These DIY Peppermint Candy Bowls are the perfect DIY Christmas Gift. Made from peppermint candy and melted into a bowl, you can put delicious holiday candy in it and wrap it up for an adorable holiday gift for friends, family, co-workers and more!
Table of Contents
- DIY PEPPERMINT CANDY BOWL
- What You Need to Make a Candy Bowl
- How to make Peppermint Candy Bowls
- Tips to make the perfect peppermint candy bowl
- Reader Tip – to prevent mints sticking from the bowl
- What to do if your peppermint bowl is sticking to the glass?
- Will the Peppermint Bowl be sticky?
- Can you seal the bowl?
- Peppermint Candy Bowls Recipe
DIY PEPPERMINT CANDY BOWL
Did you know you can make your very own Christmas Candy Dish out of peppermint candy for less than the cost of a candy cane! This was a GAME CHANGING DIY CRAFT!!
Back in 2014, I saw the most amazing DIY Peppermint Platter from I Gotta Create – I was totally obsessed with it! So I started thinking, I love the platter…but let’s take it a step further – how about a candy bowl!
How cute would it be to make a candy bowl out of candy! So I got to work, and after some burned fingers, I created these oh so adorable DIY Peppermint Candy Bowls made from, you guessed it, peppermint candy!
Let’s be honest, we all search on Pinterest for DIY Christmas gifts right, I know I have spent hours and hours looking for an easy gift that I can make for friends, co-workers, teachers, etc.
Our Peppermint Candy Bowl along with our Peppermint Candy Spoons make the perfect DIY gift that will cost you less than a cup of coffee to make!
After these two peppermint candy projects, I became totally and completely obsessed with all things melting candy. Two of my other favorites are our Candy Cane Christmas Trees and of course, our famous Jolly Rancher Shot Glasses!
What You Need to Make a Candy Bowl
- Peppermint Starlight Mints – 19 per bowl
- Silicon Baking Liner (or parchment paper)
- Baking Sheet
- A small glass bowl (I used a Pyrex glass dish that was 4.5 inches across the top)
How to make Peppermint Candy Bowls
The best part about this craft is that it is BEYOND super easy!! They take about 20 minutes – tops – to make and they make a super cute teacher gift, Christmas gift, decoration, etc ……ohhhhhh the possibilities are literally endless!
Step 1
Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Step 2
Lay one mint in the center of the baking liner. Take six more mints and lay the mints around the center mint (making a flower type of shape). The mints should be touching and as close with as little gap space as possible. Take the remaining 12 mints and make another circle around the center circles.
Step 3
Place in the oven for about 8 minutes. Remember…. all ovens cook differently! It is super important that you watch them carefully. What you are looking for is for them to start getting shiny and they just begin to spread out and melt. When that happens, take them out! You do not want them so melted that they start to bubble.
Step 4
You will want to have your small glass bowl upside down and ready to go – you are going to use this to mold the candy bowl.
Take them out and let them sit for about 30 seconds – you want them cool enough to handle, but not too cool that they are set.
Put on your oven mitts!
Now…. very carefully flip the silicon liner with the mints in place, on top of the upside-down glass bowl. You want to place the center mint as close to the center of the glass bowl as possible.
Use your hand (with oven mitts on) to form the mints to the bowl. You will have under a minute before the mints start to harden again.
Step 4
Let it sit on the bowl until it sets. Remove it from the glass bowl and let cool completely. Fill with candy and enjoy!
Tips to make the perfect peppermint candy bowl
- If available, use a silicone baking mat. The peppermints tend to stick to it less and it protects your hands from the heat!
- IMPORTANT: The BEST peppermints that I have worked with are the Market Pantry brand at Target. I have no idea why, but these melt perfectly and work every time for me. They don’t stick to the bowl ever and anyone who has had issues and then uses these Starlight Mints is successful!
- IF your candy dish is sticking, see the advice given below.
What to do if your peppermint bowl is sticking to the glass?
