One of my favorite holiday treats is butter mints. I remember them in those big drugstore bags when I was little—in pastel colors of green, pink and yellow. They were somehow never chalky but broke apart in your teeth with just the slightest bite. They were perfectly minty, not overly so, just a hint. I ate them by the handfuls until I had a stomachache, which I still think is the benchmark for something being truly delicious.
A year or two ago I stumbled upon a recipe for butter mints, and the 8-year-old inside me let out a wail. Those butter mints? I had to try to recreate them. And I am so glad I did. Of course, they aren’t the same—even when I let them dry out for quite some time they never embody the faint crunch I remember. But that’s okay, because these are creamy and smooth and understated, even in color. Maybe these are the grown-up version of my childhood butter mints.
Though I’ve made them in past years with traditional peppermint extract, I wanted to try them out this year The Shared Sip-style, using Fee Brothers mint bitters. The bitters aren’t really that bitter at all, only pungent like the extract is, and less concentrated. So I used more bitters and less milk than usual to nail the consistency and I think both the minty-ness and color turned out just right.
While you’re making Santa cookies this year, and that giant canister of powdered sugar is hanging out on the counter, whip up a batch of these as well. They’re perfect for nibbling your way into the new year.
Bitters Butter Mints
makes about 2 heaping cups of mints
- ½ c. butter, room temperature or slightly colder
- 4 c. powdered sugar
- 2 generous teaspoons mint bitters (I used Fee Brothers)
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
Assembly
Combine all ingredients in a mixer and mix until well-blended. The consistency should be that of dough—not super firm but able to be balled. Add more sugar or milk as needed. If you like your mints strong, you can also add a few drops of peppermint extract.
Form dough into a log and score into about 8 sections. Take one section and roll it between your hands, or on a powdered sugared surface, until it is about ½-inch in diameter. Cut pieces at an angle. Place mints on a parchment-lined tray to dry, uncovered, overnight.