You’re going to love this Easy Christmas Peppermint Patties recipe! Super easy to make, fantastically festive, and always a hit with kids and adults alike. These holiday treats are the perfect addition to cookie trays and make an excellent gift for teachers and friends!
Looking for more quick and easy Christmas treats? Try this Christmas Bark, Christmas Crack and Snow Day Snack Mix!
Can you believe we are 12 DAYS from Christmas? I know this for a fact because the boys like to ask me hourly…. I never forget what day it is during the month of December 🙂 The house is finally all decked out and I’m debating whether to put the boxes up in the garage OR just leave them on the floor in the garage since I’ll be putting everything back up in 13 days.
Yikes! That was depressing 🙁 No, we’ll keep all the decorations up for at least week after Christmas 🙂
Well we are finally getting around to planning this year’s cookie trays and teacher’s gifts and I’m sure you are too. I have the easiest, most delightful recipe to share with you today – Easy Christmas Peppermint Patties.
These patties take no time at all, don’t require any baking, use only a few ingredients and are guaranteed to put a smile on anyone’s face. Yes, guaranteed. Now for those of you who aren’t peppermint-crazy like I am, consider using a different flavored extract. Cherry for the red is always delicious and I actually made the green ones with mint extract which I find to be perfect for Christmas time.
The dough is made up with just a few ingredients that you knead together with your hands. This is where you add in the extract of your choice. Start with just a couple drops to start and add more as necessary until you reach your desired intensity of flavor. If you want to do three different colors like I did just separate the dough into three balls.. Or four. Or two. Your choice 🙂 Add food coloring of your choice. I find the gel and paste work best. If you only have liquid food coloring you will have to add in more coloring and more powdered sugar so that the dough isn’t super sticky.
Roll into small balls and then roll in the sugar. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and press down with a fork. It’s really that incredibly easy. Keep going…
And going…
Until you are done!
These little candies will be the easiest treats you make all season and your kids will have fun helping AND eating them when they’re ready to go 🙂
More Christmas Treats
- Martha Washington Candies
- Peppermint Fudge
- Buttermilk Pecan Pralines
- Divinity Candy
- Homemade Gumdrops
- M&Ms Marshmallow Dream Bars
How To Make Christmas Peppermint Patties
Easy Christmas Peppermint Patties
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter softened
- ⅓ cup light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract or mint extract or any other extract you want
- 4 cups powdered sugar divided
- food coloring preferably gel or paste
- ½ cup granulated sugar to roll balls in
Instructions
- Combine butter and corn syrup together in a small bowl.
- Stir in your extract of choice.
- Add 2 cups powdered sugar and mix until well combined.
- Stir in an additional cup of powdered sugar.
- Knead the mixture until the powdered sugar is absorbed and the dough is completely smooth, adding additional powdered sugar if needed.
- Divide dough into three portions.
- Tint one portion red with the red food color/gel and one green. Leave one portion white. If the dough gets sticky, knead in more powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time.
- Shape into 3/4 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar.
- Flatten gently with a fork.
- Let candies stand, uncovered, at room temperature for 1 day.
- Store in an airtight container.
Sabrina says
Have you tried using almond or vanilla extract in place of the peppermint?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yup! I think I’ve tried almost every extract now 🙂 The almond is good but I wasn’t super fond of the vanilla. I guess it wasn’t a flavor that I expected with the patties.
clair says
I’m in the UK and we don’t have ‘corn syrup’ what’s a good substitute?? Many thanks!!
bobbi says
Karo syrup (sp?)is essentially the same thing
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Karo or Corn syrup are really the only ingredients that would work in this recipe. I sure hope you can find some!
jenny says
In the UK, try something called Lyle’s Golden Syrup. I do some personal allergen free baking and I’ve found that it is a great substitute for karo/corn syrup. When I buy it, I buy it from Amazon and it comes from England.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m loving how everyone is coming up with substitutions Jenny! This sounds perfect – thank you SO much!
kristi@ishouldbemoppingthefloor says
These are too cute for words…and sound so delightful and yummy!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Kristi!
