My mother-in-law demands I bring these to every family dinner because they look fancy but take zero effort. Only 4 things go into making these little bite sized miracles.

Pinch off small pieces of the tinted dough, about 1 teaspoon each, and roll them between your palms into smooth little balls. Place the balls on the prepared parchment-lined tray, spacing them just a bit apart.
To give the mints a simple, “I totally bought these from a fancy candy shop” look, press each ball gently with the tines of a fork, the bottom of a glass, or your fingertip to flatten slightly. They should be about 1/4 inch thick with a smooth, matte surface.
Let the mints sit at room temperature, uncovered, for 2–4 hours, or until the outside feels dry and slightly firm to the touch. For a more set, melt-in-your-mouth texture, you can also refrigerate them for at least 1 hour after they’ve dried a bit on the counter.
Once the mints are firm enough to handle, transfer them to a round ceramic serving tray or airtight container. If stacking, place a sheet of parchment or wax paper between layers so they don’t stick together.
Serve chilled or at cool room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 1 month. Let frozen mints sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving so they soften slightly.
Variations & Tips
To keep these feeling fresh even when you bring them to every family dinner, you can switch up the colors and shapes with almost no extra effort. For holidays, go with seasonal colors—soft green and white for Christmas, pink and white for Valentine’s Day, or pastels for baby showers and Easter. If you don’t love strong mint, cut the peppermint extract down to 1/4 teaspoon and add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract for a milder, creamy-mint flavor. You can also swap peppermint for spearmint or use lemon extract for a citrus version that still uses the same basic formula. For texture, roll the balls in a little extra powdered sugar before flattening, or lightly press them into granulated sugar so they get a sparkly finish. If you have silicone candy molds, press the dough into them for easy little shapes—hearts, flowers, or shells—then pop them out and let them dry on a tray. For make-ahead prep, mix and color the dough the night before, cover each color tightly in plastic wrap, and roll and shape the mints the next day when you have a few spare minutes. They’re very forgiving, so you can scale the recipe up or down depending on how many people your mother-in-law has invited this time.