There’s something wonderfully cozy about citrus and cream together, the bright taste of fruit paired with smooth, sweet flavors. Sweet orange cream cheese mints bring that comforting combo to life in the loveliest way. They melt slowly on your tongue, leaving behind a soft hint of orange that feels like sunshine after a rainy day. If you’ve ever made classic butter mints or pastel lemon cream cheese mints for a wedding or baby shower, this version feels both familiar and refreshingly new.
In this recipe, we swap out peppermint for orange, giving an old-fashioned candy a warm, modern twist. You don’t need fancy tools or molds, just a bowl, a fork, and a bit of patience as the dough firms up. The process moves slowly, which is part of the charm. It gives you time to relax, taste, and shape something small and beautiful.
By the end, you’ll have a tray of glossy mints that feel nostalgic yet brand new, a handmade sweet that pairs perfectly with holiday cookies or spring tea cakes. Let’s start where all good things begin: with a memory, a touch of butter, and the scent of oranges in the air.
- The Story & Intro of Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints
- Making the Perfect Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints
- Shaping and Setting the Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints
- Serving, Storing, and Creative Variations of Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints
- FAQs About Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints
- Conclusion: Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints
The Story & Intro of Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints
A Memory Stirred by Citrus
Every time I make sweet orange cream cheese mints, I’m taken back to my grandmother’s kitchen. The windows were always fogged from the warmth of her oven, and the counter was dusted with powdered sugar like soft snow. She made mints for every event: weddings, baby showers, and church picnics, tiny pastel rounds pressed gently with the tines of a fork. Most days, they were lemon, bright, cheerful, and a little tangy, but one afternoon she handed me her old recipe card and said, “Try something different.”
So I did. I swapped lemon for orange, and that single choice transformed everything. The first batch surprised me. The dough was smooth and fragrant, cool under my palms, and when I rolled it, it felt like satin. The taste was pure comfort, sweet, creamy, and softly citrus, almost like orange sherbet in candy form. I realized then that recipes are small stories passed down through taste. Every pinch of salt or drop of extract carries a piece of memory, something you can share without saying a word.
A Candy That Feels Like Home
What I love most about these Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints is their simplicity. There’s no baking or careful timing, just soft mixing, shaping, and waiting. It’s quiet, meditative work that asks you to slow down. You start by blending cream cheese and butter until they’re light and fluffy. Then, you fold in powdered sugar until the mixture turns into a smooth, pliable dough. A splash of orange extract, a few drops of color, and suddenly you’re holding a piece of sunshine.
They’re perfect for celebrations but just as lovely on slow afternoons when you crave something sweet but effortless. I like to serve them with tea or wrap a few pieces for gifts alongside my soft banana cookies or sun-kissed lemon brownies. Every bite feels like a hug, simple, sweet, and filled with quiet warmth. Good food doesn’t need to shout; sometimes, it just needs to taste like home.
Making the Perfect Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints
Gathering the Essentials
Every good recipe begins with a few humble ingredients that come together to make something truly special. For these sweet orange cream cheese mints, everything you need might already be in your kitchen. Cream cheese is the heart of the recipe, it gives the mints their signature softness and gentle tang. Butter adds richness, helping each piece melt beautifully on the tongue. Powdered sugar, sifted and light, balances everything with a velvety sweetness. Then comes the magic: orange extract. Just a teaspoon transforms the whole mixture, filling your kitchen with the scent of fresh citrus.
You’ll also need a pinch of salt, a few drops of orange food coloring, and extra sugar for coating. Simple, right? But together, they create texture, flavor, and that cheerful color that makes these Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints impossible to resist. Before you begin, set everything out on your counter. Let the cream cheese and butter soften, this step matters more than you might think.
When both are room temperature, they blend effortlessly into a creamy, dreamy base that holds the sugar just right.If you’re short on time, try Taste of Home’s simple trick for softening cream cheese; it keeps the dough silky and smooth.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 4 oz soft cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon soft butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 2–3 drops orange food color
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ cup extra sugar for coating
Once you’ve gathered everything, you’re halfway to candy bliss.
