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We'll be heading to England in ten days to spend the holidays with family....... but that hasn't kept me out of the kitchen! I thought I'd share a technique and festive recipe I created recently for old-fashioned butter mints ........... with a new-fangled twist. Instead of rolling the mints into small round balls and flattening them with a fork (how these mints are traditionally made), I rolled out the dough and used a small flower-shaped cookie cutter to form them.
While they were still soft, I pressed an M&M into each center. As you can see, the results are fun and definitely festive!
I love the ombre effect that's so popular right now with cakes, cupcakes and other baked goods where varying shades of the same color fade into each other. I decided to do an ombre of pink with my mints.
Last week, I received a lovely package from McCormick with a wide assortment of their delightful extracts and food coloring sets. I used the peppermint extract and the neon pink food coloring to make my mints, but you really could add any flavor and color to these mints. I'm thinking my next batch might be lemon and lime flavored mints in a range of yellow and green hues. Check out McCormick's pure flavoring extracts and colors and let your imagination run wild!
These mints make really fun gifts, packaged in small clear bags tied with a pretty bow; but they would also be a fun, festive addition to your holiday cookie tray. Another idea would be to pile the pretty mints on a cake stand and serve them on a holiday buffet table. They'll add a cheerful splash of color and guests will love the buttery mint flavor.
I turned some of my Ombré Butter Mints into lollipops by inserted a small skewer which I covered with a paper straw.
These would be fun to have in a vase near the door, As guests are leaving they can snatch a sweet treat. Believe me, kids of all ages will adore them!
P.S. If you've got friends, neighbors, teachers, hairdressers, mailmen, delivery people, etc. on your Christmas list and like to give them a small gift to say "I care", be sure to check back tomorrow as we'll be sharing some really fun Peppermint Bark Shortbread and 10 other fabulous gifts from the kitchen.
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Ombré Butter Mints
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese, I use low-fat, not non-fat, at room temperature
- ½ stick, or 2 ounces butter, at room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting work surface.
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
- Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until soft and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until mixture is smooth and begins to form into a ball. It will seem like way too much powdered sugar at first. Just keep mixing and it'll come together in about 4-5 minutes.
- Add one drop of pink (or any other color) food coloring to dough and mix until well combined.3. Remove dough from mixing bowl and divide into thirds. Set one-third aside and cover with plastic wrap.
- Combine other two-thirds to form a ball. Add three more drops of food coloring. Keeping the work surface dusted with powdered sugar, knead dough until all color is incorporated.
- Divide dough in half and set one half aside (cover with plastic wrap). Add 5 more drops of food coloring to last third of dough and knead until color is completely incorporated.
- You will have 3 balls of dough in varying shades. Roll out each ball of dough into a circle, ¼ inch thick, Cut into desired shapes with a cookie cutter. If dough sticks to cutter, dip cutter in powdered sugar before cutting shapes.
- For lollipops, be sure to roll the dough at least ⅓ of an inch thick. You need the thickness to be able to make the "stem". After they're rolled and cut, gently insert a small wooden skewer (mine were about 5-inches long, but the length will depend on how long you want your "stems") into the side of one of your cutout mints. You want the tip of the skewer to go about ½ inch into the mint for support. Slip a paper straw over skewer, gently inserting only the end of the straw into the mint. Repeat with the rest of the mints. You may have to cut the straws a bit shorter, according to the length of your skewers.
- Allow mints to dry on pan or on a wire cooling rack for a least 8-10 hours. These mints DO NOT need to be refrigerated. ENJOY!
Notes
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OMG! These are gorgeous! And I love your lemon and lime suggestion...
Thank you again, loving your page..
Judy
Thanks so much, Judy 💕
Oh my gosh - these are so incredibly cute! I need to make these. Nicely done Chris!
sooooo lovely!! not only they look pretty, they sound delicious too with cream cheese! i love all your ideas of making them into lollipops and in the vase too! Genius!
My gosh these are pretty and you are so creative. You and Scott are a fabulous team!
These mints are too cute and I'm in love with the pink ombré too.
The women in our church in Spokane made about 800 of these mints for our wedding (36 years ago) ... but this twist would be really fun. There is a lot of creativity going on around here, Chris and Scott.
Fondly,
Glenda
Chris these are picture perfect! I bet they are so tasty. Beautiful!
Chris, this is the first I have heard (or seen) of Butter Mints - these treats are the cutest treats that I have seen in a long time - absolutely perfectly made and the pictures are so wonderful, I cannot seem to take my eyes off them! The color scheme that these mints have is dreamy and so very pretty!
Another wonderful creation, dear friend!
Love, love, love. Especially the pics with the straws. Butter mints - love.
I love the ombre of the butter mints so gorgeous!
These are soooooo pretty Chris! Love love these!
Oh, goodness! They look so cute and delicious! Great combo. Popping in for the tour! Feel free to share this or any other post at my Make it Pretty Monday party which is currently live. Here is the link if you want to check it out. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2013/12/make-it-pretty-monday-week-79.html Hope to see you at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Hello Chris,
The butter mints look delightful, and I want some of that Peppermint Bark Shortbread! These would make great gifts. It's so nice to meet new friends, and we'll be doing our post on Wednesday, so stop by if you get a chance.