Alliecat says
These were an instant favorite! We did a triple batch and ended up with approx 285 mints. They will add a great pop of color to my trays this year. The flavor is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
Karen says
It says you yielded 285 mints with a triple batch. The single batch recipe says it yields 5 dozen (60 mints which would be 180 in a triple batch). Did you mistype? I’m trying to plan for Christmas gifts and this threw me off. Thank you in advance for your reply. 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
It greatly depends on the size of balls you make Karen so hers were probably just a bit smaller than mine.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You are so welcome! A triple batch is the best way to go – love that you made so many!
Allie | Baking a Moment says
These are so cute and colorful! They look really fun to make and they sound delicious 😀
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks Allie!
Jennifer says
Hi! I have a question! It says I’m the ingredient list only regular sugar but in the directions it says to add more powdered sugar if you have liquid food color. Could you please elaborate on this for me, I’m not very practiced in baking so please help a sister out! Thank you!
Merry Christmas!
Jennifer
Sheila says
3rd item on ingredients list – 4 cups powdered sugar, divided. I make these myself at Easter in pastel colors. Love the idea of dipping in chocolate!!
Jenn@eatcakefordinner says
Those are some photogenic mints – gorgeous pics. They look and sound so tasty.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you Jenn!! Easy too 🙂
maria says
These sound amazing! Since it has butter, and it’s not cooked, how do they hold up? Do they have to be stored in the fridge, and also how long are they good for?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
There’s enough sugar in these that they are preserved outside of the fridge. Just store in an airtight container. These are good for up to two weeks if stored properly. Enjoy!
Jill says
Think you could dip these in chocolate? I love chocolate peppermint patties!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m sure you could Jill. Just don’t roll them in sugar first or you might run into some problems. Let me know how it goes if you give it a try!
Natasha says
I’m going to make these for my baking exchange and dip them in chocolate!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Excellent idea Natasha!
Samantha M says
If you are dipping these in chocolate, do I still have to leave them uncovered for a day?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Nope, you don’t need to Samantha!
Noreen says
We have a candy store that makes them thin,after setting up…adds chocolate on top and puts another patty on top…like a sandwich. They are great!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
That sounds seriously yummy Noreen!
Julie says
Can you freeze them? How long do they stay fresh for? I’d like to use these for a cookie exchange… Thanks – they look so yummy and festive!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
They’re good for a couple of weeks Julie. I haven’t frozen them yet. Maybe try freezing just a handful and defrosting at room temperature and see how that goes before freezing an entire batch. Let me know if you give it a try!
Denis Fournier says
So, if I made them today for an event next Friday. If I kept them covered in an air tight container…you think they would still be good?
KMangoSunshine says
Have you tried freezing them? I’d like to take some home to my parents’ house for Christmas 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I think they would freeze fine but truly, they are good for a couple of weeks just sitting out at room temp.
Fallyn says
Do you happen to know if this dough is a good consistency to use in a cookie press? 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yes! I think the dough would work in a cookie press. Definitely worth a shot 🙂
Kristen says
My aunt used to make these every Christmas and I totally forgot about them until I saw this post! I love this recipe – thanks for sharing!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yes! They are SO good and easy too – the perfect treat 🙂 Thanks Kristen!
debbie says
I’m hoping these are the same ones from Long Ago?????
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
I want to eat them all!!! And that’s an Ikea fork, right? I miss those! 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yup 🙂 We’re IKEA all the way over here 🙂 Thanks Dorothy!
Kelly says
How would you make these if u wanted each color a different flavor? It says add extract then divide. Def want to try. Thanks.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You can wait until after you divide to add the extract Kelly OR you can make multiple batches 🙂 You’ll want to make more than one! Have fun!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
Such a amazing idea! Not only do they look delicious but also easy to make, gotta make these!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Super easy Pamela – you can knock these out in about 20 minutes and they are just too fun 🙂