Making Soft Wedding Mints: A Step-By-Step Guide

Soft wedding mints are a delightful treat to serve at weddings, baby showers, and other special occasions. They are easy to make and can be customized with different colors and flavors. The recipe typically includes a combination of butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and flavoring such as peppermint or spearmint extract. The dough is shaped into small balls or pressed into molds, flattened with a fork, and then allowed to dry and harden. These creamy mints are a tasty addition to any celebration and can be made ahead of time, bringing convenience to the host.

Choosing and preparing your ingredients

The ingredients you will need to make soft wedding mints are likely available at your local grocery store. The exact quantities you will need are as follows:

• 1/2 cup of butter, slightly colder than room temperature
• 2 tablespoons of heavy cream
• 3/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract (or more, to taste)
• 1 pound of sifted powdered sugar, plus more for your hands
• A pinch of salt

Before you begin, it is important to ensure that your ingredients are properly prepared. To do this, follow these steps:

• Set out the cream cheese and butter one hour before making your mints to soften them.
• Sift and measure out your powdered sugar.
• If you desire a particular colour for your mints, add a small amount of gel food colouring to your sugar and mix until well combined.
• Gather any additional equipment you may need, such as a mixer, whisk attachment, and cookie sheets.

Now that your ingredients are prepared, you are ready to begin making your soft wedding mints!

Mixing your ingredients

Now that you have gathered your ingredients, it's time to mix them together!

First, you'll want to cream your butter. Place your butter in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer, but you may need to add the powdered sugar in smaller batches.

Once your butter is light and fluffy, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in your heavy cream, peppermint extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat this mixture until it is well combined.

Next, it's time to add the powdered sugar. Add about 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar to your mixture and beat on low speed until it is incorporated. You'll want to do this slowly and gradually to avoid getting powdered sugar everywhere! Keep adding powdered sugar until all of it has been added and the mixture is well combined. At this point, you can taste the mixture and add more mint extract if needed.

Once your mixture is well combined, turn the speed up to high and beat for approximately 4 minutes or until it is very light and fluffy.

And that's it! You've successfully mixed your ingredients and are now ready to shape your mints.

Shaping your mints

Using a Mint/Candy Mold:

• Purchase a rubber mint mold online or from a craft or cooking store. You can choose from various shapes and designs, such as leaves, flowers, hearts, or baby bottles.
• Take small chunks of the dough and press them into the mold.
• Remove the mints from the mold and place them on a sheet pan.

Without a Mint Mold:

• Roll the dough into a long rope between your hands, similar to a snake. For smaller mints, make the rope about as thick as your pinkie finger, and for larger mints, use your thumb as a guide.
• Cut the rope into your desired lengths. You can do this directly on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet for easy cleanup.
• Place the mints on the prepared cookie sheet and let them dry at room temperature for 12 hours. Then, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate.

Using a Fork:

• Roll the dough into small pieces, about 1/2-inch long and as thick as your thumb.
• Roll each piece of dough down the back of a fork to create an imprint. This method is more time-consuming but gives a pretty finish to your mints.
• Place the mints on a cookie sheet and allow them to dry for 12 hours at room temperature. Then, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate.

Using a Glass or Shot Glass:

• Form the dough into 1-inch balls and roll them in powdered sugar.
• Gently press the balls with the bottom of a glass or shot glass that has been dipped in powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
• Alternatively, you can use the bottom of a small glass bottle, such as a baby food jar.

Using a Cookie Cutter:

• Roll out the dough on a surface dusted with powdered sugar.
• Use a small cookie cutter to cut out desired shapes.
• Place the shaped mints on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and let them dry.

No matter which method you choose, the key to successful mint shaping is to ensure the dough doesn't stick to your hands or the tools you are using. If the dough becomes sticky, coat your hands or tools with additional powdered sugar. Get creative and have fun shaping your mints!

Drying and storing your mints

Once you've shaped your mints, it's time to let them dry. Place the mints on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and leave them to dry at room temperature for 12 hours. If you're using a mould, simply invert the mould and the mints should pop right out.

After 12 hours, your mints should be dry to the touch. Place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve them. This will help to keep them fresh and prevent them from drying out further. If you're making the mints in advance, you can also freeze them in an airtight container for several months.

It's important to note that the mints should not be left at room temperature for more than a day, especially if it's hot, as they may get soft.

Flavour and colour customisation

The flavour and colour of your wedding mints are completely customisable. You can make them in any colour you like by adding food colouring to the mixture. You can also make them in any flavour you like by adding different flavourings to the mixture.

• Peppermint
• Spearmint
• Vanilla
• Almond
• Butter
• Cinnamon
• Lemon
• Orange
• Cherry
• Root beer

You can also use any food flavouring.

Frequently asked questions