Homemade Peppermint Patties

5 from 4 votes

Dark chocolate shells surround a creamy, soft peppermint filling in these Homemade Peppermint Patties that are sure to be a hit with family, friends, or coworkers! They are a simple and easy Christmas candy to make without needing a thermometer or major baking skills!

Prep Time20

Chilling Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: -60 peppermint patties

Calories: 154kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Equipment

Rolling Pin

Ingredients

7 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted so there are no clumps (755g)
⅓ cup evaporated milk
⅓ cup light corn syrup
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin or refined coconut oil, melted
1 ½ teaspoons peppermint extract
20 ounces Ghiradelli dark chocolate melting wafers (two 10-ounce bags)
Crushed candy canes, sprinkles, or melted white chocolate for decorating

Instructions

Combine powdered sugar, evaporated milk, corn syrup, melted coconut oil, and peppermint extract in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth, about 3-4 minutes. You can knead by hand if it gets too thick.
Divide the filling into two discs and wrap them in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for an hour so they are easier to roll out. It should be a stiff, but workable dough that you can touch with your hands.
Dust your rolling surface with powdered sugar to help keep the filling from sticking. I like to roll this out between two sheets of parchment paper just to be on the safe side. Roll ¼-inch thick with a rolling pin.
Use a small 2 to 2 ½-inch round cutter to cut out circles. You can smash the scraps together and re-roll until it has all been used up. Transfer the cut circles to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 20 minutes.
Melt the dark chocolate coating in a microwave-safe bowl using short 20-second bursts of heat. Stop and stir between each burst until melted.
Dip the chilled centers one at a time in the melted chocolate using a fork or chocolate dipping tool. Tap them against the edge of the bowl a few times to remove excess chocolate and use a toothpick or knife to slide them onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. If desired, decorate with crushed candy canes or sprinkles before the chocolate has a chance to set.

Notes

Substitutions: You can replace the coconut oil with an equal amount of shortening or softened butter.
Dairy-free version: You can sub almond milk or coconut milk for the evaporated milk.
Peppermint essential oils: If you want to use essential oils instead of extract, just decrease the amount since the essential oils are stronger. I would start with ¼ teaspoon and go from there.
Sticky filling: If your filling is too sticky to work with, add a little more powdered sugar, a couple tablespoons at a time. If it is too thick for your mixer, just knead it in with your hands.
Using chocolate chips: If you can't find the Ghiradelli dark chocolate melting wafers, you could melt 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips with 2 teaspoons of coconut oil instead. The coconut oil will help add shine and snap to the chocolate chips.
Alternate shaping approach: If you want to try a different approach, I have also made these by just pinching off small pieces that are about 2 teaspoons worth, rolling them between my hands to make little balls, then pressing them flat with the bottom of a cup. It works almost just as well, but feels more tedious and time-consuming for me over just rolling out the dough and using a cutter. But either approach works!

Recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

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