Peppermint Twist Candy Dessert (Printable)

Creamy peppermint mousse swirled with crunchy candies on a chocolate cookie base for festive occasions.

# What You'll Need:

→ Base

01 - 1.3 cups chocolate sandwich cookies (approximately 12 cookies)
02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Peppermint Mousse

03 - 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
04 - 3.5 ounces cream cheese, softened
05 - ½ cup powdered sugar
06 - 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
07 - 2 drops red food coloring (optional)
08 - ¼ cup crushed peppermint candy canes or hard peppermint candies

→ Decoration

09 - 3 tablespoons crushed peppermint candies
10 - Whipped cream for topping (optional)
11 - Fresh mint leaves (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pulse cookies into fine crumbs using a food processor or crush with a rolling pin. Combine crumbs with melted butter until mixture is uniform. Press firmly into the bottom of six serving glasses or ramekins. Refrigerate to set.
02 - Beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Incorporate peppermint extract and red food coloring if using, mixing thoroughly.
03 - In a separate chilled bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks using an electric mixer or whisk.
04 - Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until just combined.
05 - Fold crushed peppermint candies into the mousse mixture carefully to preserve texture.
06 - Spoon or pipe the mousse evenly over chilled cookie bases and smooth the surface.
07 - Refrigerate the assembled layers for at least 2 hours to firm up.
08 - Before serving, top with whipped cream, additional crushed peppermint candies, and garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The mousse feels impossibly creamy and light, like eating a cold kiss.
  • Crushed peppermint candies give you actual texture and a little crunch that feels fancy.
  • It comes together in minutes with zero baking stress, leaving you time to do literally anything else.
  • One dessert that tastes like December regardless of what month it actually is.
02 -
  • If your heavy cream isn't cold, it won't whip properly—keep the bowl and beaters cold too, and it'll cooperate completely.
  • Crushed candies can vary in moisture content, so add them gently and taste as you fold to make sure the peppermint flavor isn't overwhelming.
  • The two-hour chill time isn't a suggestion; it's what transforms mousse into something stable enough to serve without it sliding everywhere.
03 -
  • If you accidentally overbeat the heavy cream and it starts looking grainy, you've made butter—start over with fresh cream, which is faster than trying to rescue it.
  • Rubbing the rim of your glasses with a wet paper towel before filling them keeps mousse from sticking and makes them look cleaner when you serve.

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