The BEST Cream Cheese Mints recipe you’ll ever try! This incredibly easy recipe makes the most delicious, luscious, melt-in-your-mouth cream cheese mints around! Make them in any color you like! Perfect for Easter, baby showers, weddings and more!
Looking for more treats for Easter? Make sure to try my Bunny Bait Easter Snack Mix, Coconut Cream Pie and my Nana’s Carrot Cake!
Cream Cheese Mints Recipe
These Cream Cheese Mints are a classic, nostalgic treat that never go out of style! Smooth, creamy, and perfectly sweet with just the right touch of mint (or peppermint!), these little candies practically melt in your mouth. They’re a staple at weddings, baby showers, and holiday gatherings – and once you try them, you’ll see why!
Many of you have called these cream cheese butter mints, wedding mints, baby shower mints, and it’s true, they go by many names. I have always called them cream cheese mints because in my recipe, cream cheese is the prominent ingredient.
There are lots of recipes out there for these mints that call for only 3 or 4 ounces of cream cheese. I use an entire brick. The reason? These candies will literally melt in your mouth they’re so creamy and delicious. That’s what makes them the BEST Cream Cheese Mints around!
Made with just a handful of ingredients, this recipe for cream cheese mints is surprisingly easy to make and totally customizable with colors and shapes to match any occasion!
Why You’ll Love These Cream Cheese Mints
We love making these cream cheese mints for Easter and Christmas, but also they are fantastic for baby showers, weddings, and just parties in general. They’re so easy to make and since you can make them ahead of time… well, let’s just say that’s awesome.
- Simple Ingredients: Simple pantry staples come together in minutes to make these mouth-watering ,delicious cream cheese wedding mints.
- Perfect For Any Occasion: Great for showers, parties, holidays, or even gifting, these cream cheese mints are so well received and appreciated for their flavor and nostalgic qualities.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: These mints store beautifully and freeze well too! You can make these mints ahead of time in store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for several months making them idea for the busy holiday season.
- Super Customizable: Not only can these mints be made in any color you like, they can be made in any flavor too! Simply swap in you favorite extract! We’ve tried lemon, cherry, peppermint and mint – all are delicious!
Ingredient Breakdown
Let’s take a closer look at what makes these mints so delicious:
- Cream Cheese: The base of the recipe, cream cheese gives these mints their signature creamy texture and tangy richness.
- Butter: Adds smoothness and helps the mixture hold its shape. Make sure it’s softened for easy mixing! I used salted butter in this recipe.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the mints and gives them structure. It’s also used for rolling to prevent sticking.
- Mint or Peppermint Extract: Just a small amount gives that fresh, cool flavor. Peppermint or spearmint both work great.
- Gel Food Coloring: Totally optional, but fun! Add festive colors to match your event or holiday. I used this gel food coloring set.
How To Make Cream Cheese Mints
These easy Cream Cheese Mints are smooth, sweet, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Made with just a handful of ingredients, they’re perfect for weddings, baby showers, holidays, or anytime you need a sweet little bite.
Let’s take quick look at how to make this recipe and, as always, you can find the full printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Combine cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth.
- Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Stir in the mint extract.
- Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar.
- Separate into four separate bowls, or however many different colors you want.
- Add a small amount of food color to each bowl.
- Stir until the color is uniform.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm enough to handle.
- Pinch off small amounts of the dough and form into a 1-inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar and place on prepared sheet pans.
- Press the tines of a fork into the top of each ball.
- Sit out for at least 4 hours or until the mints are firm.
Storage Information
Cream Cheese Mints are perfect for making ahead of time!
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Layer with waxed or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Freezer: Freeze in a single layer first, then transfer to an airtight container. Use parchment between layers. Freeze for up to 2 months. Let mints come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Variations To Try
These mints are incredibly delicious! Here are some fun ways to customize this recipe:
- Swap in a different flavored extract. Try vanilla, almond, or lemon extract instead of mint. Virtually any flavor extract will work!
- Use small candy molds or cookie cutters for fun shapes. You can also roll into a log and cut into squares – like butter mints.
