Butter, Cream Cheese, And Confectioner's Sugar All Mix Together For An Old-Fashioned Candy That Melts In Your Mouth

While cream cheese, butter, and confectioner's sugar sound more like frosting than candy, they meld together to form the soft, melt-in-your-mouth base for a nostalgic treat: cream cheese mints. Popular at weddings, showers, and holiday gatherings, this old-fashioned sweet gets an upgrade in this Andes-Stuffed Elevated Cream Cheese Mints recipe, where a halved Andes Crème de Menthe Thin gives an extra pop of mint and chocolate, and an optional drizzle of melted dark chocolate adds a touch of chocolatey elegance. Classic versions are usually shaped into rounds of varying pastel colors or shaped with molds for themed occasions.

The simple ingredients in this sweet each have a job. The cream cheese adds moisture and a subtle tang, while butter adds richness and lends to the mints' soft and melting texture. Confectioners' sugar does double duty, both sweetening the dough and lending its fine texture to the smooth and tender candy. Peppermint extract adds the mint flavor, while a touch of salt balances the sweetness. Simple to make, this confection also keeps well. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or keep them in the freezer for several months. Cream cheese mints are perfect for cooks looking for a sweets recipe without using the oven, and fit right in with our collection of no-bake desserts.

Not only are these mints an easy-to-make treat, but they are easy to adapt without changing the creamy melt-away base. This no-bake recipe uses softened butter and cream cheese, combined with confectioners' sugar, peppermint extract, and salt, to form a pliable dough. From there, options abound from adding food coloring, using molds for decorative shapes,or filling them with an unexpected surprise in the center, like Andes Cherry Jubilee for a fruity take or Andes Toffee Crunch for a toffee twist. For exact measurements on our mint-filled variation, see our Andes-Stuffed Elevated Cream Cheese Mints recipe.

Other ways to modify these mints include drizzling them with melted semi-sweet chocolate chips from top-rated brands like Guittard or Ghirardelli for added flair or changing the flavor by swapping the mint extract for another flavor (like lemon or cherry). Or, to double down on the peppermint flavor, along with some added crunch, Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips can be kneaded into the dough, added to the center, or sprinkled on top. For another mint and chocolate-based treat, homemade peppermint bark is a popular recipe to bookmark.