Butter Mints Recipe

The mints I wanted to recreate were the pastel pillow mints served in a bowl near the Cracker Barrel checkout. They come in pink, yellow, green, and white, with each piece shaped like a tiny pillow, just slightly smaller than a thumbnail.

Many homemade Butter Mints Recipes rush the drying process, cut the mints too large, or skip the pastel colors that give these treats their familiar appearance.

Shape matters, too. Rolling the dough into ropes about half an inch thick helps the mints dry thoroughly overnight, while thicker pieces can retain a damp center for days.

Texture is another common challenge when making butter mints at home. In most cases, the problem begins with dough that is either too wet or too dry when rolled. Properly prepared dough should feel like play dough and hold a fingerprint when gently pressed.

Who Should Plan Ahead With These Mints

On Reddit, I came across discussions about why butter-and-cream candies should not be left out overnight, while others argued that their high sugar content makes them safe.

Based on my understanding, the dough contains only 1 1⁄2 tablespoons of cream for approximately 4 cups of sugar. Although sugar helps bind available moisture, butter and cream are still dairy ingredients, so proper handling and storage remain important.

I dry the mints on trays in a cool room and aim to use each batch within two weeks. During a rainy week in October, placing a box fan on its lowest setting about two feet away helped the mints finish drying by morning.

Pregnant people, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems may prefer to take a more cautious approach. Keep in mind that refrigeration does not automatically make a dairy-based recipe safe for extended storage.

Ingredients for Butter Mints

8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter: Butter carries the flavor and keeps the sugar from setting glass-hard. Land O’Lakes works for me because its salt level stays steady.

Pull the stick out 45 minutes early; it should dent under a finger without shining. Salted butter works in a pinch. Leave out the extra salt, since the stick already carries its own.

4 cups (about 454 g) powdered sugar: Its cornstarch gives the dough a clay-like hold. Domino is my go-to, sifted through a mesh strainer. Spoon it into the cup, because scooping packs in extra. Keep the bag closed, since it clumps in humid air.

1½ tablespoons heavy cream: Cream adds just enough liquid to bring the sugar and butter together. Pick a carton with at least 36 percent fat; Horizon Organic fits.

Add it midway through mixing, not at the start, so the butter does not split. Whole milk works in place of cream. The dough turns slacker, so add sugar by the tablespoon until it holds a fingerprint again.

A scant ⅛ teaspoon fine salt: Salt sharpens the butter so the sugar reads less flat. Morton table salt dissolves fast in this dry dough. Measure it once with a spoon to learn what scant looks like.

Diamond Crystal kosher salt also works, but uses a rounded 1/8 teaspoon because its flakes are lighter.

⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla extract: Vanilla rounds off the sharp edge of the peppermint and adds a warm, bakery note. Nielsen-Massey is my pick. At this tiny amount, imitation vanilla leaves a harsh finish.

Vanilla bean paste works too and adds tiny dark flecks that show against the white dough.

A scant ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract: This is the only flavor driver, so use a real measuring spoon. McCormick pure peppermint extract is easy to find at any grocery store. A bottle labeled plain mint has a different flavor and tastes like gum.

Food-grade peppermint oil works in place of extract at 2 drops, since the oil is far stronger. Add one drop, mix, and taste before adding the second.

2 to 3 drops water-based liquid food coloring (optional): Pastels come from tiny amounts of color. McCormick liquid coloring blends into the dough without the heavy tint of gel. Divide the dough first, then color each portion with gloved hands.

Gel coloring works in place of drops. Use a toothpick dab and expect deeper shades, since gel is far more concentrated.

2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting: Dust the counter and your palms so the ropes release cleanly. Keep a small bowl nearby. Too much dusting dries the surface and leaves a chalky film, so tap off the extra.

Required Kitchen Equipment

1. Stand mixer: Paddle attachment, 4-quart bowl
2. Mesh strainer: Sifts out sugar lumps
3. Silicone spatula: Scrapes the bowl between additions
4. Bench scraper or sharp knife: Cuts ropes cleanly
5. Two rimmed baking sheets: Hold single layers
6. Parchment paper: Keeps mints from sticking
7. Disposable gloves: Optional, for coloring

How to Make Butter Mints

1. Cream the Butter: Fit the paddle and beat the softened butter on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stop when the butter looks pale and fluffy, with no yellow streaks left at the bottom of the bowl.

2. Add the First Sugar: Sift in 2 cups of powdered sugar. Mix on low until the bowl looks like damp sand. Scrape the sides and bottom with a spatula. Sugar clouds are real, so keep the speed down.

3. Add the Flavor and Cream: Pour in the heavy cream, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt. Stir on low for 30 seconds. Adding them here spreads them evenly before the dough turns too heavy to mix.

My first batch got a half teaspoon of peppermint, and the mints tasted like toothpaste. Keep to the scant quarter teaspoon, and add the rest of the sugar before adjusting.

4. Finish the Sugar: Add the last 2 cups of sugar in three additions on low speed, scraping after each. The dough turns thick and pulls from the bowl in clumps. It should feel like play dough, not paste.

Dough cracking and dry? Add heavy cream, ½ teaspoon at a time. Dough too sticky to handle? Work in 1 tablespoon of sifted sugar and test again.

