I’ve definitely been on a peppermint kick here lately. I’ve been having so much fun buying stocking stuffers and Christmas gifts for my 6 month old this week, and it’s just really put me in the holiday spirit! While I’m not ready to start decorating my house yet (that absolutely comes AFTER Thanksgiving in this house), smelling and using peppermint essential oil certainly makes me want to!
I recently posted a delicious recipe for double mint brownies using peppermint essential oil. I mentioned how it would be a great gift to package up and give to family members or friends for the holidays. I then started brainstorming some other ways that I could use peppermint oil in the kitchen. I wanted to think of some yummy treats that would also be great to share with others as a gift. Then I thought of these:
Say hello to my little friends!
I was so excited to try my hand at making these. They’re pretty darn close to real peppermint patties as far as taste goes. They’re just missing that perfectly pressed/processed round shape that the real ones have. But who needs that anyway, right?! These are also a little bit healthier that the real deal, too. Here’s what you’ll need to make these:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup refined coconut oil (It doesn’t have a coconutty taste)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 3 or 4 tbs corn syrup (Honey also works great!)
- 6-7 drops peppermint essential oil (You can also use 1 tsp peppermint extract instead of EO)
- Chocolate almond bark or baking chips, melted
Directions:
- Mix coconut oil, peppermint oil, corn syrup and vanilla together in a mixing bowl. The coconut oil will start to soften as you mix. (Tip: Before mixing, slightly melt the coconut oil in the microwave for a few seconds to ensure that you can stir it easily. Do not melt so much as to make it completely liquid.)
- Place the mixture in the freezer for 10 minutes to allow it to harden a bit.
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
- Once the filling has hardened in freezer, take it out and dip out spoonfuls of the filling onto the wax paper. If you’d like, press them into a flatter shape. Be careful though, because the coconut oil will melt very quickly if you use your hands to press them.
- Place back into the freezer for another 10 or so minutes.
- Melt chocolate
- Remove patties from freezer. Using a spoon, pour chocolate over each patty. *Note: You may find that the chocolate doesn’t stick right away because the coconut oil melts quickly. That’s OK. You’re going to repeat this process a second time, and it will stick much better the second time.
- Place back in freezer for another 10 minutes. Remove and pour chocolate over each patty once more. If you’d like, you can repeat the process a third time to cover the bottom with chocolate
- Place in freezer or refrigerator for a final time to allow to harden. Once you’ve done this, you’re all done! Enjoy!
While these can sit out, they are best stored in the refrigerator. Coconut oil can quickly melt if it is ever at a temperature slightly hotter than room temp.
If you’re making these to give as a little DIY gift, you can put them in a cute little Christmas tin or put in a cellophane bag and tie with a ribbon like I did! These are so yummy and just melt in your mouth. Anyone who loves chocolate and mint together would love these for sure!
