Homemade Peppermint Patties

It has been crazy cold here in San Diego.  San Diego normally has perfect weather.  Pretty much 90% of the time it is warm during the day and barely cold at night.  But this week has been different.  There is a chill in the air during the day, and really cold at night, about mid-high 30 degrees F to low 40s.  That might not be cold for you who live on the east coast, but it’s really cold for San Diego.

With the chill in the air there is nothing more I want to do then sit at home, put on a fire, cuddle under a blanket, eat soup, and finish off the night with a sweet treat.  Well last night I did all these things, and as long as it’s cold here in San Diego I will continue.  

Another thing that I like to do on cold winter nights is bake.  We’ll I like to do that always {as I’m sure you know that by now}.  But I especially like to bake on nights when I know I am going to enjoy the dessert by a fire on a cold night.

Earlier this week I made these Homemade Peppermint Patties as a nighttime treat.  I wanted to make something that was simple, quick, and with ingredients that I already had on hand.  These peppermint patties were the perfect answer.

To make this homemade candy all you need is sweetened condensed milk, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, and chocolate.  These ingredients are pretty common and most bakers have these in their cupboards at all times {as least I do}.  

Before I go more into describing these peppermint patties, I want to make sure you know what this treat replicates.  You know the York Peppermint Patties you see in the candy aisle – These are a homemade version.   When looking at those candies at the store you would never think that the homemade version would be so simple.  But they are!  They take no more than 30 minutes of active time to make and are made out of pantry staple ingredients.

Even though the filling is mostly made up of the powdered sugar, the sweetened condensed milk helps with balancing the sweetness and not making this treat too overly sweet.

Just like most homemade treats, these peppermint patties are much better than the store-bought version.  Plus the satisfaction of creating something on your own instead of purchasing it from a store is reason enough to make your own candy at home.

The flavors of these peppermint candies go perfectly with Christmas and the winter season.  Make them this season and enjoy them in front of a fire cuddled under a blanket.  Enjoy!

Homemade Peppermint Patties 
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Makes: About 30 Candies
14 ounces Sweetened Condensed Milk

6 ½ cups Confectioners Sugar
1 tablespoon Peppermint Extract
3 cups Dark Chocolate, Chopped
2 tablespoons Shortening

In the bowl of stand mixer, beat together the sweetened condensed milk, 3 cups of powdered sugar, and the peppermint extract.  Add the remaining powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, until the dough is stiff but still easy to handle. 

Using your hands, grab a small 1-inch piece of dough and roll it into ball.  Flatten the ball into a round disc and place on a baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Place the discs into the freezer to chill for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, melt the chocolate.  Place the chocolate in a heatproof and microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave the chocolate for 30 seconds, then remove it and stir.  Place it back in the microwave and repeat microwaving for 30 seconds and stirring until the chocolate has completely melted and is smooth.  Add the shortening and stir until it has completely melted into the chocolate. 

When the patties have hardened and are thoroughly chilled, remove them from the freezer and place them on the counter next to melted chocolate.  Place a large piece of wax paper next to the melted chocolate.

Place one patty on top of one fork and dip into the chocolate.  Using another fork, coat the patty completely and carefully place it onto the wax paper.  Repeat with the remaining patties.

Allow the patties to cool on the wax paper until hardened.   To speed up the process you can place the patties in the refrigerator to chill.  Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Enjoy!

These peppermint patties last up to 2 weeks when kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe from Savory Sweet Life.