Description
These No-Bake Soft Peppermint Balls are festive, colorful, and easy-to-make holiday treats with a smooth, pliable dough flavored with peppermint extract. Colored with red and green gel food coloring and twisted into a beautiful striped pattern, they require no baking and set quickly in the fridge, making them perfect for last-minute holiday fun.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) — sifted
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (can substitute honey or maple syrup)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (vegan butter for dairy-free option)
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 tablespoon milk (whole, almond, or oat milk)
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- Optional: edible glitter or luster dust
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, mix the sifted powdered sugar, light corn syrup, softened butter, peppermint extract, and milk using a rubber spatula until you form a smooth and pliable dough. If the dough is too sticky, add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time, to achieve a soft cookie dough consistency that is easy to roll but not tacky.
- Divide and Color Dough: Split the dough evenly into three parts. Leave one plain. Add red gel food coloring to the second portion and green gel food coloring to the third. Knead each portion gently until the colors are uniform.
- Form Ropes and Twist: Dust a clean work surface with powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Roll each colored dough portion into ropes about ½-inch thick. Twist the three ropes together gently, then roll the twisted rope again to blend the colors into a festive striped peppermint candy pattern.
- Shape and Decorate: Lay the twisted ropes onto parchment paper. Optionally, sprinkle lightly with edible glitter or luster dust to add a festive sparkle.
- Chill and Set: Transfer the parchment with the shaped ropes to a tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the peppermint balls to firm up and set properly.
Notes
- If the dough becomes too sticky while working, dust your hands and rolling surface with powdered sugar to ease handling.
- You can substitute light corn syrup with an equal amount of honey or maple syrup for a natural sweetener alternative.
- For dairy-free or vegan options, use vegan butter and plant-based milk such as almond or oat milk.
- Store peppermint balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Adjust the amount of peppermint extract to taste if you prefer a stronger or milder peppermint flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Confectionery
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: no bake peppermint balls, peppermint candy recipe, holiday treats, easy no bake desserts, soft peppermint candy, festive desserts
