Easy No-Bake Chocolate Mint Cream Cheese Buttons Recipe | Quick & Delicious!

Introduction

Oh, the holidays! Remember those little candies that were just perfect for tucking into gift boxes or setting out at parties? The ones with that delightful creamy center and a hint of mint, all hugged by rich chocolate? Well, guess what? We’re going to recreate that magic, and it’s even easier than you remember! These Chocolate Mint Cream Cheese Buttons are so simple, you’ll wonder why you haven’t made them every year. Get ready for a wave of sweet nostalgia and pure deliciousness, all with minimal effort. Let’s get baking… well, no-baking, really!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fast: Whip these up in no time for last-minute treats.
• Easy: Seriously, no complicated steps here. Perfect for beginner bakers!
• Giftable: They look and taste so fancy, perfect for handmade gifts.
• Crowd-pleasing: Who can resist chocolate and mint? Everyone loves them!

Ingredients

Let’s gather our goodies! Don’t worry, these are all super common pantry staples. You might already have most of them on hand!

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened: This is our creamy, dreamy base. Make sure it’s nice and soft so it mixes up beautifully.
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar. This gives our mints their sweet structure.
• 1/2 teaspoon mint extract: The secret to that refreshing minty kick! A little goes a long way.
• Several drops green gel food coloring: For that classic minty look! Gel coloring is great because it gives a vibrant color without adding too much liquid.
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream: This is what makes our chocolate ganache so luxuriously smooth and glossy.
• 10 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips: Your favorite brand will do perfectly. The slightly bitter chocolate balances the sweet cream cheese filling.

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get our hands a little bit doughy (in the best way possible!). Grab your apron, put on some happy music, and let’s create some magic.

1. Get the Cream Cheese Base Ready

   In a big bowl, plop in your softened cream cheese and about 1 cup of your powdered sugar. Give it a good mix with your stand mixer or a hand mixer. You want it to look smooth and combined, like a creamy cloud.

2. Add That Minty Goodness

   Now, let’s add that lovely mint extract. And for that beautiful pale green color, add a few drops of your green gel food coloring. Mix it all up until everything is nicely incorporated and you have a lovely minty dough.

3. Sweeten It Up

   Gradually add the rest of your powdered sugar, mixing as you go. You might need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times to make sure everything gets mixed in. If it’s a little sticky and the mixer is struggling, don’t be afraid to get your hands in there and really knead it together until it forms a dough that’s easy to handle.

4. Prep Your Baking Sheet

   Grab a big baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. This is going to make removing your finished mints a breeze!

5. Shape Your Buttons

   Take about a teaspoon of your mint dough and roll it into a little ball between your palms. Place each little ball onto your prepared baking sheet. Keep going until you’ve used up all the dough. I like to make mine pretty uniform in size so they look extra neat!

6. Make Those Cute Indentations

   This is where they get their button-like charm! Use the end of a wooden spoon (like the handle part) or a small measuring spoon to gently press an indentation into the center of each little ball. If the spoon sticks a bit, just dust it lightly with a little powdered sugar.

7. Chill Them Out

   Pop your baking sheet into the refrigerator for about an hour. You want these mints to be nice and firm before we add the chocolate topping.

8. Melt Your Chocolate

   While the mints are chilling, let’s make our luscious chocolate topping. Place your semi-sweet chocolate chips into a heat-proof bowl or a large measuring cup. This makes pouring so much easier later.

9. Warm Up the Cream

   Gently heat your heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan on the stove until it’s just starting to simmer around the edges. Be careful not to let it boil!

10. Pour and Wait

    Carefully pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in your bowl. Now, resist the urge to stir right away! Let it sit for about 2 minutes. This allows the heat from the cream to start melting the chocolate.

11. Stir Until Silky Smooth

    After those 2 minutes, start stirring gently. Continue stirring until the chocolate is completely melted and you have a beautiful, glossy, smooth ganache. It should look like liquid velvet!

12. Let the Ganache Thicken

    Transfer your gorgeous ganache into a Ziploc bag. Now, we need it to thicken up to a consistency that’s like thick yogurt. This usually takes about 30 minutes at room temperature. If you’re in a hurry, you can pop it in the fridge, but keep a close eye on it! You don’t want it to get too hard.

13. Pipe the Chocolatey Tops

    Once your ganache is the right consistency and your mints are firm, snip off a very small corner of your Ziploc bag. Pipe a little dollop of the thickened chocolate ganache right into the indentation of each chilled mint.

14. Final Chill

    Pop the baking sheet back into the refrigerator for about another hour, or until that chocolate topping is set and firm to the touch.

15. Store & Enjoy!

    Once they’re all set, you can carefully peel them off the parchment paper. Store these delightful Chocolate Mint Cream Cheese Buttons in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’re best enjoyed chilled!

Substitutions & Additions

Feeling creative? I love a good recipe twist! Here are a few ideas to make these your own:

• Chocolate Variation: Don’t have semi-sweet chips? Milk chocolate chips will make them sweeter, and dark chocolate chips will give them a richer, more intense flavor.
• Mint Intensity: Prefer a stronger mint flavor? Add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of mint extract, but taste as you go!
• Color Play: Feel free to adjust the green food coloring to your liking, or even skip it for a more natural look.
• Fancier Topping: For an extra special touch, drizzle a little melted white chocolate over the set ganache, or sprinkle with edible glitter or crushed candy canes before the ganache fully sets.

