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These homemade peppermint patties taste just like the wrapped ones from the checkout aisle, only cooler, creamier, and made with ingredients you control. A simple no bake center of sweetened condensed milk, powdered sugar, and peppermint extract comes together in minutes, gets shaped into rounds, and chills until firm before each one is dipped in smooth melted chocolate. There is no candy thermometer and no baking involved, just a mixing bowl, a fork for dipping, and a little patience while they set up in the fridge. These are the treat I make every holiday season for cookie trays, teacher gifts, and stocking stuffers, since a single batch makes plenty to share and they hold up beautifully in a gift bag or tin. Once you taste how fresh and minty a homemade peppermint patty is, the store bought kind will not compare.

Why this is the best Homemade Copycat York Peppermint Patties recipe

It's surprisingly easy. You don't need any complicated candy-making skills to make homemade peppermint patties. The creamy mint filling comes together with simple ingredients, and there is no candy thermometer or boiling sugar to worry about.

Copycat York Peppermint Patties are made from scratch with only a handful of ingredients and no preservatives or corn syrup which makes them a healthier version of everyone's favorite candy.

These homemade peppermint patties taste just like the classic candy. The cool, sweet, creamy peppermint center paired with a crispy chocolate coating gives you that familiar York Peppermint Patty flavor in every bite that kids and adults love.

Homemade peppermint patties are a fun no-bake treat. Most of the work involves mixing, shaping, chilling, and dipping, so you can make these without turning on the oven. They're especially easy to make during the holidays when you already have enough things competing for oven space.

Homemade peppermint patties are great for Christmas candy trays and homemade gifts. Peppermint and chocolate are a natural holiday combination, and these little candies look impressive tucked into a cookie tin or gift box. You can also make them ahead of time, which makes holiday entertaining and gift giving easier.

What you'll need to make the best Homemade Copycat York Peppermint Patties Recipe

Equipment

Electric mixer - You'll need this to mix the peppermint filling, but you can probably do it with a whisk if you needed to.
Baking sheet pan - You need a flat sheet to chill the peppermint filling.
Parchment paper - This helps the patties to not stick to the baking sheet without adding oil that would make the candy greasy.
Scoop set 1-tablespoon scoop only, to portion the patties.
Microwave-safe bowl or double boiler - You'll need one or the other to melt the chocolate wafers.

See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

Ingredients

Sweetened condensed milk: We are not using a whole can of sweetened condensed milk, so be sure to measure it out.

Peppermint extract: the amount in the recipe is the perfect amount to be well noticeable, but not overpowering.

Powdered sugar: 3 cups is the perfect amount where it makes the dough pliable, but not too hard. This is also called confectioners' sugar or 10x sugar.

Melting wafers: do not use chocolate chips or dark chocolate in place of the dark chocolate melting wafers; they will not harden in the same way. If you want a crispy chocolate coating similar to a York Peppermint Patty, you need melting wafers.

How to make this easy Homemade Peppermint Pattie recipe

Beat the sweetened condensed milk with the peppermint extract and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl on low speed until a dough forms.
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Place a piece of parchment paper over your baking sheet. Use a 1-tablespoon scoop to make balls of the dough mixture and place them on your parchment-lined baking sheet; they should flatten out into discs. If they don't, or if they aren't round enough, fix them and then place them in your freezer for at least 30 minutes.
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Once the 30 minutes are up, melt the melting wafers in a double boiler over low heat or in the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring completely between bursts.
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Once melted and slightly cooled, dip the patties in the chocolate with a fork, tap off any excess chocolate,
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then place them back on the parchment-lined baking sheet to harden. If they don't harden at room temperature quickly enough, place them in the fridge to harden.
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Cook's Tips

You shouldn't need to place your peppermint patties in the fridge to harden; they will most likely harden within minutes of being coated in the chocolate due to the mint center being cold from the freezer.

Make sure the melted chocolate is not hot when coating it onto the mint dough; otherwise, the discs will get deformed. They won't taste bad, but they won't be as pretty.

If you're struggling to coat the mint discs with the chocolate:

Place the mints back in the freezer.
Ensure the chocolate is melted, but not hot.
Use a spatula to paint the chocolate onto the mints on one side, let harden. Then paint the other side to finish, and let harden again.

You can garnish the tops of the peppermint patties with a sprinkle of crushed candy canes.

Substitutions & variations

For the most traditional York Peppermint Pattie flavor, use dark chocolate for the coating. If you prefer a sweeter candy, semi-sweet chocolate or milk chocolate will work too but won't taste the same as the original.

You can adjust the peppermint extract according to your taste. Start with the amount called for in the recipe, then add a tiny bit more if you prefer a stronger peppermint flavor. Peppermint extract is potent, so add it gradually, like a couple of drops at a time.

For festive peppermint patties, decorate the chocolate before it sets with crushed candy canes, peppermint candies, sprinkles, or sanding sugar. You could also drizzle the finished patties with melted white chocolate.

Instead of making traditional round patties, use a small cookie cutter to make hearts for Valentine's Day, eggs for Easter, or simple holiday shapes for Christmas. Keep the shapes fairly small and fairly simple so they don't become difficult to dip in the chocolate.

You can also make the patties smaller for bite-sized candies or make 4-inch diameter patties if you want them closer to the size of a traditional York Peppermint Patty.