Dreamy Cream Cheese Mints Recipe for Any Celebration

There’s something magical about cream cheese mints that takes me straight back to my grandmother’s kitchen table, rolling tiny pastel candies between our sugar-dusted fingers. Every holiday season and special occasion, from bridal showers to Christmas parties, these melt-in-your-mouth treats would appear like edible jewels on her best china. I’ll never forget how she’d let me pick the food coloring – always pale pink for weddings, mint green for St. Patrick’s Day, and later, experimenting with bold reds for Christmas. Making cream cheese mints became our sweet little ritual, the cream cheese chilling my hands as I shaped each piece while she told stories about serving these at her own wedding reception decades earlier.

Why You’ll Love These Cream Cheese Mints

Seriously, these little mints are absolute magic – the kind of treat that makes people’s eyes light up when they pop one in their mouth. Here’s why you’ll be obsessed with this recipe:

• That melt-in-your-mouth texture – They practically dissolve on your tongue, leaving behind the loveliest creamy sweetness
• No baking required – Just mix, shape, and chill! Perfect for when the oven’s already full of other goodies
• Endless customizing fun – Switch up colors for holidays or match them to your party theme (I love pastels for baby showers!)
• Event-perfect presentation – They look so elegant arranged on vintage candy dishes or packaged as wedding favors
• Freezer-friendly lifesaver – Make them weeks ahead and just pull out what you need – ideal for meal planning around big events

Trust me, once you see how easy and versatile these are, you’ll find excuses to make them year-round.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Mints

Gather these simple ingredients – I promise you probably have most in your pantry already! The beauty of cream cheese mints is their simplicity:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened – Full-fat works best here (trust me, I learned that the hard way when my low-fat batch turned gummy)
• 4 cups powdered sugar – Sifted if you’re fancy, but I just give the bag a good shake to break up any clumps
• 1 tsp peppermint or vanilla extract – Peppermint’s classic, but vanilla makes these taste like cake frosting!
• Food coloring (optional) – I like gel colors for vibrant hues without thinning the mixture
• Granulated sugar for rolling (optional) – That sparkly finishing touch my grandma always insisted on

See? No obscure ingredients or fancy equipment needed – just creamy, dreamy sweetness waiting to happen.

How to Make Cream Cheese Mints

Making these dreamy little mints is easier than you think! Just follow these simple steps and you’ll have melt-in-your-mouth perfection. I’ve made this recipe dozens of times (sometimes at 2 AM when holiday baking panic hits), and here’s what always works:

1. Beat that cream cheese until silky – Get it really smooth with a hand mixer or stand mixer. No lumps allowed! (I learned the hard way when I got impatient and ended up with lumpy mints – not cute.)
2. Slowly add the powdered sugar – About 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. The mix will go from sticky to dough-like – totally normal! If it seems too stiff, let it rest 5 minutes before continuing.
3. Flavor and color time! – Stir in your extract and food coloring until fully blended. Pro tip: Start with less color than you think – it deepens as the mints rest.
4. Shape your magic – Pinch off tablespoon-sized pieces (I use a cookie scoop for consistency) and roll into balls. Or go fancy with molds!
5. The sugar shower (optional) – Grandma’s signature move: roll each mint in granulated sugar for that nostalgic crunch and pretty sparkle.
6. Chill out – Arrange on parchment paper and refrigerate at least 1 hour (2 is better) to let them firm up perfectly.

While you’re waiting for them to set, check out this easy chocolate fudge recipe – it’s another no-bake wonder that pairs beautifully with the mints on dessert tables!

Hand-Rolled vs. Molded Cream Cheese Mints

Torn between rustic charm and picture-perfect uniformity? Hand-rolled mints have that homespun sweetness my grandma loved – just roll, sugar-coat, and you’re done. But silicone molds make uniform shapes for weddings (hearts! flowers!) without needing the sugar coating – they just pop right out when firm. Either way is delicious – it just depends on the vibe you’re going for. Personally, I love keeping a few silicone mint molds in my meal planning toolkit for when I need extra-special presentation!

Flavor Variations for Cream Cheese Mints

Oh, the fun really begins when you start playing with flavors and colors! While classic peppermint is always a winner, I love getting creative with these adaptations (especially when meal planning for events where I need a colorful spread):

• Almond extract + sky blue coloring – These taste like wedding cake and look perfect for baby showers
• Lemon zest + sunshine yellow – Bright and zesty with tiny flecks of zest for texture
• Cocoa powder + white – Chocolate mint perfection (just replace 1/4 cup powdered sugar with cocoa)

Find more inspiration on Pinterest – I’m always pinning new color combos there! Pro tip: Match pastel colors to vanilla and bold hues to stronger flavors so guests get what they expect.

Storing and Freezing Cream Cheese Mints

The best part about these mints? They’re practically made for preparing ahead! Simply store them in an airtight container with parchment between layers – they’ll keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks (though ours never last that long). For longer storage, freeze them in single layers before transferring to freezer bags – good for 3 months!

When you’re ready to use frozen mints, just let them thaw in the fridge overnight – no sweating (literally!) needed. The texture stays perfectly melt-in-your-mouth. If you love freezer-friendly treats, you’ll adore our whipped shortbread cookies too – they practically invented the term “make-ahead magic.”

Common Questions About Cream Cheese Mints

Nutritional Information

Remember, nutrition can vary based on brands and exact measurements, but here’s a ballpark for each delightful mint: about 50 calories, 8g sugar, and 1g fat. They’re little bites of happiness, not health food – but totally worth every sweet moment!

Share Your Cream Cheese Mints Creations

I’d love to see your cream cheese mint masterpieces! Did you try fun colors or flavors? Snap a photo and share it on Pinterest – you can find me there at RecipesVault for more sweet inspiration. Or drop a comment below with your creative twists. Nothing makes me happier than seeing how you make these recipes your own!

Print