- Have fun with the colors OR omit the food coloring entirely. Red and green for Christmas, pastels for Easter, pink and blue for baby showers and fun and festive!
Can I make these cream cheese mints in advance?
The candies need to dry to harden. So you’ll want to make at least 1 day in advance. The powdered sugar that they are rolled in will absorb into the mint – so don’t worry about the white. The cream cheese mints can be frozen or refrigerated if you’d like to make well in advance.
How did you get those pretty pastel colors?
Easy! I used these Wilton gel food colors – they’re my favorite! Use any colors you like though – these mints are so pretty in a variety of colors.
Should I use peppermint extract or mint extract in the recipe?
I used mint – as in spearmint. Many of you prefer peppermint and trust me, they’re good that way too. In fact, last month when I shared the Chocolate Mint Cream Cheese Buttons, so many of you made it with peppermint extract instead of mint and said it was the best thing you’d ever had! So, bottom line, use whichever you prefer.
And while we’re on that subject… you can use any flavor of extract you want. Cherry, root beer, lemon, orange – any flavor you want!
Can I use a candy mold with this recipe?
Absolutely! Simple pinch off a small amount of the dough, roll into a ball and then roll in granulated sugar and press into your mold. Pop out the mold and repeat! I do love that you can achieve really adorable and beautiful mints with just a simple fork though!
Can I dip these mints into chocolate?
Absolutely! These are delicious dipped in chocolate. You can dip them completely like we did with this chocolate covered mint patties or just dip halfway.
More Easy Candy Recipes
- Divinity Candy
- Penuche Recipe
- Buckeyes
- Martha Washington Candy
- Saltine Cracker Toffee
- Better Than Anything Toffee Recipe
- Raspberry Truffles
The BEST Cream Cheese Mints
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, full fat, softened
- 4 tablespoons salted butter softened
- 2 pounds powdered sugar
- ½ to 1½ teaspoons mint extract or peppermint extract
- gel food coloring optional
- ½ cup powdered sugar for rolling mints
Instructions
- Combine cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl and mix until smooth.8 ounces cream cheese,, 4 tablespoons salted butter
- Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.2 pounds powdered sugar
- Add the mint extract and mix until combined.½ to 1½ teaspoons mint extract
- Gradually, add the remaining powdered sugar until smooth and consistent. You can do this with a stand mixer, hand mixer, food processor or by hand. The dough will get quite stiff towards the end.
- Separate the mixture into four separate bowls, or however many different colors you want.
- Add a small amount of food color to each bowl and stir in until the color is uniform.gel food coloring
- Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm enough to handle. You don’t want it sticking to your hands.
- Line two quarter sheet pans with parchment paper and liberally dust with powdered sugar. Set aside.
- Pinch off small amounts of the dough and form into a 1-inch balls.
- Roll each ball in powdered sugar and place on prepared sheet pans.½ cup powdered sugar
- Gently press the tines of a fork into the top of each ball. (You can also use the bottom of a shot glass if you don't want the lines. Just dip the bottom of the glass into powdered sugar to keep it from sticking.)
- Let stand, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or until the mints are firm. If the bottoms have any moisture, flip over and let stand again until the bottoms of the mints are also firm.
Video
Notes
Tools and Equipment (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Quarter Sheet Pans | Parchment Sheets | Electric Mixer (Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer)
Please see post above for more information, recipe tips and frequently asked questions.
Nutrition
Originally published March 25, 2017.
Suraj Soni says
these cream cheese mints are looking very beautiful, i would ask my wife to make it tonight, specially for my kids.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Enjoy!
Pam Witte says
How many mints would you say this makes?
Mari says
Can you mix it all together and add flavoring last? Because I would like to make one recipe with four different flavoring. So I figured I would divide the cream cheese mix in four batches then add flavorings last?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Sure! That will work too.
Brenda says
Hi there – in step 2 you mention add 1 cup of powered sugar – when does the rest of 2 lbs of powdered sugar get added in then?
Brenda says
Never mind – lol – would help if I read it all – in step 4 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Step 4 🙂
Barb says
you mentioned 2 pound of cream cheese. I am confused! So is it 1 or 2 cream cheese. lol
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m not sure where I said that… The recipe calls for 8 oz of cream cheese which is 1/2 pound.
