Published March 27. 2013 05:02PM
A little retro and a whole lot of fun, you can also form the mints in a variety of shapes and flavors.
Retro Cream Cheese MintsStart to finish: 30 minutes, plus dryingMakes 7 dozen8-ounce block cream cheese2 pounds powdered sugarFlavorings or extracts of your choiceGel food coloring (optional)Superfine sugarIn the bowl of a stand mixer, combine cream cheese and about a quarter of the powdered sugar. Using the dough hook, begin mixing. As the mixture comes together, add the remaining powdered sugar, a quarter at a time, mixing well between each addition. The dough also can be mixed by hand; treat it as though you are kneading bread dough. The mixture will be quite stiff.Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the flavoring or extract of your choice. Alternatively, you can divide the dough and make multiple batches, each with a different flavor. Once the flavoring is mixed in, add food coloring, mixing until evenly colored. As with the flavoring, the mixture can be divided and different colors can be used for each batch.Pinch off pieces of the dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in the superfine sugar. Press the pieces into candy molds or press with a fork or the bottom of a glass to make a decorative impression on the tops. Place on waxed paper and allow to dry, uncovered, overnight. If keeping longer than a few days, place in an airtight container between sheets of waxed paper and freeze for up to 1 month.
In this image taken on March 11, 2013, retro cream cheese Easter mints are shown in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)