Description
These Soft Christmas Peppermints are a delightful no-bake treat perfect for the holiday season. With a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a refreshing peppermint flavor, they add festive color and cheer to any cookie tray or gift box. Easy to make and requiring only simple ingredients, these candies dry to a firm outside while remaining soft inside, making them the perfect soft candy to enjoy or share.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Coloring
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- Extra powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and salt until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually stir in the powdered sugar, continuing to mix until a soft, pliable dough forms that holds together but is not too sticky.
- Divide and Color Dough: Divide the dough evenly into three portions. Leave one portion plain, then tint one portion red and the other green using gel food coloring, mixing each until the color is evenly distributed.
- Shape Mints: Lightly dust a clean surface with powdered sugar. Take small pieces of the colored and plain dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. Flatten each ball slightly by pressing gently with your fingers or the tines of a fork to create the classic peppermint candy shape.
- Set to Dry: Arrange the shaped candies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Allow them to dry at room temperature uncovered for at least 12 hours, until they develop a firm exterior but remain soft inside.
- Store Properly: Once dried, transfer the mints to an airtight container to keep them fresh and soft inside until serving or gifting.
Notes
- You can adjust the peppermint flavor intensity by adding extra drops of peppermint extract to suit your taste.
- These soft peppermint candies make a beautiful and flavorful addition to holiday cookie trays and gift boxes.
- Be sure to dust your work surface lightly with powdered sugar to prevent sticking while shaping the candies.
- Allow adequate drying time at room temperature; avoid refrigeration as it may affect the texture.
