This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Cream Cheese Mints are a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth, old-fashioned mint and I can’t walk past a plate of them without popping one into my mouth. It doesn’t hurt that they’re one of the easiest candies to make!
My love of these mints goes all the way back to childhood. But, I was an adult before I learned that you could make them at home. Unlike many homemade candies, cream cheese mints and old-fashioned butter mints don’t require any fancy ingredients, special equipment, or careful temperature control. So, when the holidays arrive, you can bet that these mints appear on cookie trays at our house.
Cream Cheese Mints
This recipe brings back a flood of memories for me. I remember sneaking to the dessert table more than a few times during my cousin’s wedding reception when I was a little girl and discovering these amazing little mints.
They were sweet and minty, and it felt like magic the way that they just melted into that smooth and creamy consistency that I love. I’m pretty darn proud to say that this recipe for cream cheese mints recreates that same unforgettable memory.
Recreated these that my grandmother always made for everyone’s weddings and showers for my Mother’s 90th birthday party!!! So happy this recipe is still around!!!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Cream Cheese – This one is non-negotiable, friends. Cream cheese creates the creamy, rich base for these mints.
Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar disappears smoothly into the cream cheese, contrasting beautifully with its subtle tanginess.
Peppermint Extract – You’ll need pure peppermint extract for the perfect minty flavor. This is the peppermint flavor associated with candies and most mint flavors. You can substitute with a mint extract blend, but absolutely do not use pure spearmint extract.
Notes on Equipment
- Electric mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheet or tray
- Parchment paper
- Tiny cookie scoop – an extra small 1 teaspoon cookie scoop is priceless when making these mints. It helps portion out the perfect amount each time for rolling these candies.
- Fork
How to Make Cream Cheese Mints
Warming the Cream Cheese: To start, you’ll need cream cheese that is room temperature. So, set out the cream cheese and allow it to come to room temperature before you begin this recipe.
Mixing: I use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth.
Adding Ingredients: We’re going to add the peppermint extract and half of the powdered sugar and beat again until fully incorporated.
Adding Remaining Sugar: Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat once more.
Adjusting Consistency: If the mixture is too dry and crumbles when you press it together instead of being moldable, you can slowly add water, just a few drops at a time, to the mixture until it has the right consistency.
Lining the Tray: Line a tray with parchment paper.
Shaping the Candy: I wear gloves when shaping the candies into small 1/2″ balls. You can skip them, but I find that disposable gloves are worth it.
Pressing Flat: After shaping the mints, you need to press each of them flat with a fork until there’s a faint indentation in the surface. This creates the classic cream cheese mint shape.
Serving: Pop the mints into the fridge until ready to serve, then set them out and watch them disappear!
Expert Tip
The consistency of these mints is pretty forgiving, but you do have to be careful when adding water to adjust them. If your mints are too dry, I just add a drop or two of water at a time and remix. If you add a splash, you’re likely to end up with the opposite problem, which is candies that are too loose and won’t hold shape. That’s a lot more work to fix. So, go slow!
Mix at Room Temp – You can beat cream cheese that is cold, but it’s going to take longer. When it hasn’t softened, it can break into tiny flecks that are difficult to fully incorporate. And that means you can end up with unsweetened moments of plain cream cheese in your mints.
Measure with Care – I never measure peppermint extract over the mixing bowl, always off to the side. Because just a drop or two more than needed and your lovely mint flavor can turn into”toothpaste” real quick. Taste the candy mixture after adding it and use caution before deciding to add any more.
Small Is Best – I think impatience has to be my biggest downfall when it comes to making candies. Once you’ve measured out dozens of tiny mints, it can be tempting to let the size creep up a bit to speed things along. This is why I use a tiny cookie scoop for measuring each mint. This keeps them a uniform size.
Serving Suggestions
If I’m putting together a dessert table, I’ll add a pan of cosmic brownies or a plate of chocolate chip pudding cookies next to a bowl of these mints, so there is something chewy and fabulously chocolate and rich sitting next to something that melts and is minty cool.
Come December, a batch of peppermint marshmallow fudge next to them doubles down on the mint. And, that’s exactly the kind of holiday theme I want.
Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: Yes! You can freeze these mints, and they’ll keep well for the holiday season. I’ll typically make a double batch and then freeze them in separate baggies, so that I can easily have some on hand when hosting.
