peppermint sticks, Lois! I’ll have to play with that idea. I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the butter mints!
Hi! So I thought it would be nice to send some of these butter mints to some family. Would they be ok getting shipped through the mail?
These mints will ship nicely, Amy.
How far ahead can I make.. Will they freeze?
I’ve never tried freezing them, but they should freeze fine for a couple months in an airtight container, Joyce.
The one that answered you and said she’s never frozen them told someone in the comments above that she had and they froze just fine. Her reply that she froze them was from Nov 2019. Then after that to you–she said she’d never tried freezing them. One of her replies is way off to say the least. Hope your mints turned out well!!!
I stand corrected, Nessa. I just scrolled further back and saw that I had tried freezing them in the past and it worked fine. With over 1500 recipes on the website, it’s entirely possible to forget whether or not I’ve tested something in the freezer in years past. I do my best to stay on top of those things though.
How long and how can these be stored. I want to make them for a baby shower and would like to get as much done in advance as possible.
Hi Merilee, the mints can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for at least a couple of months.
Love the butter mints recipe
I’m so happy to hear that you love the mints, Betty.
Can the milk be replaced with water?
That will not work, Nicole. This isn’t regular milk. The recipe calls for “sweetened condensed milk” – it is very thick and very sweet.
If making the chocolate butter mints can you skip the peppermint and use vanilla for a more chocolate flavor?
Sure thing, Cassandra.
Can you add food coloring or will that affect the consistency?
Jessica – A drop or two should be fine.
Sure looks yummy, never had Chocolate Mints, sure I’ll love them, because Choc. is my fav. Flavor of anything….. sure want to try these….. thanks for the recipe…..
I hope you try them. They are always a hit.
Is there a link for the homemade condensed milk?
Here you go, Kathleen: https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/how-to-make-condensed-milk/
I’m going to try this recipe adding crushed freeze-dried strawberries.
oooh! I bet that will taste amazing, Linda!
Ohhhhh! I was just reading the recipe for cream cheese mints, it’s cc instead of butter. I bet cream cheese mints with strawberry powder would be good! I’m going to try it. I’m making a bunch of different flavors for my dad’s 70th bday party. Raspberry cheesecake, orange cream and allle cinnamon, all by adding those flavor extracts and swapping the peppermint for vanilla.