Tips for Success

A few little tricks can make all the difference:

• Room Temperature Cream Cheese is Key: Seriously, don’t skip softening your cream cheese. It makes a huge difference in getting a smooth, lump-free dough.
• Don’t Overmix the Ganache: Once the chocolate is melted, stir just until smooth. Over-stirring can make it oily.
• Watch Your Ganache Thickness: This is probably the most important tip for piping. If it’s too thin, it’ll run everywhere; too thick, and it’ll be hard to pipe. Adjust with short bursts in the fridge if needed.
• Prep Ahead Power: You can make the mint cream cheese balls a day in advance and store them on the parchment-lined baking sheet (covered) in the fridge. Just add the chocolate topping when you’re ready to finish them.

How to Store It

These mints are best kept in the refrigerator to maintain their shape and creamy texture. Store them in an airtight container. They should stay delicious for about 1-2 weeks!

FAQs

• Can I use peppermint extract instead of mint extract?

  Absolutely! Peppermint extract will give you a slightly different, often brighter, mint flavor. It works wonderfully.

• My ganache is too thin to pipe. What should I do?

  No worries! Just pop the Ziploc bag into the refrigerator for 5-10 minute intervals, checking and gently kneading the bag (without cutting a hole!) between each interval. You’re looking for that thick, spreadable, yogurt-like consistency.

• Can I freeze these?

  While you can freeze them, the texture might change a bit upon thawing, especially the cream cheese base. They’re definitely best enjoyed fresh from the fridge.

No-Bake Chocolate Mint Cream Cheese Buttons

Print Recipe

Delightful no-bake treats with a creamy mint cream cheese center and a rich chocolate topping, perfect for holidays or any occasion.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Mint Cream Cheese Buttons

• 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
• 4.5 cups powdered sugar (also known as confectioners’ sugar)
• 0.5 teaspoon mint extract
• drops green gel food coloring (for that classic minty look)

For the Chocolate Ganache Topping

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (this is what makes our chocolate ganache so luxuriously smooth and glossy)
• 10 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (your favorite brand will do perfectly)

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Instructions

1. In a big bowl, plop in your softened cream cheese and about 1 cup of your powdered sugar. Give it a good mix with your stand mixer or a hand mixer. You want it to look smooth and combined, like a creamy cloud.
2. Now, let’s add that lovely mint extract. And for that beautiful pale green color, add a few drops of your green gel food coloring. Mix it all up until everything is nicely incorporated and you have a lovely minty dough.
3. Gradually add the rest of your powdered sugar, mixing as you go. You might need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times to make sure everything gets mixed in. If it’s a little sticky and the mixer is struggling, don’t be afraid to get your hands in there and really knead it together until it forms a dough that’s easy to handle.
4. Grab a big baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. This is going to make removing your finished mints a breeze!
5. Take about a teaspoon of your mint dough and roll it into a little ball between your palms. Place each little ball onto your prepared baking sheet. Keep going until you’ve used up all the dough. I like to make mine pretty uniform in size so they look extra neat!
6. This is where they get their button-like charm! Use the end of a wooden spoon (like the handle part) or a small measuring spoon to gently press an indentation into the center of each little ball. If the spoon sticks a bit, just dust it lightly with a little powdered sugar.
7. Pop your baking sheet into the refrigerator for about an hour. You want these mints to be nice and firm before we add the chocolate topping.
8. While the mints are chilling, let’s make our luscious chocolate topping. Place your semi-sweet chocolate chips into a heat-proof bowl or a large measuring cup. This makes pouring so much easier later.
9. Gently heat your heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan on the stove until it’s just starting to simmer around the edges. Be careful not to let it boil!
10. Carefully pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in your bowl. Now, resist the urge to stir right away! Let it sit for about 2 minutes. This allows the heat from the cream to start melting the chocolate.
11. After those 2 minutes, start stirring gently. Continue stirring until the chocolate is completely melted and you have a beautiful, glossy, smooth ganache. It should look like liquid velvet!
12. Transfer your gorgeous ganache into a Ziploc bag. Now, we need it to thicken up to a consistency that’s like thick yogurt. This usually takes about 30 minutes at room temperature. If you’re in a hurry, you can pop it in the fridge, but keep a close eye on it! You don’t want it to get too hard.
13. Once your ganache is the right consistency and your mints are firm, snip off a very small corner of your Ziploc bag. Pipe a little dollop of the thickened chocolate ganache right into the indentation of each chilled mint.
14. Pop the baking sheet back into the refrigerator for about another hour, or until that chocolate topping is set and firm to the touch.
15. Once they’re all set, you can carefully peel them off the parchment paper. Store these delightful Chocolate Mint Cream Cheese Buttons in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’re best enjoyed chilled!

Notes

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should stay delicious for about 1-2 weeks. For a stronger mint flavor, add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of mint extract. You can also drizzle with white chocolate or sprinkle with edible glitter or crushed candy canes for a fancier look. Don’t overmix the ganache, and watch its consistency for easy piping.