How to Store: These mints can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week, and will keep well in the freezer for a month or two.
More Candy Recipes
- Homemade Butter Mints
- Chocolate Covered Butter Toffee
- Easy Microwave Peanut Brittle
- Perfect Homemade Marshmallows {made without corn syrup}
Frequently Asked Questions
That depends on how much is “too much”. A slight amount more than necessary can typically be saved by adding a tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time and beating the mixture again to combine. But, if it was a LOT of water, you may have to choose between increasing the other ingredients proportionally, or just starting over.
It’ll take longer, but you can certainly mash the cream cheese with a fork or a sturdy whisk, gradually incorporating sugar, until mixed.
Absolutely! You can make treats that feature other flavors, not just peppermint. Just add a little bit at a time to find the right amount of flavor so that it doesn’t become overpowering.
Cream Cheese Mints
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add the peppermint extract and half of the powdered sugar. Beat to combine.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat again until well combined. If the mixture is too dry and crumbly to press together, add just a half teaspoon of water to the bowl. Beat again and repeat ONLY as needed, taking care to add the tiniest bit of water possible.
- Use your hand to shape into small ½" balls and place them on parchment-lined tray. Press flat with a fork and then chill until ready to serve. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two weeks or freeze for up to two months.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 12/5/13 – notes and photos updated 9/17/26}
So fun and yummy! I could let the kids make these. I'm glad you gave us the little tip on these going from mint to toothpaste….I can totally see myself doing that:-).
What a neat idea — and I love anything that is THIS easy to make. Thanks, Mary!
Hobby Lobby sells soft rubber molds to make different shapes with these–for wedding/baby showers, etc.
55 yrs. ago at this time I was making these for our wedding reception at Trinity Methodist Church in Anderson, S. C. Back in the dark ages you had wedding receptions at your church and served wedding cake, punch, mints..Boy have wedding receptions changed.
Could I change the pepprrmint to almond
Sure. I bet they would be delicious.
Ok, how is it that I've never heard of these? They're adorable!
I used to make these every year … to make them even more special, add a few drops of food coloring!!
Do you sift the powdered sugar first before measuring? Or at all???
I do not sift the powdered sugar at all, Allison.
Pinned. I love the sound of these!
Fun idea. Thank you for sharing.
Guess what, I have never had one! So I have to try this. Thanks again.
Made these today, thanks for the recipe…so easy and oh so good.
Fantastic! I love this simple homemade recipe for mints. It's always nice to make your own candy so you know what's really in it. Just pinned this recipe and will definitely be making these this week.
Sweet and simple!
Thank you for all that you do!
Pinned,
K-
I'm not a mint fan, what about vanilla flavor?
Vanilla might work. I'm planning to try them with almond as well, so that might be an option for you too.
Vanilla is actually one of my favorite flavors to use with these.
I want to dip them in chocolate!
These look so easy and fun to make. I wonder how they would be with citrus flavors — lime, lemon & orange; with a touch of finely grated zest and the citrus oil. This really calls to me. What do you think? I just need to get some citrus oils. I all out.
Sounds delicious. I bet all of those variations would be lovely!
I have made lemon and orange using artificial flavoring before. I cannot remember how orange tasted to be honest, but lemon was very tasty!
Made these yesterday and cannot stay out of them so good and so easy to make. Thank you
can you add food coloring, for say a colored themed baby shower or would that change the consistency?
Sure. It shouldn't take more than a drop or two to color the whole batch.
I used to help my grandmother and mom make these every year when I was a child. We would use different flavors with food colors to keep them separate. My favorite was the rum and vanilla ones. We had a bunch of the rubber molds too. If you put a little granulated sugar in the mold prior to the mixture it helps it come out cleaner. You can also use the granulated sugar with the fork method. Just roll the ball of mixture in a little sugar prior to pressing with the fork. It helps to keep them from sticking to each other during storage (if they last that long). Thanks for sharing this, it brought back so many great memories!
Just to clarify… the rum was an artificial flavoring… 🙂
I grew up eating ones that were lemon, orange and cherry (almond). These mints seem like such a midwest thing! I'm from Minnesota.
Just a warning- I made these and they are ridiculously addictive!!! They are soooo good and so easy!