This easy homemade peppermint patties recipe is the ultimate holiday treat. A creamy peppermint center is surrounded by dark chocolate and finished off with festive sprinkles. Perfect for gift giving!
If you’re a fan of York Peppermint Patties, you’re going to LOVE this DIY version that tastes so much better than the original. These peppermint patties also happen to be super easy to make which is always a bonus!
This year at Halloween, after sampling every candy imaginable, one of my 6 year olds declared that York Peppermint Patties were her favorite candy. I decided to surprise her with these homemade peppermint patties and she declared them to be WAY better than the store bought version. She’s right, the centers are so much fresher and softer than what you’d get in a store bought peppermint patty. This peppermint patties recipe is also quite easy to make, and is a lovely homemade holiday gift for family and friends.
How to make peppermint patties
The centers for these peppermint patties are just sweetened condensed milk, peppermint extract, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Stir it all together until a dough forms, then use a cookie cutter to cut out rounds of the peppermint mixture. You can make these patties as big or as small as you like, I use a 1 or 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter. The centers need to be very cold before they get a dip in chocolate, so put them in the freezer before you start this step. You’ll want to work quickly as you dip the patties, I use a fork to toss them in the chocolate, and then I tap the fork to remove any excess chocolate. Add festive holiday sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet, then let cool. You’ll have a fun and delicious holiday treat in no time!
I like to package these homemade peppermint patties in festive tins and deliver them to friends and family around the holidays, it’s always such an appreciated gift. People will be SO impressed to hear that you make them yourself! This is also a great recipe to do with the kids, my girls love rolling out the dough and cutting out the centers. I’m adding these peppermint patties to my must-make list every year, and I love that they don’t take up precious oven space!
More holiday treats
Peppermint Patties Video
Peppermint Patties Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/4 teaspoons peppermint extract or more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 3/4 cups powdered sugar plus extra for sprinkling
- 3 cups dark chocolate candy melts such as Ghirardelli
- 1/2 cup holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Place the condensed milk, peppermint extract and vanilla extract in the bowl of a mixer. Add half of the powered sugar and beat with a mixer on low speed.
- Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar. Beat until a smooth dough forms. You should be able to pinch off a piece of dough and roll it into a ball and have it hold its shape. If the dough is too soft or sticky, add more powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time to get to the desired consistency. If the dough is too dry or crumble, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time to get to the right texture.
- Sprinkle powdered sugar over a piece of parchment paper. Place the peppermint dough on the parchment and sprinkle powdered sugar over the top. Roll into a 1/2 inch thick circle.
- Coat a 1 or 1 1/2 inch round cookie cutter with cooking spray. Use it to cut out circles from the dough. If your dough does not cut easily, simply place it in the freezer for a few minutes to firm up, then try again.
- Transfer the peppermint rounds to a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and freeze for 20 minutes.
- Place the chocolate melts in a medium microwave safe bowl. Cook at 30 second intervals until melted, stirring occasionally.
- Using a fork, dip the patties one by one in the chocolate melts, then place on a piece of parchment. Add sprinkles immediately. Let cool until set, then serve. Store in the refrigerator.
How far in advance can I make these??
They stay good in the fridge for at 4-5 days!
You mention refrigerating… Are they shelf-stable enough for shipping across country?
I would say they’re not a great choice for shipping, they’re a little too delicate and could melt.
Is there something I could use in place of the shortening?
You could try coconut oil, or use candy melts instead of chocolate chips. I love the Ghirardelli brand melting wafers, they taste great and melt perfectly thin and smooth for coating candy.
These look so good! About how many patties does this recipe make?? Trying to figure out the number of batches Iโll need to make ๐
It makes about 18-20 depending on the size of your cookie cutter!
Thank you! ๐
These look so festive and perfect for the season. I love that this is a softer peppermint patty version. That would make it more enjoyable. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I will make this on the weekend after Thanksgiving.
The kids really like these. My husband does too. I’m sure they would love me if I would make some. ha!
These look SO delicious! One of my favorite candies and I would love to make them myself.
We absolutely love these around my house. We’ve never tried making our own though! Yum!
Peppermint is my favorite holiday flavor. I can’t wait to try this treat. My kiddos have been really interested in helping in the kitchen, so I know they’ll love helping make (and eat) these.
One of my favorite flavors this time of year, peppermint. This would be a great treat to make and bring to an annual party we go to each year.
These are one of my favorite kinds of cookies! I am definitely going to have to try and make these. They look so delicious!
I love eating peppermint patties this time of year. I have never made my own, but I bet homemade is so much better than the store bought kind. Yours are super pretty too!
I have always liked peppermint patties. I need to try making my own this year.
I suspect mine would not turn out so lovely. These look amazing and I already know they’re delicious. Pinning ’em.
These would be amazing treats for our party! I absolutely love those peppermint and chocolate flavors.
My grandchildren will love this peppermint patties! I did not know it was fairly easy to make at home, which is good because we know what goes in it, instead of those store bought ones.
What a festive idea for the holidays. I love the idea of making my own peppermint patties for the season. They look delicious!
When I look at these, I get the sensation that I’m going to make these this weekend. I get the sensation… See what I did there?
That is so cool! I buy these all the time at the store. I love the idea of being able to just make them instead! Om nom nom.
This is such a lovely treat especially this season and it would be nice to try and make it for the kids! I really enjoy the combination of peppermint and chocolate!
I love Peppermint Patties and these will be a great addition to our dessert table! I’m totally going to try these…Yummmmmm