Holiday Recipe: Peppermint Cream Squares (2024)

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Emma Christensen

Emma Christensen

Emma is a former editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer. Check out her website for more cooking stories

updated May 2, 2019

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Holiday Recipe: Peppermint Cream Squares (1)

Makes16 squares

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Holiday Recipe: Peppermint Cream Squares (2)

Last year, I shared an old favorite recipe for Peppermint Cream-Filled Butter Cookies, which are infamous in my family for being both ridiculously tasty and also ridiculously tedious to make. This year, I thought I’d try tweaking the recipe just enough to keep all its most swoon-worthy qualities while trimming away the labor. The result might, just maybe, be better than the original.

The most annoying part of the original cookie recipe is working with a dough that is too soft when warm but too brittle when cold, leaving a narrow window within which to actually roll out and shape the cookies. I thought I’d use this frustrating quality to my advantage with these bar cookies: first you scoop out some of the dough and let it chill until completely stiff. The remaining soft, warm dough is pressed into a pan and baked like shortbread. You make the peppermint cream filling while the bottom layer bakes, then pour it over the warm shortbread. That reserved bit of now-chilled dough gets crumbled over the top before baking the bars a second time. See?! The best of both worlds.

I made a few other tweaks to the original recipe, particularly adding a few extra spoonfuls of cream cheese to the filling. This keeps that middle layer creamy and soft even after baking. I love the sweet vanilla-mint flavor that the peppermint candies give this filling, but if you’d like more minty oomph, definitely feel free to add some peppermint extract.

The only step that remains just as much of a hassle as the original recipe is pulverizing those peppermint candies into a powder. Make double-sure that you buy soft mint candies — not the hard ones that are available year round, which can damage your food processor. The most common brand I’ve found is Bob’s Sweet Stripes (see link below). If you have some extra energy or want to relieve holiday stress, you can take the candies outside and smash them with a hammer instead of using the food processor. Either way, the goal is a fine powder with pieces no larger than rock salt.

Bob’s Sweet Stripes Soft Mint Candies, $8.10 on Amazon

Settling down with a glass of cocoa and one of these bars at the end of the day is a very happy thing indeed. I’ll definitely make my childhood version of these cookies again — No worries, Mom! But…maybe next year.

Comments

Makes 16 squares

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

For the shortbread:

  • 1 cup

    unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup

    powdered sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    salt

  • 2 cups

    all-purpose flour

For the peppermint filling:

  • 30

    soft mint candies

  • 1 cup

    powdered sugar, divided

  • 1/4 cup

    cream cheese

  • 2 tablespoons

    whole milk

  • Peppermint extract (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment so that the ends hang over the sides of the pan. Coat the parchment and exposed sides of the pan with nonstick spray.

  2. To make the shortbread, beat the butter in a stand mixer or with a hand blender until it is creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sugar. Beat again until the butter and sugar are light and fluffy, like frosting. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour and the salt until the dough comes together and no more dry flour is visible.

  3. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of the dough, transfer it to a covered container, and refrigerate. Scrape the remaining dough into the baking dish. Press the dough flat with buttered hands, pushing the dough into the corners and smoothing the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the shortbread is turning golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.

  4. While the shortbread is baking, prepare the filling. Place the soft mint candies the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they have broken down into powder with pieces no larger than rock salt. Be forewarned: this will make an enormous racket! Alternatively, you can place the candies in a sturdy plastic bag, go outside, and smash the candies with a hammer. (A fantastic holiday stress-reliever.)

  5. Mix the powdered candies with 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and milk. Warm briefly in the microwave if the cream cheese is too stiff. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 3/4 cup of the powdered candy mixture to the cream cheese. Whisk to form a thick paste. Taste and add peppermint extract in 1/4 teaspoon increments if you'd like a stronger peppermint flavor.

  6. When the shortbread has cooled but is still warm to the touch, pour the peppermint cream mixture over the top and spread it evenly into the corners. Remove the reserved shortbread dough from the fridge and crumble it evenly over the top of the peppermint cream (or grate it on the large holes of a cheese grater).

  7. Bake the peppermint bars for another 10-13 minutes, until the edges are just starting to bubble. The crumbs will still be fairly light-colored. Let the bars cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then sprinkle the top with a few tablespoons of the remaining peppermint powder (you may not use it all) while the bars are still warm. Let the bars cool completely, then lift them from the pan and cut into squares.

  8. Peppermint squares will keep in an airtight container for about a week.

Related: Does “Mint” Mean Peppermint or Spearmint?

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Cooking Methods

Holiday Recipe: Peppermint Cream Squares (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in peppermint candy? ›

Sugar, Corn Syrup, Titanium Dioxide (for color), FD&C Red 40, Natural Peppermint Oil. Store in a cool dry place. This product is free of top common allergens and manufactured on dedicated equipment.

Does peppermint have sugar? ›

Sugar. According to the American Dental Association, peppermint candy's sugar content is a risk to oral health; three pieces of peppermint candy have approximately 15 grams or one tablespoon of sugar. Eating these three pieces with other sugar sources for a day makes them excessive.

How do you make peppermint at home? ›

For peppermint oil
  1. Crush or muddle fresh peppermint leaves in a glass jar with a tight lid.
  2. Cover the leaves with olive or grapeseed oil. Close the jar and shake.
  3. Store for three days. Strain into a bowl and discard the leaves.
  4. Pack the jar with fresh leaves, pour the oil back in the jar and cover with fresh oil.
Jun 26, 2015

Does peppermint candy lower blood sugar? ›

Test tube studies suggest peppermint may lower blood sugar, raising the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Should a diabetic eat peppermint candy? ›

Bottom line. Yes, children and adults with diabetes can and do eat candy. The key is moderation and making sure to track the number of carbohydrates and calories eaten. Sugar-free candies can be better for blood sugar levels, but they still contain carbs and calories.

Can diabetics eat peppermint? ›

Some studies show that peppermint may lower your blood sugar and blood pressure as well, so it's not recommended for people taking medication for diabetes or blood pressure issues. Peppermint may help to promote good kidney function, but it's not recommended for people who have kidney stones.

What does peppermint do to your stomach? ›

Peppermint oil is a type of medicine called an antispasmodic. It helps relieve stomach cramps, bloating and farting (flatulence), particularly if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It works by helping the muscle of the bowel wall to relax. Peppermint oil comes as capsules.

Do peppermint candies have real peppermint in them? ›

Enjoy soft, smooth, meltaway mint flavor with Brach's® Soft Peppermint Candy. These classic puffed, red and white striped mints are made with real peppermint oil and wrapped individually to ensure a fresh taste every time.

Does peppermint candy contain real peppermint? ›

Most candies offer zilch when it comes to nutritional value, but pop-in-your-mouth peppermint sweets boast small amounts of healthy peppermint oil (extracted from the leaves of the peppermint plant) or extract (made by soaking the plant in alcohol).

What does peppermint candy do for the body? ›

The cooling menthol in peppermint oil stimulates the stomach lining and eases stomach pain, so sucking on peppermint candy may calm your upset stomach. Respiratory Relief: The menthol in peppermint tea and candy may increase saliva production, which leads to swallowing and suppression of the reflux that causes coughs.

What does peppermint candy do for the brain? ›

Studies suggest that peppermint can help stimulate your brain and improve memory. Just the smell of peppermint can slightly increase oxygen saturation and blood pressure. As your blood brings more oxygen to your brain, it increases your brain's ability to concentrate and focus.

References

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