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An easy recipe for Homemade Mints that tastes just like Altoids! Perfect for Christmas gifts, or wedding or baby shower favors.

It all started in high school…my obsession with breath mints and chapstick (related: How to Make Chapstick). I’m not sure what the root cause, was, but I was hooked. At the time it was Carmex and Starbucks mints.

Starbucks and I had a good relationship for a long time, but then they phased out my beloved mints and replaced them with a tin of mints that cost the same but had 1/10th as many mints. Well played Starbucks, well played.

So, you know what is about to happen, right? I mean I titled this post “Homemade Mints”. Anyone could see it coming.

We’re making Homemade Mints! You nailed it. Genius.

What Ingredients Are In Homemade Breath Mints?

This homemade mint recipe is rocking:

Gum paste mix (available online or any place with cake decorating products. If you get it at Joann’s, make sure you use a coupon!)
Powdered sugar (to keep things from sticking. Learn how to make powdered sugar) or xylitol.
Flavoring of your choice. You can use pure baking flavoring or extract (related: Homemade Peppermint Extract).

How Do You Make Breath Mints?

*Detailed and printable recipe available at the bottom of the post.

In a deep bowl, mix the gum paste with the flavoring, and water until it forms a very thick paste. Pro tip: start with a whisk but end with a spoon or else it gets too thick. TWSS.

Put parchment paper on a baking sheet, and dust with powdered sugar.

Put the “dough” on the parchment, and dust with a bit more powdered sugar. Press it as thin as you can with the heel of your hand.

Now at this point, you could make little balls, use a tiny mold to make these cute shapes, or even use a fat straw to punch out circles. That is a lot of work, so I recommend dusting a pizza cutter with powdered sugar and cut them into strips and pieces.

It may not win you the “most uptight and anal retentive” trophy at your neighborhood Pinterest awards, but it gets the job done.

Fill a lidded container with the pieces, and sprinkled a bit more powdered sugar in there. Shake it a few times to make sure that all the pieces are coated enough to not stick to each other.

Spread the pieces back on the baking sheet with the parchment, and let dry at room temperature for at least 3 days. Your house will smell awesome, but please watch out for kiddos and pets. If you are using Xylitol it is especially dangerous for pets.

Place finish mints in a mesh strainer and shake to remove the excess powdered sugar. Transfer to lidded containers and/or cute jars for giving as gifts.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

Need to speed up the drying process? Bake the homemade mints at the lowest heat your oven will allow (typically about 170 degrees F) for 2 hours. Allow mints to cool and test to see if they are hard enough to your liking. <—TWSS
Homemade mints will keep in an air-tight container for up to six months.
If you want to make round mints, dip a fat straw into powdered sugar and press it into the dough. You could also roll it into a “snake” and slice it into small pieces.
There are some people who use essential oils for cooking. I’m 100% uncomfortable recommending that at all, so stick to flavoring that is intended for cooking.

Variations/Flavor Combos

You’re already thinking Vanilla Mint, so let’s do this! Combine peppermint with a splash of vanilla extract (related: Homemade Vanilla Extract).
Cinnamon would be amazing in homemade mints; spicy and lovely.
Combining chocolate with mint would be so good it might make a puppy smack itself.

OTHER RECIPES LIKE THIS:

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