Though I’m not a
candy person, there’s something about York Peppermint Patties that gets me every time. Somehow, that vapor of
mint in my mouth expels the notion that I’m eating something that isn’t so great for me. Sugar? What sugar? This is like brushing your
teeth!
Of course the
chocolate melting into my fingerprints says otherwise. But this just adds to my feeling that Peppermint Patties (and Junior Mints, for that matter) are best consumed in winter.
But I haven’t even gotten to the best part. These little patties are quick to put together, and unlike most holiday sweets, you won’t even have to turn your oven on. Just use your
hand mixer to beat together cream cheese, salted butter and peppermint extract, then
mix in powdered
sugar.
If you’re coloring them, divide the dough, then mix in the red or green gel coloring (yes, technically, this is an extra ingredient, but it’s still easy!). Roll them into balls, flatten with a fork, pop them into a sealed container in the fridge and boom: yummy mint delights for days. (Obviously there’s a tiny bit more to it than that, so consult the
full recipe at Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons.)
How do they compare to the traditional patty in the silver wrapper? Kitchen Fun blogger Jill says they’re softer and creamier than the original. Sign me up.
Though these minty patties can be made with just four ingredients, it’s best if you have at least one more ingredient on hand: regular sugar. Jill’s photos show a lovely, snow-like dusting of sugar on her patties, and I have to say, that seems like the way to go.
She points out that you can also easily dip these in chocolate if that’s a key ingredient in the original patty for you. And she’s not the only purveyor of yum to come to this realization — other home cooks have put together
no-bake copycat peppermint patties that view the chocolate coating as an essential part of the patty.
I know, right? Time to get not-baking!