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.
Heather says
These are fantastic! Super easy and so yummy! They remind me of the inside of a peppermint patty. I used honey instead of corn syrup and the candies turned out perfectly. I also dipped half of the batch in dark chocolate. Thanks for an excellent recipe! I will definatle make these again!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Honey! I am so going to try that sometime. Maybe with my Valentine’s Day version 🙂 Thanks Heather!
Ashley Amo says
Overall I liked the recipe. I think people may be having an issue with the consistency of the “dough” if they are using a hand mixer. I think a free standing mixer probably would mix it together much better. For myself, while I did use a hand mixer and found that I didn’t get the “doughy” consistency I was looking for, I just added a touch more of corn syrup to help mix the powdered sugar in a little better and more powdered sugar when I kneaded. They came out perfect! =)
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I do use a stand mixer Ashley and maybe that does make a difference. I’m so glad they came out perfect for you and you were able to figure it all out 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Dina says
i’ve always wanted to make these. so festive!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks Dina!
Nicole says
These are so bright and cheerful! Perfect for a holiday treat 🙂
marian says
I Have A Print Wrighting But It Won’t Print For Me . Not Even When I Open My Browser. WHY? Do Anyone Else Have Trouble Printing Any Of The Recipes On This Site?
Jessika says
I just made a batch of these using brown rice syrup rather than corn syrup (forgot to get some at he store and was NOT going out again lol) and they re brilliant!!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
That’s awesome Jessika! I would never have thought to sub in brown rice syrup – you are so smart!!
Cookaholic Wife says
These look adorable and the colors are great. I really need to invest in some higher quality food coloring so I can get more vibrant colors.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I really like the Wilton Gel Food Colors and those are available at Target. They really do make a difference!
Christie says
I made the mints. I want to try a butter mint, with butter flavor. Do you think this will work? Maybe even a little bit of yellow food color?
Can you use the baking flavors or oil?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m sure you can Christie! In fact, I think that’s a great idea 🙂 Let me know how they turn out!
Amanda says
Hi. I came across your blog on Pinterest and was intrigued. I have 4 boys and a girl and I wanted to try these fr Christmas. When you say powdered sugar – do you mean icing sugar or normal sugar that has been powdered.
Thanks
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I mean confectioner’s sugar Amanda – the powdery white sugar 🙂 Have fun with your kiddos!
Tracy Newman says
Hi, want to try these for my cookie exchange but here in Canada, when I googled powdered sugar, it says it’s icing sugar in Canada and England. Do you think that’s correct? It can get confusing with so many varieties, thanks!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
The icing sugar or confectioners sugar is what you want – it will look powdered. Hope that helps!
Connie says
Ok I followed the directions exactly and I do not come out w/ a dough type mixture at all. It just keeps falling apart into powdered sugar clumps (if I’m lucky) or just powdered sugar all over my counter. I’ve kneaded like crazy but no luck. Hoped it would stay and tried to add food coloring. Now I just have clumps of red and white powdered sugar all over my counter. what went wrong?? Thanks!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Hi again Connie 🙂 It sounds like you didn’t have enough wet ingredients. Before you added the last cup of powdered sugar, what was the consistency of your dough? It should have still been a bit sticky. The last cup of powdered sugar makes it more manageable for rolling into balls.
Connie says
Yeah it was not sticky at all before the last cup – it was clumpy even then and I thought to myself “another cup of powdered sugar??” 🙂
I used 1/4 cup butter and 1/3 cup corn syrup. There weren’t any other wet ingredients were there? Guess I’ll try it again tomorrow and hope for better results – thanks!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
How did it go Connie? Make sure you’re really working that powdered sugar in before going to the next step. Good luck!
Linda says
I got the same results. Wasted time & money trying to make these mints.
catherine says
I made these last night! I used the same exact recipe and they were a sticky mess. I ended up having to add about 2 cups more powered sugar while kneeding and they ended up great! I just used a lot more sugar. I made 2 batches and they look great. I hope this helps anyone.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Glad you worked it out Catherine! Humidity and variations in ingredients can alter the recipe slightly, as well as how you measure the powdered sugar. The trick is just to keep adding until you get the right consistency. Thanks for your feedback!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m not really sure where you encountered issues Linda but I’d be more than happy to help with more information. If your dough was still sticky you can just keep adding powdered sugar until it’s not. Hope that helps!
