These DIY Peppermint Candy Bowls are the perfect Christmas gift for friends, family, and co-workers. Made from melted peppermint candies in under 15 minutes, see why this original goes crazy viral every year!
DIY Peppermint Bowl
Our easy DIY Peppermint Candy Bowls are the perfect homemade holiday gift and a fun candy craft for kids. One ingredient and a few minutes to melt in the oven is all it takes to turn a handful of mints into an edible Christmas candy dish.
You can stop searching on Pinterest or shopping online for the perfect DIY Christmas gifts, because it’s more fun and even easier to make your very own peppermint bowls (and it costs less than a candy cane or a cup of coffee)!
I love making everyday items out of melted peppermint candy, especially when mint is so malleable when heated and can be shaped into edible candy bowls, Peppermint Shot glasses, Peppermint Candy Spoons, and this adorable Peppermint Plate I found from I Gotta Create.
After these peppermint candy projects, I became completely obsessed with all things melting candy. Two of my other favorites are our Candy Cane Christmas Trees and, of course, my famous Jolly Rancher Shot Glasses!
Why We Love This Christmas Candy Bowl
- Quick and easy to make in minutes.
- Uses only one ingredient.
- Fill it with you favorite foods and then enjoy a sweet treat when it’s empty!
- Cute way to add a festive feel to an otherwise boring bowl.
- Fun edible food craft to make with kids in the kitchen.
- Perfect homemade gift for teachers, friends, co-workers, and family.
DIY Peppermint Candy Bowls Ingredients
- Peppermint Starlight Mints – The actual type of mints matter. I found the most success with the Market Pantry brand from Target, but they stopped making them. Do not use the tiny peppermints. Try to find the larger flatter versions.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Additions
- Serving Suggestions: You can serve your favorite sweets and snacks, like nuts, pretzels, candies, or even ice cream, in these mint bowls. Or place one in the center of your holiday table and hear how your guests talk about it!
Recommended Tools
- Silicon Baking Liner (or parchment paper)
- Baking Sheet
- Small glass bowl: I used a Pyrex glass dish that was 4.5 inches across the top.
How to make DIY Peppermint Candy Bowls
- Assemble: Place one mint in the center of the baking liner. Arrange six more mints around the center mint, making a flower shape. With the remaining 12 mints, form another circle around the others. (Image 1,2 and 3)
Pro Tip: The mints should be touching and as close with as little gap space as possible. - Heat: Place in a 300 degree Fahrenheit preheated oven for about 8 minutes. (Image 4)
Pro Tip: When they become shiny and start to spread out and melt, remove them from the oven. - Mold The Mints: Allow the candy to cool for 30 seconds. Then flip the silicon liner (with the mints in place) on top of an upside down glass bowl (Image 5 and 6). Use your hands (with oven mitts on) to mold the mints around the bowl. (Image 7)
Pro Tip: You will have under a minute before the mints start to harden again. - Cool: Let the candy sit on the bowl until it sets (Image 8). Remove it from the glass bowl and cool completely. Fill with candy and enjoy!
Tips For Making 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! note: they have not been available lately. Try to find larger mints that are flatter, those work the best for me.
- To prevent the mints from sticking to the glass bowl, you can use parchment paper on both sides of the peppermints. Lay the mints on top of the parchment paper and then place another piece of parchment paper between the glass bowl and the melted peppermint.
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 it 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”. It 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!
More Easy DIY ifts
More Easy Holiday Treats
If you tried this Peppermint Candy Bowl Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!
DIY Peppermint Candy Bowls
Serves — 1
These DIY Peppermint Candy Bowls are the perfect homemade Christmas gift. Made from melted peppermint candy and formed into a dish, fill it with your favorite holiday treats!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 13 minutes
Video
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
TIPS
- 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.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Sugar: 64g
Post updated: ORIGINALLY POSTED November 4, 2015.
The mints are stuck to the bowl I molded them on and won’t come off without breaking the mints. What did I do wrong?
Did you use a glass bowl?
I answered this one another another message, but good news is, any that do break, you can come back and melt them together and turn into a whole new one!
Turned out lovely! And thanks for the shout-out.
<3 <3
Christina at I Gotta Create!
XOXOX Christina!!!!
I bought some peppermints at Walgreens then went to the Dollar Tree and theirs’ were so much brighter red than the first I purchased…..Only $1. at the Dollar Tree! Now tomorrow…I MAKE CANDY BOWLS!!! TAH DAHHHH
Going to try the bowl
Can you give me an approximate time on how long to heat the candies to make a bowl?
About 5-8 minutes
I did the bowl as you said but, it was hard to get the candy off the bowl.What am I doing wrong?
I know the answer to this, because of our recent experience!!!
Ok, so, 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.
Jen! Thank you for your wonderful advice! I haven’t had any sticking so I appreciate you sharing your experience!!! Going to paste this into the post!!
Thanx for that tip!
Hey Jenn! I just saw these peppermint candy bowls for the first time and I can’t wait to make some. I was reading all the comments to check out everyone else’s experience and I noticed the main problem was the candy sticking to the bowl. I have an idea that may work! Couldn’t you put a piece of parchment paper over the candy prior to molding it to the glass bowl? That way the parchment paper would be between the candy and the bowl and would not stick. Just thought I would share my idea and Thanks for sharing your great ideas!!!!
That is a great idea! Mine never stuck, but I think part of it is the actual brand of candy you use. I used Market Pantry from Target and they worked the best….I tried some others and not as good. BUT, try that out – would LOVE to know if it works! xoxo
My mother made candy earrings years ago. After sealing she glued on earring backs. Every year she wore those and always had people excited about them. She started making them for her Girl Scout Troop and hers lasted for 30-40 years. Can’t wait to make some bowls for co-workers.
I love this sight and creating.
Like the idea. May try one Saw for ornaments too using metal cookie cutter. Do you have instructions for those? Thjanks
Can these peppermint bowl be sealed?
I actually *suggest* this! I made ours just a few days ago, and they’re suddenly sticky; no idea why, being we’re in a low humidity area. Anyways, spraying with a lacquer should make them hold up better and maybe not (?) get sticky!
You didn’t answer the question on how long to cook the candy dish & the shot glass.
It is going to depend on your oven, but it was about 8 minutes for the dish for me and about 5 for the shot glass.