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These Homemade Peppermint Patties are cool, creamy, and covered in rich dark chocolate. They are the perfect bite-sized treat for the holidays. With just a handful of ingredients, you can make a batch that tastes even better than anything store-bought.
These simple treats pack the peppermint flavor and are fantastic on holiday platters alongside Peppermint Kiss Cookies, Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies, and Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Cookies.
Krissy’s Notes
When I first made these, my husband said, “I don’t like peppermint patties.” Then a few hours later, he grabbed one without realizing what it was, took a bite, and said, “These are really good.” Pretty much sums it up — they win people over, even the skeptics.
These candies are easy to make, but I learned the hard way that temperature matters. If you dip the peppermint filling while it’s still soft, it melts right into the warm chocolate. After a few disasters (and a chocolate-covered counter), I found a better way — chill or freeze the peppermint centers before coating them. Once I figured that out, the rest was easy.
If you love holiday candies like this, you’ll also enjoy my Homemade Caramels and Salted Mocha Caramels.
What You’ll Need To Make Them
You’ll find the full recipe in the card below, but here’s what you’ll need to make these perfectly balanced peppermint patties:
- Powdered sugar: Creates the base of the filling and keeps it sweet and smooth.
- Butter and cream: Give the center its rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Peppermint extract: For that signature cool flavor. Just remember, a little goes a long way. I also use real peppermint extract to make my Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows and Peppermint Bark Recipe.
- Dark chocolate: Use a high-quality bar or melting wafers for the best coating.
- Crushed candy canes (optional): Add sparkle and crunch for a festive touch.
How to Make Homemade Peppermint Patties
Full details are in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick summary:
Step 1: Make the peppermint dough. Mix powdered sugar, butter, peppermint extract, and cream until smooth. Shape into a log, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm.
Step 2: Slice and chill. Cut into ¼-inch rounds and place on wax paper. Freeze or refrigerate until very firm.
Step 3: Melt the chocolate. Combine chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt gently — microwave in short bursts or use a double boiler.
Step 4: Dip or coat. Dip the frozen peppermint rounds in chocolate, or pipe chocolate onto parchment, sandwiching each peppermint layer between two coatings.
Step 5: Finish and set. Top with crushed candy canes (optional) and let set until the chocolate hardens.
That’s it! Creamy peppermint centers wrapped in a crisp chocolate shell.
Make Ahead and Storage
To make ahead: These can be made days before serving. The flavor actually improves after a day or two.
How to store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or in the refrigerator for longer.
To freeze: They freeze beautifully! Store in layers between parchment paper for up to 3 months. Just know that any time you freeze candies like this, they will form condensate when they come to room temperature, so they’re best eaten right out of the freezer.
Learn From Me
After a few test runs, here’s what I’ve learned:
- Keep everything cold. The filling should be chilled before coating.
- Use a fork or toothpick for dipping. It makes cleanup easier.
- Don’t rush the setting. Let them fully harden before storing.
These are the perfect homemade candies for Christmas platters, gifting, or just keeping in your freezer for a little treat whenever you need one.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re new to candy making, this recipe is super easy but you still might have a few questions. Here are some that I’ve gotten from readers over the years.
Not necessarily — they’ll keep fine at room temperature for a few days, but they last longer when refrigerated.
Absolutely. Dark chocolate gives the best flavor contrast, but milk or white chocolate will work too.
Yes! You can roll and cut the peppermint dough into mini patties or use small cookie cutters for festive shapes.
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Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 12 ounces dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon butter
- optional: crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Combine the 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons softened butter, 2 teaspoons peppermint extract, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Mix them with a stand mixer and paddle attachment or a hand mixer until the mixture comes together. You may need to use your hands to form the final sugar dough.
- Over a long sheet of plastic wrap, form the peppermint dough into a long log, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- When ready to make the candy, combine 12 ounces dark chocolate with 1 tablespoon butter in a bowl and microwave at half power for one minute at a time, stirring in between each minute, until the chocolate is melted.
- Slice the peppermint dough into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Lay out a piece of wax paper to put your finished patty on.
- I found three ways to successfully coat them in chocolate without having them melt in the bowl of chocolate. First, you can pipe the chocolate onto the wax paper, add the peppermint slice, pipe more chocolate on top, and then use a toothpick to spread if needed. Second, you can freeze the individual slices and then dip in the chocolate. Third, you can allow the slices to sit out until they dry a bit and then dip them.
- While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
- Store in airtight container or storage bag. They can be frozen for longer storage.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m just wondering…
Couldn’t you put plastic wrap or parchment paper on the cookie sheet then put the dab of chocolate on it, top with the peppermint filling and freeze them. Then take them off the paper when they are hard and dip them?
I love these but I am not sure I am energetic enough to actually make them!
Yep! That would actually be a great way to do it!
Do these need to be refrigerated due to the heavy cream?
Its probably never a bad idea, but I left them out and they were fine.
These turned out fantastic! We did the freezer method! So easy and good!
Wow! Peppermint patties are my husbands favorite. I made these last weekend and they were a hit! Thanks for a great recipe!
These are melt in your mouth good!! Love all things peppermint, especially with chocolate! Super easy to make!
I freeze the peppermint slices and take a couple out of the freezer at a time so they stay quite hard. I poke them with a toothpick and dip them in the melted chocolate and prop them onto a parchment covered cookie sheet.
what does it mean by heavy cream? like heavy whipping cream?
yes