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.
I tried this, too. Love the idea! Had 3 bowls turn out great until I switched to a different brand of candy. Same sugar content, calories, etc, but they just wouldn’t look right or shape correctly. I’m using a 3.5 inch diameter bowl (open end) and bake them for 6 minutes. Going out for the original candy and make some more. You’re right…all ovens are different. Thanks for a great idea!
Hey Jennifer!! I love this!! I’ve seen this before but didn’t get to try it but I will now. I love how you laid this out with step by step instruction. My daughter and I will have fun making this!! Thank you for sharing.
Kymona
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this sweet comment!! Have a great holiday!
Where can I find “Plaid” spray paint? Does the brand matter?
I really like the candy dish made out of peppermint. Do I need to put a coat of clear sealant on the dish? How would I clean the dish? Please let me know. Thank you again for the idea!!
Thanks Pam! I didn’t put any seal on it. It is really meant for a temporary decoration – You can probably get 3 weeks or so out of it!! I would just put wrapped candy in it, so you don’t need to clean it!
I made 4 of the candy bowls today and they turned out great but they are all sticky. I had planned to use them to give to friends tonight with candy in them, like your photo but they are too sticky. Is there anything I can do or anything in the future to prevent this?
Love these and would like to make more.
Thanks.
Mine stuck to the bowl too, I thought it was because it was totally cooled. I put it in the microwave to soften then it came off. Now after setting all afternoon, it is sticky. Now what?
HI Karen – hmmmmmm. Did you bake it in the microwave to melt it? Did you try putting a thin layer of non-stick spray on (very thin)? I didn’t have any problem with them being sticky – I used Target brand candy and I live in Michigan and it is very dry here – no humidity (which could be a problem if you are somewhere humid)
I melted them in the oven in the beginning then softened them in the microwave to get them off the bowl. This was Saturday and they are still a little tacky. I am going shopping this morning in GR (because I too live in Michigan) and will look for the spray that was mentioned by someone in an earlier post. Hey, thanks for getting back to me. 🙂
I found the “dish” to be sticky. It didn’t really get smooth again.
so how many did you have to make before you got one to look so perfect? i’m on my 3rd and there are different problems each time — some candies melt more so their color is off, some candies don’t attach to the candy next to it so that there’s a gap.
I’m going to try molding them inside the bowl instead of outside. hopefully it will force a better shape. Also, how did you get yours to be so shiny? mine are mostly dull.
glad i bought a 5 lb bag! thanks!
Hi Jane – Honestly, I didn’t really have any that didn’t come out well. I don’t know if it is the candy I used (target brand) or what! They just worked! You want to really have them up against each other and be careful that they don’t sift away from each other when you move them to the oven. Also, don’t over cook them, you really just want to start them to get melty! (is that a word?)
I used a tiny bit of olive oil on a paper towel and rubbed the out side of the bowl.
Jennifer, for those who bowls are sticking to the candy – maybe putting the bowl in the freezer for just a few minutes to cool down the glass (constrict the glass), it might come loose!
Yes, I did end up doing that and then very gently when I tried removing from the bowl, the candy shattered 🙁 I’m going to try the newly added recommended steps above and let the candy cool down a little more right after taking out of the oven. I bet I put the candy on the bowl too quickly while it was still too hot. I really want to get good at this make it work!
I would slide them off of the cookie sheet (still on the mat though) to let them cool a few seconds – like 30 seconds. Also, I tried them with another brand of peppermints yesterday and they didn’t come out nearly as good – I love the Target brand (and I have no affiliation with Target) those have just worked the best for me
I am using Big Y brand peppermints but I’ll pick up a bag of the Target brand to see if that makes a difference as well. I am also using parchment paper as I don’t have a silicone mat.
I tried this and the ones that ended up on top of rim of bowl smooshed funny- did they get too warm? Turn down oven?
Hi Kacy – it sounds like they got too warm to me! They just need to start melting and getting shiny!