I adore peppermint patties and never knew I could make them at home!
- Carbohydrate 0.0115958333333333 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 5.5E-05 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 5.5E-05 g
- Saturated Fat 9.16666666666667E-06 g
- Serving Size 1 1 pattie (0g)
- Sodium 0.00825 mg
- Sugar 0.0115958333333333 g
- Trans Fat 3.3E-05 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Beat 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar with corn syrup, peppermint extract, shortening, and a pinch of salt using a stand mixer (with paddle attachment) at medium speed until just combined.
- Knead on a work surface dusted with remaining 1/4 cup confectioners sugar until smooth.
- Roll mixture out between sheets of parchment paper on a large baking sheet.
- Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Remove top sheet of paper and sprinkle round with confectioners sugar.
- Replace top sheet, then flip round over and repeat sprinkling on other side.
- Cut out as many rounds as possible with cutter, transferring to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Freeze until firm, at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, gather scraps, reroll, and freeze, then cut out more rounds, freezing them.
Swapping light corn syrup for maple syrup in this confectionery dough introduces excess moisture that prevents the sugar mixture from ever achieving the necessary firmness for rolling. Commercial peppermint patties rely on invert sugar or corn syrup to retard crystallization, keeping the fondant center smooth and pliable rather than grainy and crumbly. When testing this method, omitting the corn syrup entirely resulted in a crumbly paste that shattered under the cutter instead of holding a clean edge.
Achieving the right consistency requires beating confectioners sugar with shortening, peppermint extract, and a pinch of salt on medium speed until just combined, then kneading the mass on a surface dusted with the reserved quarter cup of sugar until completely smooth. Shortening plays a functional role here by coating sugar crystals to yield a melt-in-the-mouth texture without the watery interference found in butter, though high-ratio vegetable shortening delivers the most stable emulsion for professional results. Rolling the dough strictly between two sheets of parchment paper prevents sticking without requiring excessive additional dry sugar that would dry out the interior. Freezing the rolled sheet for precisely 15 minutes creates a firm slab that releases cleanly from the paper and allows a round cutter to produce sharp edges without distorting the shape of the individual pieces.
Using fresh peppermint extract rather than an opened bottle sitting at the back of the pantry for two years produces a cleaner, sharper flavor profile, as volatile aromatic compounds degrade significantly over time when exposed to oxygen and light. Once cut, transferring the rounds back to a parchment-lined baking sheet for a secondary 10-minute freeze ensures they maintain structural integrity during any subsequent coating phase. Storing finished candies in an airtight container at cool room temperatures prevents condensation from dissolving the sugar matrix, preserving the texture for up to one week.