Maria Soroka says
In comment #16, you meant to say 2 lbs of sugar but you said cream cheese. 🙂
Connie says
What is wrong with these people. People….read the recipe and don’t question it. I don’t think this lady would post a recipe that is incorrect. Good lord just don’t make it if you don’t like it. These are delicious mints just the way she posted the recipe. Have a heart please. ????
Dawn says
All these question were helpful. Thanks everyone. But i still have one question in reference the food coloring it says gel food coloring I wanted to know if you can use regular food coloring
Janette says
Hi I was wondering on the mint patties does it have to be Challenge Cream Cheesed or can u use Philadelphia.
Pam Cox says
Awesome
michelle says
I made them and 25 hours later, they are still sort of moist – they hold their shape but the centers are still very moist. Is that how they are supposed to be? I thought it would all firm up? Thanks!
Used salted butter, full fat normal block of cream cheese, powdered sugar and wilton food gels plus a tsp of peppermint.
They taste great tho. Any advice??
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
They shouldn’t be “moist” on the inside – they should be soft. Was the dough moist when you rolled them out? Was it sticky? It shouldn’t be sticky.
Saralina says
Your mix should be the consistency of good Playdoh. You can handle, shape, mold, and form it wothout it sticking to anything. If it’s not at that consistency, add small amounts of powdered sugar, no more than a couple tablespoons at a time, and mix well. Check after each addition to see if it’s right. You really can’t mess these up. Once you have a Playdoh consistency, you’re good to go. Have fun with forming them or using various molds or cutters for different shapes.
Happy room says
These look so delicious! I HAVE to try them.
Tiger says
I can’t believe how many of you question the recipe? It’s not just here but all recipe sites. If your that worried don’t make them.
This recipe for mints is easy & straight forward.
In baking or candy making, when it calls for butter it means butter. Margarine is nothing but hydrogenated oils & chemicals. Margarine will never firm up like butter. No butter taste either. Hence it’s not going to taste or act right as a dough, candy or batter.
FYI – Margarine is 1 molecule away from plastic! It was originally made to feed to pigs to make them fat!
Debbie says
I love your comment about margarine being one molecule away from plastic. As a former science teacher, I told this to my students all the time. Just like aspartame is one molecule short of formaldehyde!
Jennifer says
H2O is one molecule away from H2O2 but you’ll still H2O
Pax Zee says
These look delicious… I was wondering if anyone has used cocoa baking powder in this recipe and vanilla extract ( or mint for choc mint) to make chocolate ones…reminds me a bit of the Irish potato recipe I make.. Also is Gel food coloring a necessity or can one use regular food coloring.. Thanks!!
Alona Reid says
I use regular liquid food coloring and it worked fine
Carolyn says
I just made a batch and after refrigerating them fir 2 hours they were still too sticky to roll into balls. I used margarine instead of butter, would this cause the stickiness? Or should I have left them in the fridge longer?
Penny says
Carolyn, margarine has water in it, so it would effect the quality of the mixture. Pure butte is the only way to go for this yummy recipe.
Penny says
Sorry…butter… :/
Mel says
Also, the recipe says to let stand, uncovered for at least 4 hours until the mints are firm, it does not say to refrigerate not does it say to use margarine. There is a huge difference between margarine and butter.
JoEtta McCollum says
I use Challenge butter and was wondering if everyone knows that there are coupons inside the box itself. These look like Easter or baby shower, but guess they could be colored for any occasion.
Julie says
I’ve used cinnamon flavor in these for Christmas. We like the almond flavored as well!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
So many different options that are terrific!
Alona Reid says
Love, love, love the almond flavor!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Me too Alona!
Kathleen Oxford says
Thank you for posting about the different flavors I can use
Denise says
Looks great, but I have a question. Can you please explain why they don’t need to be refrigerated when their primary ingredient is cream cheese? Thanks!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Sure! See those 2 pounds of powdered sugar? That’s actually the primary ingredient and that sugar acts as a preservative in these candies. Hope that helps!
Christine says
Can you dip these in milk chocolate
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yes you can!