This Peppermint Frosting recipe will be your go-to mint buttercream frosting whenever you need a refreshing minty kick to top your cupcakes, brownies and cookies. It is a Swiss meringue base buttercream so it is velvety smooth and not too sweet!
This mint frosting is basically my vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream with peppermint extract and green food coloring added! It’s so smooth and creamy and perfectly minty.
If you are somehow intimidated when you hear “Swiss meringue buttercream,” please don’t be. Let me show you how simple it is to make this frosting.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- On point texture – this peppermint frosting is so smooth, so velvety. It has the greatest mouth feel of all frosting! Just the best mint frosting you will ever make.
- Not too sweet – the Swiss meringue base provides a stable structure to this buttercream without the need to use a whole pound of powdered sugar here.
- Versatile – use it to top these Christmas cupcakes or these chocolate cupcakes for an Andes mint feel, add it to brownies, make cookie sandwiches with these brownie cookies, and more!
Tools you’ll need
It is essential to have a stand mixer or at least an electric hand mixer when you need to make frosting. There is a lot of mixing involved and it will save you a lot of sweats and tears.
A thermometer will be useful to check the temperature of the egg white mixture when you’re heating it to a safe temperature before making the meringue base.
Ingredients and substitutions
As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:
- Egg white – fresh or carton egg whites both work. I’ve made my Swiss meringue buttercream with both many times and never had any issues with either.
- Granulated sugar – you just need granulated sugar here. Don’t substitute powdered sugar.
- Vinegar – this is used to stabilize the meringue. Lemon juice or cream of tartar can be used as substitute.
- Unsalted butter – please don’t use salted butter here or your frosting will be disgustingly salty.
- Kosher salt – just a pinch to round out the flavor.
- Vanilla extract – similar to the salt, just small amount of pure vanilla extract adds complexity to the overall flavor.
- Peppermint extract – peppermint extract can be very strong, so use sparingly and add more as needed.
- Green food color – I use just a dab of green gel food color to get a pastel minty green. If you only have liquid food color, that will work too but you’ll need to use more of it.
How to make peppermint frosting
The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Heat the egg white
Add egg white and sugar to a heatproof bowl and place it over a pot of simmering water without allowing the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Whisk the mixture constantly until all the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make the Swiss meringue
Carefully transfer the egg white mixture into your stand mixer bowl and beat on medium speed. Stream in the vinegar, and continue beating until stiff peak forms and the meringue is shiny and smooth.
Turn it into buttercream
Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the room temperature cubed butter, one cube at a time, allowing it to incorporate into the meringue before adding another. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat until the buttercream comes together.
Dip a toothpick into a bottle of green gel food color, you only need a little bit to create a pastel green. Add more or less to your liking. Continue beating the frosting until the food color has incorporated and the frosting becomes light and fluffy.
More baker’s tips
- Use clean equipment – Make sure all your bowls and whisks and equipment are dry and free of grease.
- 160 degrees Fahrenheit is the safe temperature for eggs to be consumed. Since the frosting won’t be “baked” further, it is important to follow this step. I also find that warm egg whites with dissolved sugar whipped up into a meringue quicker and more stable.
- If you don’t have a thermometer, you want to heat the egg white mixture until all the sugar has dissolved at the minimum. Dip your clean fingers into the mixture and then rub them together to see if you can still feel the sugar granules.
Storage
If not using right away, you can store your peppermint frosting in the fridge for up to 1 week and in the freezer for 3-6 months. When ready to use, you can let the frosting come to room temperature and rewhip until fluffy.
FAQs
No, mint extract is made with a mixture of spearmint oil and peppermint oil whereas peppermint extract is made with just peppermint oil. Peppermint has a higher amount of menthol than spearmint and therefore has a stronger flavor with its signature cooling aroma.
Mint extract is not an exact substitute of peppermint extract so I don’t recommend it. But with that said, if you only have mint extract and prefer its milder flavor, you can use it in this mint buttercream frosting recipe. You may want to increase the amount for a stronger kick. Adjust based on your preference.
More frosting
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Peanut Butter Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
Hungry for more?
Peppermint Frosting
Equipment
- Thermometer
Ingredients
- 4 oz egg white, 115 g
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, 135 g
- ¾ teaspoon vinegar
- 10 oz unsalted butter, 283 g, room temperature, cubed
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- A pinch kosher salt
- Green gel food color
Instructions
- Add 4 ounce of egg whites and ¾ cup of granulated sugar to a heatproof glass bowl and place it over a pot of boiling water without allowing the bottom of the bowl to touch the water, reduce heat to keep the water simmering and not boiling over. Whisk the mixture constantly until all the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Carefully remove the bowl from the pot and wipe the bottom and side dry. Transfer the egg white mixture into your stand mixer bowl and beat with the balloon attachment on medium speed. Stream in ¾ teaspoon of vinegar, and continue beating until stiff peak forms and the meringue is shiny and smooth.
- Reduce speed to medium low and slowly add the 10 ounce of room temperature cubed butter, one cube at a time and allow it to incorporate into the meringue. When all the butter is added it will look chunky, like cottage cheese.
- Add ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract, along with a pinch of kosher salt, increase mixer to high speed and beat for 4-5 mins or up to 30 minutes until the buttercream comes together.
- Dip a toothpick into a bottle of green gel food coloring and wipe it on the frosting, beat the frosting until fluffy and the color has incorporated.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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