Homemade Peppermint Patty Recipe

My all-time favorite candy is the refreshing peppermint patty, hands down, and this recipe tastes EXACTLY like them!  Making them was fun, and they looked so cute, but I was kind of afraid before taking that first bite.  I thought surely they would need some work and I just couldn’t believe it when they were perhaps the best peppermint patties I had ever had.  You can try making these for gifts, but I’m not giving ANY of mine away…

Even better is the fact that you can control your ingredients here.  I’m not sure these can be deemed a health food even with the alternatives, but is surely more quality than mass-processed mystery additives and flavors.  I thought about researching what goes into the store-bought peppermint patty to be more specific here, but I just didn’t have the heart.  I don’t want to be mad at them forever.

The main gist and process of this recipe was originally based off of Oh Nuts! Sweet and Crunchy Blog’s recipe.  I made some slight changes, like using essential oil instead of peppermint extract and increasing the amount of powdered sugar.  I am so thankful for their wonderful guide and inspiration to try this though, and suggest referring to their directions and photos which are much better than mine…should you need to.

By using a quality peppermint essential oil, you can harness the benefits of a highly-regarded herb while you indulge yourself in a decadent treat!

Homemade Peppermint Patties (yields 36):

You will need:

• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar (learn how to make healthier powdered sugar at home here)
• 2 tablespoons softened butter, preferably grass-fed or raw (learn how to make your own from cream) to receive the nutrient-dense benefits of vitamins A, D, K-2 and so much more – [our store-favorite is Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter]
• 2 tablespoons cream, preferably raw (find real milk in your area, if it’s allowed, or ask your local farmers…or buy your own cow and treat it well)
• 9-10 drops Peppermint Essential Oil (quality is of absolute importance here since it needs to be pure and safe to eat.  We only use Young Living essential oils in this house; find out why or order here)
• 12 oz bag of dark chocolate melting wafers, preferably fair-trade and organic to keep it real and respectful to cocoa farmers)

Directions:

1.    Combine sugar, butter, cream, and peppermint until it is stiff like Play-Doh.  The paddle attachment on a stand mixer is perfect for this, starting low and increasing to medium speed.

2.    Form the dough into a log-shape or long, thin tube and wrap in cling wrap, parchment, or wax paper with ends twisted closed.

3.    Refrigerate dough log for about an hour or until chilled and firm.  (Oh Nuts had a great tip to cut a paper towel roll and lay the wrapped dough inside; this prevents the bottom from getting flat.  I didn’t have paper towel rolls, but I’m up to my ears in the awesome tubes that my essential oils arrive in.  Did the trick beautifully.)

4.    After it’s chilled, unwrap log and use a sharp knife to make patty slices about 1/4 inch thick (picture the size of an iPhone…they’ll probably just start teaching measurement like that soon anyway.  Kids these days).  This log should make about 36 patties.

5.    Melt chocolate wafers in a microwavable bowl (3o seconds, stir, repeat as necessary), or carefully on a low burner to avoid burning.

6.    Drop a dough slice into the chocolate, use a fork to flip it gently, then let excess drain off.

7.    Place peppermint patties on a sheet of wax or parchment paper to set at room temperature, which doesn’t take long at all. You can easily snap/shave off the extra chocolate once hardened if you want them to look perfect, but it’s also heavenly to just eat the extra puddles of chocolate as well.

8.    Store in an air-tight container.  Ours are ok on the counter, but if its warm and may melt then you could always refrigerate or freeze them.

9.    Enjoy alone or chopped up in cookies, ice cream, cakes, etc!

I literally do enjoy mine ALONE…smuggled in the bathroom, door shut…with a glass of milk…and that’s not pathetic at all.

Tips:

• Should your dough be too sticky to form into a log, add more powdered sugar a little at a time to the mix.
• You could try different edible essential oils or extracts to change the filling, or even change the colors.
• If you melt chocolate chips instead of melting wafers, you may need to add 1-2 tsp of coconut (or other preferred cooking) oil during the melt to make it smooth.
• You could also replace the butter and cream with coconut oil and real salt instead.  Similar to how this Thank Your Body recipe does it.  I have not tried this yet though, so cannot attest if it would taste like a true peppermint patty or not.  Salt with coconut oil helps reduce the coconutty flavor a bit, I know, but I just haven’t had the hankering to test it out yet.
• Peppermint has long been regarded to aid digestion and to support the respiratory system and liver functions.  Dr. William N. Dember of the University of Cincinnati studied peppermint’s ability to improve concentration and mental sharpness. Alan Hirsch MD studied peppermint’s ability to directly affect the brain’s satiety center, which triggers a sensation of fullness after meals (1).  The peppermint flavoring in store candy is not from a true herb, however.
• I would be thrilled to help you start learning and using essential oils in your life.  Learn more in my essential oils resources, and contact me anytime if you would like more help or information.

“Natural flavors” are one of the worst ingredients you should be scanning your food for…but peppermint oil is a TRUE natural flavor.  Everything is always better homemade!

Sources:

http://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/essential-oils/singles/peppermint-essential-oil

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