Linda says
First batch I mixed the corn syrup & butter w/hand mixer. Then powdered sugar by hand, it was dry after adding first 2 cups of powdered sugar, not even grainy after the 4th one. I did work in extra corn syrup to save the batch. Tried a 2nd batch all by hand & it was still a dry mess & added quite a bit more syrup while trying to work I the last 2 cups of powdered sugar. I’ll try again using my stand mixer but I doubt it will be any better w/ the measurements listed.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I am at a loss Linda. I’ve made this recipe dozens if not hundreds of times and literally have NEVER had a problem 🙂 I do not use a mixer, ever. And really, just add enough powdered sugar to have your mixture smooth and manageable.
Michele says
LOVE how easy these were! I made a batch on my own and they turned out exactly like the picture! That DEFINITELY doesn’t happen often! I did add a little more corn syrup after mixing cause the mix was a little dry. It worked perfectly. I used a hand mixer to combine everything. It was crumbly, but as you start to work with the mixture the heat from your hands helps it to come together. I will be doing a triple batch this weekend with the kids. Thanks so much for this fun recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Excellent Michele! Glad you had so much fun!!
Sharrie says
i made them in tonight. I mixed by hand and the consistency was perfect. I actually kneaded inside a plastic bag (my 3 year old helped). We tried to add gel food coloring and it got really sticky but adding more sugar fixed it. I didn’t want them too get too powder-sugar-tasting, so we skipped coloring the red ones and instead rolled them in colored sugar. I wonder if people had trouble with the consistency due to the temperature of the ingredients?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I am SO doing the plastic bag next time Sharrie – you are SO smart!!!
Elaine says
Try this recipe instead they are so yummy with the cream cheese.
https://www.momontimeout.com/best-cream-cheese-mints/
Julia says
These look delicious! Definitely trying these this weekend. Hopped over from Melt in Your Mouth Monday. Will be your newest follower as soon as I get to my home computer. 🙂
Julia @ Mom on the Run x2
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
LOL! That’s awesome Julia! Thank you!
Allison Daniels says
Just made them, they are delicious! Would I be able to freeze them? If so, how long do you think they’ll stay fresh? Thank you!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Awesome Allison! Definitely freezable. Just layer the mints in single layers in a dish, with waxed paper or parchment paper in between. They are good for at least a couple of weeks not frozen so I’m guessing at least 2-3 months frozen Allison. I’ve never done it before but I think you’ll be fine. Enjoy!
Kelsey says
Just a question, I want to try these but I’m from aus and we don’t have corn syrup? Is there an alternative?
Kristi says
http://www.thekitchn.com/pantry-staples-diy-cane-sugar-131934 This is a bit more work, but it seems like it would work with the recipe!
My 4 year old is home sick today so we’re going to try this as an easy project! Her and her sister adore peppermint patties!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Have fun Kristi!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Can’t really think of a substitute for corn syrup in this recipe Kelsey. There isn’t any Karo syrup there at all?
Rogena says
Lyle’s Golden Syrup
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you Rogena!
Becki says
You can nake your own corn syrup. I improvised. I used 1/3 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar and boiled it to almost candy stage. It worked for me.
http://homegrownandhealthy.com/homemade-corn-syrup/
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks again Becki!
Sheryl Aman says
I don’t understand the Christmas Peppermint Patties…….. Do you use flour, do you use a cookie recipe. I follow the recipe showing —- 1/4 cup butter, softened, 1/3 cup light corn syrup, 4 cups powdered sugar, divided
1 – 2 tsp peppermint, food coloring and 1/2 cup granulated sugar —- and it don’t make anythiing like your picture. ————– I’m usually pretty good with recipes but this one I can’t get……….. I don’t understand…..
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
No flour is needed Sheryl. The granulated sugar is for rolling the balls in before flattening. Did you maybe add that to the the buttery, corn syrup and powdered sugar mixture?
connie says
Had the same issue Sheryl Ann – did you ever figure out what you did wrong?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Hi Connie! Did you add the granulated sugar to the entire mixture or use it to roll the balls in before flattening? It’s hard for me to know what went wrong without more information 🙂
Gail says
I just tried to make these and did it as the recipe called up to the knead on board part because the mixture was too sticky to knead. I tried adding more powdered sugar and that did not really help. Not sure what I did that was different. It tastes good but just tasting the little bit hurt my tummy because so much sugar. Like the idea but not if they wont set correctly to be more than frosting.
Carrie says
I personally would call them butter mints, not “cookies” but don’t let the name scare you off. I made them last night and they are a terrific addition to a COOKIE tray because they are cute and minty and colorful!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Definitely not cookies 🙂 Patties is what we call them!
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
WOW! I can see why everyone is flipping out about these! I could devour the entire batch I’m pretty sure 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
LOL! Thanks Julie!
Shawn @ I Wash You Dry says
These definitely look like a winner! I can’t wait to try these fun little guys out!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Shawn! It was so awesome meeting you – hopefully we’ll see each other again at BlogHer Food 🙂