Advice from readers:
- Thank you to my reader, Jen, for her advice: When you first take them out of the oven, don’t fear; they’ll stay pliable for about a minute or so. Literally put 30 seconds on a kitchen timer as soon as you lay it down. Then pick it back up (using gloves!), and center over your bowl or cup. (When I got impatient, they stuck!) Gently press from all sides. When able, take off the silicone mat. Carefully smooth on all sides. What worked for me next was to turn over the cup or bowl, hold the candy, and twist the “mold”. Comes right off!I’d say if it still doesn’t, maybe try a SMALL amount of cooking spray, but very lightly — or try a different type of bowl/cup.
- Toni: Use a little spray of pam on the bowl – came right off!
Will the Peppermint Bowl be sticky?
My bowls were never sticky. Be sure not to get them wet, after all, they are candy! If you live in a higher humidity area, they may be a bit tacky because of the humidity. Also, it really depends on the type of candy you use (as mentioned above)
Can you seal the bowl?
While I have not tried to seal my bowls (I make them new every year) some readers have used sealer or spray glaze and found that it has worked! (a few readers said this brand worked well)
The advice I have heard is to spray them lightly for the first coat so the candy color doesn’t run. Then add an additional coat after for the second coat, a little heavier!
Peppermint Candy Bowls
Ingredients
- 19 Peppermint Starlight Mints 19 per bowl
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees
- Place silicon baking liner or parchment paper on baking sheet
- Lay one mint in the center of the baking liner. Take six more mints and lay the mints around the center mint (making a flower type of shape). The mints should be touching and as close with as little gap space as possible. Take the remaining 12 mints and make another circle around the center circles.
- Place in the oven. Now, this is important because all ovens cook differently. Mine took about 8 minutes. You MUST watch them cook. When they start to get shiny and just begin to spread out and melt – they are done! You do not want them so melted that they are bubbling.
- Have your small glass bowl upside down and ready to go – you are going to use this to mold the candy bowl.
- Take them out and let them sit for about 30 seconds – you want them cool enough to handle, but not too cool that they are set.
- Carefully (very carefully – you may want to use oven mitts because the mints are going to be super hot) flip the silicon liner with the mints in place, on top of the upside down glass bowl. Try to place the center mint as close to the center of the glass bowl as possible. Now use your hand (with oven mitts on) to form the mints to the bowl. You will have under a minute before the mints start to harden again.
- Let it sit on the bowl until it sets.
- Remove it from the glass bowl and let cool completely.
- Fill with candy and enjoy!
Jenn’s Notes
- If available, use a silicone baking mat. The peppermints tend to stick to it less and it protects your hands from the heat!
- IMPORTANT: The BEST peppermints that I have worked with are the Market Pantry brand at Target. I have no idea why, but these melt perfectly and work every time for me. They don’t stick to the bowl ever and anyone who has had issues and then uses these Starlight Mints is successful!
- IF your candy dish is sticking, see the advice given in the post above.
Video
Nutrition Info
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT – now I am totally obsessed with making things out of Peppermints – check out these Peppermint Candy Spoons (instructions here) and Peppermint Candy Shot Glasses!!! (instructions here)
Post updated: ORIGINALLY POSTED November 4, 2015.
I was really hoping I could make this, but it stuck to my silicone baking mat. I had to slice it off with a knife. I did get something like a bowl, but it’s a bit lopsided and has a hole in it. I am going to try again with less time in the oven.
Try different peppermints or use a teeny tiny bit of non stick spray
Have you sprayed the bowl with acrylic to preserve it? I’m going to try and see what happens this week but checking with you first.
Can I make a bigger bowl?
Yes, it just may be harder to work with, but give it a try!
5 Stars
have not tried it yet but once I do I will let you know plan on making these for Christmas gifts. Looks like a great idea.
I first saw this 3 years ago! Loved it so have made them every year. My neighbor children came over and made some with me! So be creative with it. Here are some I’ve made.
I made 12 bowls this year, they are delightful. Thank you for the instructions! I was totally taken off by using different brands. The first ones were ready in 8 minutes and the 2nd ones took 15 minutes. I used parchment paper on both sides and that really helped. Merry Christmas!