#2,029: Cream Cheese Mints with Vitality Essential Oil

I made this recipe 2 years ago and came across it again in a recent issue of My Magazine that our local Kroger sends out.  The last time I made this recipe, I used peppermint extract, and I rolled the mints in little logs before cutting into small pieces.  This time, I used Young Living Vitality Peppermint Essential Oil in place of the extract, AND I used a piping bag and a star tip to make these a little fancier.  I even put a chocolate chip in the middle of some of them (those are our favorite ones!).  

8 oz, full fat cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoon butter, softened

7-8 cups confectioners' sugar (I used 7 cups)

10 drops of Young Living Vitality Peppermint Essential Oil (or to taste)

Food coloring if desired (I used green)

In a large mixer, combine cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add the peppermint oil and desired food coloring (if using).  Add 2 cups of confectioner's sugar at a time, mixing and adding until a stiff dough forms.

The recipe says to cover and refrigerate until firm enough to handle, about 2 hours.  HOWEVER, this was so hard to get out of my piping bags, I had the best luck, putting it in the piping bag, and then putting the piping bag inside a ziploc bag and letting it sit in a cup of boiling water for a few minutes.  It made the dough soft enough to easily come out of the bag and it still turned out fine!  I can't imagine what it would have been like trying to get it out of a piping bag if I had refrigerated it!

Line a few baking sheets with waxed paper.  To make star-shaped mints, use a star-tipped pastry bag.  Or scoop the dough by the teaspoonful and roll into balls.

Place all mints onto the baking sheets, and allow to dry, uncovered, for 3 hours.  Flip if necessary (it IS necessary) to allow the bottoms of the mints to dry.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge, or freeze up to 3 months.