Merry Christmas.
~Sheri at Red Rose Alley
These are such a fun idea, I love the flower shape! I can just imagine how popular these mints would be with your granddaughters :).
following the tour from dewena's valley view . . . across the way!
how my mother would love this post. she made those mints every christmas! she would have delighted in this approach to them. and that little touch of chocolate with the M&M ! brilliant!
how i envy your trip to london.
be safe. have a wonderful time!
How CUTE are these! And, as I was reading and looking at the pixs, I was ready for some really complicated recipe w/lots of ingredients! Boy! You just made me really happy! Just gorgeous, Chris!!
These are absolutely gorgeous, and you could change the color for the occasion, like green for St. Patrick's Day
Hi Chris, very pretty flowers. 🙂 I'm off to England in a couple of days too, to our home there for Christmas. It's warmer there right now than here in Vancouver! I know...outrageous. 🙂
Butter mints make me nostalgic. Mom and grandma would always make these for special occasions. Yours look so beautiful!
I have been waiting all day to see this recipe. I just love it and it seems simple enough! I am sooooooo making this, this weekend! What a wonderful recipe. I just love mint and can only imagine how these will melt in your mouth!!
Vey happy and cute cookies! I like tha colors and I bet that are yummy too!
Chris, these are adorable. I hope you can sneak a few in your luggage for your little sweeties. They look perfect for your little girls. Oh, and I bet the little boy won't mind they are pink. I have pinned these so I won't forget how to put them together.
So pretty and my imagination is running wild!! The holiday blog tour looks delightful -so many creative people in this world-love reading about all their ideas! Have a wonderful trip and family time this holiday season 😉
Chris they are just beautiful but I especially like the last photo with them on sticks in the jars. What a great idea to cover the skewers with straws!
Love the idea of the holiday blog tour, happy holidays!
These are so fun & festive, Chris! And, what a fun project!
Hi Chris,
What imagination and festive flair in your beautiful presentation of these Ombre Butter mints, perfect for a holiday tablescape! Thanks for introducing me to the 'ombre' technique; very effective and appetizing!
Have a wonderful stay in England and safe travels!
And as the Brits say, 'Happy Christmas'!
Poppy
love these look absolutely beautiful!!
These are gorgeous Chris! Beautiful work!
Those cookies are so pretty, they don't even look real! Have a safe trip to England - I wish I could sneak in your suitcase! I have friends in Bristol and haven't seen them in 8 years.
Oh Chris, your mints are just so beautiful and the ombré effect is truly stunning! Safe travels to England and Merry Christmas.
Those flower butter mints are the cutest thing I've ever seen! Kudos to you!
Brenda
Chris these are darling - I think I'll have to make these. Who doesn't love mints especially when they're this cute. Not sure the men will like them so much so maybe cut those out like a Porsche and they'll be chowing down on those. Great idea. I look forward to your 10 gifts from the kitchen and the holiday tour. Sounds like fun!
How fun! I love the idea of having these by the door for when guests come in. I especially see them there for a little girl's birthday party. I hope you have an outstanding time in England (like there's any chance you won't). I look forward to reading about your time with your grandgirls!
Very cute Chris, I love the colors:@)
Chris,
These are absolutely precious and beautiful, I really like the idea of having them placed in a jar-not only are they the perfect treat but also very decorative! You know you are always the place to be for beautiful and trustworthy recipes! Thank you for joining in on Tis The Season, you have inspired us all.
Safe travels and Merry Christmas!!
xx-
Jemma
What adorable butter mints. I love them on a stick looking like a bouquet of flowers! Hope you have a wonderful holiday in England. Thanks for sharing!
Very very cute!!
Hello Chris, I've been printing out your recipes this past week to make for our family Christmas party and especially like that you use pomegranates for color and flavor. I will print out this beautiful mint recipe and see if I can get my daughter-in-law to help me make it when they come. I know my little granddaughter will want to help! They are beautiful!
I'm so glad to be part of this tour with you and the other ladies and I wish you safe travel and a happy Christmas in England with family!
Dewena
These cookies are really adorable and festive!
Adorable! These mints looks - magical! They are so pretty - too pretty to eat. Enjoy your trip to England!! Thanks so much for sharing. Pinning!
Patty at Home and Lifestyle Design
These look delish! I absolutely love these and I will be trying them for sure! Enjoy your Christmas with your family. I think I might make these for our Secret Santa gift exchange, our gifts all have to be 'home made' and these in a really pretty tin would be perfect!
Chris: Only you to make such artful cookies...They are absolutely darling!!!! I am sharing and sharing them!!!! Have a great week, my dear!
Oh, my stars! Chris, these are the cutest butter mints I have ever seen! So pretty and oh so creative. I hope you have a fun and safe trip to England. Thank you for sharing, m'lady!