Butter Mints

Total Time

Prep: 20 min. + chilling

Makes

about 8 dozen

Updated: Dec. 03, 2023
These creamy butter mints are smooth as silk and melt in your mouth! As a wife and mother of three youngsters, I treasure treats like these that come together quickly but taste terrific. —Bev Schloneger, Dalton, Ohio

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tablespoon half-and-half cream or whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • Paste food coloring, optional

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, cream and extracts. If desired, divide dough into portions and knead in food coloring.
  2. Form into balls by teaspoonfuls; flatten into patties, or roll between 2 pieces of waxed paper to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut mints into desired shapes. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Store in the refrigerator.
Butter Mints Tips

How do you store butter mints?

Butter mints will last about 1 to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or for 2 to 3 months in the freezer.

How can you make butter mints in other shapes?

You can make whatever shape you want by rolling out the dough and using your desired cookie cutter shape, but if you want to make them in the popular pillow shape, roll your dough into a 1/2-inch-thick log, and then cut them into 1/2-inch lengths.

What can you do if the butter mint dough is too sticky?

If your butter mints are too sticky, dust them with a little more confectioners’ sugar (if you don’t have it at home or just ran out, here’s how to make confectioners’ sugar from granulated sugar). Pick up the sifter from our list of candy making tools that we love to help with dusting! After you make butter mints, try your hand at our other homemade Christmas candy recipes.

Can you use other kinds of extract to make butter mints?

Yes, other flavors of extracts can work really well in butter mints. Using orange extract instead of the peppermint will give these a flavor similar to an orange smoothie. You could also use cherry, coffee or even rose petal extract. You should also stick with using extracts instead of oils, as extracts will give the mints a softer texture.

—Shannon Norris, Taste of Home Senior Food Stylist and James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor, Culinary

Nutrition Facts

1 buttermint: 27 calories, 1g fat (1g saturated fat), 3mg cholesterol, 8mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.