I didn’t become a mint plus chocolate person until adulthood, but Peppermint Patties were always an exception. I loved them! So of course I had to include them as part of my Halloween series of Healthified treats.
Despite Peppermint Patties being delicious, they weren’t ever my go-to candy of choice (that was always Crunch Bars), but then I went to summer camp and my friends were putting peanut butter on top of their Peppermint Patties. If you know me by now, you know my love of peanut butter, so I tried it too. Holy moly it was love at first bite. The mint and peanut butter combination might sound weird, but trust me, it works. But Peppermint Patties don’t need peanut butter (like some things do), so enjoy this healthier version any way you like.
How to make these healthier Peppermint Patties
You will need just four ingredients to make these healthier Peppermint Patties:
- Coconut oil
- Powdered monk fruit (or regular powdered sugar or use honey; see recipe note)
- Peppermint extract
- Dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate; (I love unsweetened Pascha chocolate chips to reduce the sugar content of my recipes, but they aren’t sweet, so if you need a lower percentage of dark chocolate, use 70%)
What makes these Peppermint Patties healthier?
The ingredients in traditional Peppermint Patties include:
Sugar, corn syrup, semi-sweet chocolate (chocolate, sugar, cocoa, milk fat, lecithin, cocoa butter, PGPR, natural flavor, milk), invert sugar, egg whites, oil of peppermint
What you see is refined sugar, deconstructed milk products, additives, and preservatives. I actually had to look up PGPR because I had never heard about it before (and as Dr. Mark Hyman says, if you haven’t heard of an ingredient in a food, or you wouldn’t keep it in your own kitchen, you probably shouldn’t be eating it). According to the Hershey website:
PGPR stands for polyglycerol polyricinoleate, and is an emulsifier that is made from castor beans, soybeans or sunflower seeds. It’s used in cooking oils and fats, spreads, low fat dressings, ice cream, and flour. In the confectionery industry, it is used to improve the consistency of chocolate. It improves the flow of chocolate to aid in moulding it into bars.
While PGPR is recognized as safe by the USDA, it is still not an ingredient I want to put in my body. I will make my own Peppermint Patties from here on out!
This recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and even sugar-free when you make them with the powdered monk fruit and unsweetened chocolate chips. But they don’t sacrifice on flavor. Happy Healthified Halloween to you!
Healthier Peppermint Patties
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 cup coconut oil room temperature
- ⅓ cup powdered monk fruit sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons peppermint extract depending on how strong you want the peppermint flavor
For the chocolate coating
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Make the filling. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the coconut oil and powdered monk fruit sugar, and stir until creamed together. Add the peppermint extract and stir again until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a silicone mold, or shape the mixture into discs of desired size. Freeze for at least an hour until chilled.
- Melt the chocolate for the coating. In a small microwavable safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Heat for one minute, and stir until creamy and melted. Dip the chilled peppermint discs into the melted chocolate and transfer to a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Transfer to the refrigerator to set, at least 20 to 30 minutes.