5. Color the Dough (Optional): Divide the dough into balls, one per color, and put on gloves. Press in 2 or 3 drops of coloring and knead for about 1 minute. Keep going until no white streaks remain.

6. Roll the Ropes: Pinch off a golf-ball-sized piece and dust your palms. Roll a rope about ½ inch thick on a lightly sugared counter. Keep the unused dough under a damp towel, because open air dries it fast.

Roll from the center outward with flat fingers for an even rope.

7. Cut the Pillows: Slice each rope on a slight angle into pieces about ½ inch long. Trim off the rounded ends and press them back into the dough. Trimming the ends gives every mint a clean pillow edge.

Press the knife straight down instead of sawing, so each pillow keeps its shape.

8. Dry Overnight: Lay the mints on parchment-lined sheets, not touching. Leave them uncovered at room temperature for 12 hours. Flip each mint once after 5 hours so the bottoms dry too.

A done mint lifts off the parchment without a smear. The outer shell feels dry, and a pressed corner leaves no dent.

Chef Special Tips for Butter Mints

• Greasy Shine: A greasy shine on the dough means the butter was too warm. Chill the bowl for 15 minutes, then mix again.

• Flat Mints: Pieces that slump into disks come from warm dough. Refrigerate the ropes for 10 minutes before cutting.

• Cracked Ropes: Cracks along a rope mean dry edges. Knead that piece for 30 seconds with a drop of cream on your fingertip.

• Gritty Specks: Hard white flecks are starch lumps. Sift next time. For this batch, knead the dough 2 minutes to break them down.

• Tacky Bottoms: Sticky bottoms at hour 12 need another flip and 4 more hours near a fan.

• Faint Mint: Mints with weak flavor need more extract next batch, added 1/16 teaspoon at a time.

How I Customize These Butter Mints

1. Chocolate Mints: Stir 2 tablespoons of Hershey’s cocoa powder in with the last sugar, and add ½ teaspoon extra cream. The cocoa dries the dough, so the cream keeps it rollable. I serve these with black coffee.

2. Lemon Mints: Swap the peppermint for ¼ teaspoon lemon extract and tint the dough pale yellow. The sharp citrus cuts through the butter. These go on the dessert table at spring baby showers.

3. Almond Wedding Mints: Add ⅛ teaspoon almond extract with the vanilla and leave the dough white. The almond adds a cake-like note. I pack these in tulle bags for bridal showers. Cream Cheese Mints: Beat 2 ounces of softened cream cheese in with the butter, and add ½ cup more sugar. The tang makes a softer, denser mint. They pair well with strong black tea.

4. Pastel Pair: Split the dough in half and tint one pink and one mint green with 2 drops each. The pair copies the register bowl. Matching jars at my sister’s shower were empty by dessert.

What I Serve With Butter Mints

Butter mints work best as the last bite of a meal. I set a small glass bowl beside the coffee pot. Guests grab one or two on the way out. A pair of tongs keeps hands out of the bowl.

Hot black coffee is the best match, because its bitterness balances the sugar. Earl Grey tea works well too. Cold milk in a short glass is the old diner pairing. A plate of shortbread with a few mints beside it keeps the table tidy.

Dessert plates take them well. Press two mints beside a slice of dark chocolate cake. Lemon bars work too, since their tartness trims the buttery sweetness.

How I Store Butter Mints

Keep fully dried mints in an airtight tin or lidded glass jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Layer them between sheets of parchment so nothing fuses together. A cool, dry shelf away from the stove works best.

For longer storage, freeze the mints in a single layer on a tray for 1 hour. Then pack them into a freezer bag with the air pressed out. Double-bagging keeps freezer odors out. They keep for up to 3 months.

Thaw the sealed bag on the counter for about 1 hour before opening it. A cold bag opened early lets condensation form, and the surface turns tacky. Spread tacky mints on parchment for 30 minutes to firm them again.

Skip the refrigerator for dried mints. Fridge air carries odors, and butter picks up onion and leftovers fast. Keep the jar out of direct sunlight, since a warm window softens the butter.

Butter Mints Recipe FAQs

1. Can I make the dough ahead of rolling day?

Yes. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Let it sit for 20 minutes at room temperature, then knead for a minute before rolling. Cold dough cracks when rolled straight from the fridge.

2. Are butter mints gluten-free?

The ingredients are gluten-free, since powdered sugar usually contains only cornstarch. Check the sugar label for shared-facility warnings when anyone at the table has celiac disease. Choose a brand that lists gluten-free on the bag.

3. Can I shape them without cutting?

Yes. Roll ½-inch balls, then press each one flat with a fork dipped in powdered sugar. The ridges look charming and dry in the same 12 hours. Re-dip the fork every few mints to keep it from sticking.

4. Can I use vegan butter?

Stick-style plant butter works. The dough runs softer, so add sifted sugar by the tablespoon until it holds a fingerprint. Tub spreads hold too much water.

5. Can kids help?

Yes. Rolling balls and pressing them with a fork are safe jobs. An adult should handle cutting and the extract bottle. Wash hands first, since the dough sits in small palms for a while.

6. Can I use granulated sugar?

No. Granulated sugar never dissolves in a no-cook dough, so every bite stays gritty. Powdered sugar is the only choice here.

People avoiding dairy or monitoring their carbohydrate intake may also prefer to skip these candies. Additionally, hard, firm candies can pose a choking hazard for young children, particularly those under four years old.