The orange and cream blend in these mints reminds me of the same dreamy balance I love in my Lemon Coconut Cheesecake Cookies.
Bringing the Dough to Life
Start by beating the softened cream cheese until it’s smooth and light. Add the butter, and keep mixing until they blend into a silky mixture that feels almost whipped. Next, pour in the orange extract just a teaspoon, but it will fill the air with brightness. Then slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. The dough will begin to thicken as you mix, changing from glossy to firm and pliable.
When it’s ready, the dough should be soft enough to shape but not sticky. If it clings to your hands, add a little more powdered sugar; if it feels dry, a small dab of cream cheese brings it back. Finally, drop in the orange coloring and stir until it’s even, glowing like a sunset.
At this stage, the dough is smooth, fragrant, and ready to be shaped a small, sweet miracle you can hold in your hands.
Shaping and Setting the Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints
Rolling and Shaping with Care
Once your dough is smooth and fragrant, it’s time for the most satisfying part — shaping the mints. There’s something deeply calming about this step, a rhythm that feels almost like therapy. Dust your hands lightly with powdered sugar and pinch off small portions of the dough. Roll each one gently between your palms until it forms a perfect little ball. The texture should feel soft but steady, almost like modeling clay that’s come to life.
If you love a bit of charm, you can press each ball gently with a fork to create the familiar crisscross pattern that gives these Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints their homemade look. The light pressure adds texture and helps them dry more evenly. For a playful twist, you can also press the dough into small candy molds hearts, flowers, or even simple geometric shapes. Pop them out carefully, and you’ll have a tray that looks like a box of pastel jewels.
This is the part of the process where you can let creativity take the lead. The mints don’t need to be identical. Their slight imperfections are what make them beautiful, proof that they were made by hand, in a real kitchen, with care and time.
They look lovely beside a slice of Raspberry Angel Food Cake, creating a pastel dessert plate that feels like spring.
Letting the Mints Set and Shine
Line a tray with parchment paper and arrange your shaped mints on top. Make sure they don’t touch; a little space between them helps the air circulate and prevents sticking. Once they’re laid out, roll each piece lightly in a bit of granulated sugar. This final coating gives them a delicate sparkle and a soft crunch on the outside.
Now comes the hardest part: waiting. Let the Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints air dry at room temperature for a few hours until the surface feels firm to the touch. This gentle drying gives them their signature creamy center with a faint outer shell that melts as soon as it hits your tongue.
If you’re in a humid climate, you can chill the tray in the refrigerator for a short while to help them set. After that, store the mints in an airtight container, layered with parchment paper. They’ll stay soft and creamy for days though, in my house, they rarely last that long.
Making these sweet orange cream cheese mints is more than a recipe. It’s a small, peaceful act of joy, shaping sweetness by hand and turning something simple into something special.
Serving, Storing, and Creative Variations of Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints
Serving with Style
There’s something lovely about presenting homemade candy that looks as pretty as it tastes. Once your sweet orange cream cheese mints have dried and set, they’re ready to be shared. Arrange them on a small tray or vintage plate lined with parchment paper. I like to sprinkle a touch of extra sugar over the top right before serving so they shimmer under the light. The texture is soft and creamy inside, slightly firm on the outside, like a whisper of sweetness that melts into citrus cream.
These mints make wonderful additions to dessert tables, wedding platters, or afternoon tea spreads. Their soft orange color feels right at home beside pastel cupcakes, lemon cookies, or slices of pound cake. They’re elegant enough for holidays yet simple enough to make on a quiet weekend afternoon.
For gatherings, I like to tuck a few into tiny paper cups or wrap them in clear cellophane tied with ribbon. They look like delicate candies from an old-fashioned sweet shop, the kind you’d find behind glass jars on a sunny counter. Every time I share them, someone always asks for the recipe, and I smile because that’s how traditions are kept alive.
