Homemade Junior Mints Recipe

I made you Homemade Junior Mints!  Junior Mints are a childhood favorite for many people.  If you are not familiar with Junior Mints, they have a minty soft center covered by chocolate.  Junior Mints have always been my husband’s favorite candy, so I set out to make a clean recipe for them.  Here is the ingredient list for Junior Mints that I found at Ask.com:

“Sugar, semi sweet chocolate, corn syrup, modified food starch, confectioner’s glaze, invertase, soya albumin and gelatin.” 

Okay, I don’t even have a clue why they need so many ingredients.  Especially weird ones like invertase?  What the heck is that??  I am proud to say my Homemade Junior Mints only contain simple ingredients!

I am happy to say that these homemade junior mints are vegan, gluten free and paleo approved.  If you are not a coconut fan, don’t worry.  You seriously can’t taste the coconut flavor in this recipe.  All I taste is the chocolate and the peppermint.

The coconut butter in this recipe gives these homemade junior mints the perfect texture.  If you like homemade candy recipes you should also check out these clean eating peanut butter cups and my coconut almond fudge.

Homemade Junior Mints

Homemade Junior Mints

print shopping list

Prep Time 20 min Serves 10-12 mints     adjust servings

A cleaner version of the store bought classic.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup homemade coconut butter or coconut manna
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 dark chocolate bar (I used Endangered Species 3oz .)
• 2 T almond milk

Instructions

1. In a food processor , combine the coconut butter and peppermint.
2. Scoop out little balls and set them on a parchment lined plate. I used a melon baller to form the balls.
3. Stick the balls in the freezer.
4. Once the balls are frozen, prepare the chocolate.
5. Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate and milk.
6. Once melted, take each frozen ball and cover it in chocolate. I used two forks for this.
7. You need to work quickly so the warm chocolate doesn't melt the coconut balls.
8. Once all the balls are covered in chocolate, stick them in the fridge to firm up.

by Melissa King

Recipe Notes

If you want to add a sweetener to this, you can add 1-2 tsp of maple syrup or honey. Add the sweetener when you are mixing the coconut butter and peppermint.

These homemade junior mints should be stored in the fridge or freezer. They should last for a couple weeks in the fridge and even longer in the freezer.