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When I set out to create my holiday treat packages last year, I knew I wanted to make treats I’d never made before but that had been on my to-make list for a while.  Like marshmallows.  And hot chocolate.  And these peppermint patties.  And let me tell you, these little minty treats probably made me the most proud I’ve been in the kitchen in quite a while.  The filling is easy to put together, but dipping them in chocolate will require some patience.  You’ll need to dip them in batches and keep the extra little rounds of filling really cold (like frozen) while you dip because as soon as they start to come to room temperature, dipping them in warm chocolate is impossible.  And impossibly messy.  Trust me.  The chocolate will harden but make sure all of the filling is covered by chocolate – otherwise it will ooze out.  But needless to say, my peppermint patty connoisseur (Kyle) LOVED these (so did I!), as they are waaaay better than the store-bought version.  You’ll find that they will be gushed over and will certainly be worth the little extra effort it takes to make them.

Homemade Peppermint Patties
source: adapted from Savory Sweet Life

Ingredients:

  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon peppermint extract
  • 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 3 tablespoons shortening

Instructions:

  1. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the condensed milk, 2 cups of powdered sugar, and peppermint extract on medium speed until well incorporated. Add more powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is stiff but still pliable.  You’ll need almost the full amount, but add it slowly, as directed.
  3. Roll the dough into 3/4-inch balls (a small cookie scoop helps with portioning the dough) with lightly damp hands to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
  4. Flatten each ball into a disk about 1/4-inch high and set the disks on the baking sheets. Transfer the baking sheets to the freezer for 30 minutes. While the dough is chilling, temper the chocolate coating.
  5. Place chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl. Melt the chocolate and shortening in 30 second increments on medium power (5 on most microwaves), making sure to stir after each increment until chocolate is smooth.  (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stove top.)
  6. Remove one baking sheet from the freezer.  Place a patty on the tines of the fork and dip in the chocolate until completely covered. Allow excess chocolate to drip off the patty before setting each one on top of another parchment paper lined baking sheet, platter, or plate.  Slowly reheat the chocolate once it starts to becomes too thick for dipping.
  7. Move the chocolate-coated peppermint patties to the refrigerator to completely set up and harden.  Remove more undipped patties from the freezer as you finish dipping others so that they are always very cold as you dip them.  The peppermint patties are ready serve when they are dry to the touch.

Yields: 32-36 candies.