I like to serve these Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints beside a slice of Cinnamon Swirl Loaf or a few Brown Sugar Shortbread cookies for a soft, comforting tea spread. The mix of flavors — citrus, spice, and cream — feels perfectly balanced.
For gifting, they pair beautifully with Honey Glazed Butter Cookies, a little box of calm sweetness wrapped up in ribbon.
Keeping and Creating
These Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints store beautifully, which makes them perfect for gifting or preparing ahead of time. Once they’re fully dried, place them in an airtight container with parchment layers between each row. Store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for longer. Before serving, let them rest at room temperature for a few minutes so their creamy texture returns.
If you love to experiment, try a few creative twists. Swap orange extract for lemon to make lemon cream cheese mints, or mix both for a soft citrus blend. For spring, tint the dough pale yellow or blush pink. For winter, roll them in crushed peppermint for a snowy sparkle. You can even dip half of each piece in melted white chocolate for an elegant finish.
No matter how you serve them, these Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints bring warmth to the table. They’re the kind of sweet that invites you to slow down, to share, and to remember that the best treats don’t come from a store, they come from your own hands, shaped with patience and a little joy.
I often tuck a few of these mints beside a loaf of Cottage Cheese Banana Bread for an easy homemade gift, both soft, sweet, and full of heart
Orange Cream Cheese Mints
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Let cream cheese and butter soften until smooth and easy to mix.
- Beat cream cheese until creamy, then blend in butter until silky.
- Stir in orange extract to add a bright citrus note.
- Add powdered sugar slowly, mixing until a soft, firm dough forms.
- Add orange food coloring and mix until evenly tinted.
- Roll small pieces into balls and press gently with a fork or mold.
- Coat each piece in sugar for a sweet sparkle and to prevent sticking.
- Place on parchment-lined tray and let air dry for a few hours.
- Chill briefly for firmness, then store or serve fresh.
Nutrition
Notes
• Add sugar gradually to avoid sticky dough.
• Let the mints air dry completely before storing.
• Keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks or freeze for later.
From your stove to our hearts
share your delicious take!FAQs About Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints
Why are they called buttermints?
They’re called buttermints because traditional versions include butter, which gives them a rich, smooth texture that melts on the tongue. Whether flavored with mint, lemon, or orange, the butter adds a creamy base that balances sweetness perfectly.
How many wedding mints per person?
If you’re serving them at a wedding or party, plan for about 4–6 mints per guest. They’re small and sweet enough to enjoy with coffee or tea, and they add a beautiful pop of color to dessert tables or gift bags.
How long does it take for cream cheese mints to dry out?
Depending on humidity, cream cheese mints usually take 2 to 4 hours to air dry at room temperature. If your kitchen is very warm or humid, you can chill them briefly in the refrigerator to help them firm up. Once set, they’ll keep their creamy texture for days.
What are the Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints served at weddings?
The soft, pastel candies often served at weddings are cream cheese mints. They’re small, melt-in-your-mouth confections made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and flavoring like peppermint or citrus. Their gentle sweetness and creamy texture make them a timeless treat for celebrations.
They’re often cream cheese mints, a tradition that goes back generations. Smithsonian Magazine shares a lovely history of how wedding candies became symbols of love and luck.
Conclusion: Sweet Orange Cream Cheese Mints
Making sweet orange cream cheese mints feels a bit like stepping into another time, one where recipes were handwritten, and sweets were shared in small, thoughtful ways. Each step, from mixing the dough to pressing soft rounds onto parchment, invites you to slow down and enjoy the process.
What starts as cream cheese and sugar becomes something brighter and more meaningful: a tray of little orange jewels that melt softly and taste like home. They’re sweet enough for parties, pretty enough for gifts, and simple enough to make on any quiet afternoon when your kitchen needs a little warmth.
So next time you crave something gentle, nostalgic, and handmade, let the scent of orange fill your kitchen. Make a batch, pour yourself a cup of tea, and share them with someone you love. Because the best recipes aren’t just about flavor — they’re about moments that linger long after the last mint has melted away.
