Why is mint chocolate such a popular and widely beloved combination?
Consumers love the richness of chocolate and the refreshing, cool feeling of mint. It’s the perfect flavor combination – and it seems consumers are especially crazy about dark chocolate and mint. The bitter, earthy tones of dark chocolate blend incredibly well with a bright, refreshing mint flavor.
For some, there’s truly nothing better.
Now, as a small batch maker or larger manufacturer, the question is: What mint do you use for your line of mint chocolates or mint cream centers?
From spearmint to peppermint, wintergreen to mint, the mint flavoring options vary in flavor and intensity and have the keen ability to take your chocolate treats to another level.
So, how can you ensure your customers get the sensational minty chocolate experience you know they deserve? Let’s get to know your minty options and discuss the differences between them:
Spearmint vs Peppermint
Peppermint has a strong, spicy flavor and is actually a natural hybrid of spearmint and watermint. This is why it tends to be so much more potent than spearmint alone and works well with dark chocolate recipes.
On the other hand, spearmint has a more subtle minty flavor and is often described as a bit sweeter. It gets its taste from the ingredient carvone, which is much subtler than menthol and doesn’t provide as intense of a cooling sensation when eaten. That’s why it tends to work better in milk chocolate candy concepts.
Spearmint vs Mint
As previously stated, spearmint is the most subtle of all mint options, which make it an ideal choice for milk chocolate candy and cream centers.
Similarly, mint flavoring provides a distinct cooling effect to your chocolates and is great in chocolate cream centers, milk chocolate candies and even ice-creams.
Either option can provide a refreshing depth to your creations when used appropriately.
When adding water-soluble mint flavors to your chocolate cream centers, or oil-soluble mint flavors directly to your chocolate base, it’s best to proceed slowly and taste as you go.
Peppermint vs Mint
Peppermint’s cooling effect has always made it a great option for dark chocolate and fudge creations. Its distinct, pungent flavor adds a mint-spicy undertone to those culinary vessels and allows you to truly impress your customers’ taste buds.
By contrast, mint’s subtle approach and adaptability make it an easier option for some chocolate makers to use, boosting baked goods, milkshakes and even ice-cream cakes.
What About Wintergreen?
Wintergreen is a distinct flavor all its own and can be used in a similar fashion as peppermint due to its powerful overtones. It’s pure cooling nature allows it to interact very well in both colder chocolate (ice creams) and dark chocolate recipes.
As with peppermint, it’s best to start slow and taste as you go to avoid overpowering whatever it is you’re creating.
Minty Trends: Where Do Consumers Stand?
Chocolate has always been popular among consumers, and with the added emphasis on health and wellbeing impacting every industry, including a beneficial ingredient like mint into your chocolate recipe is a great way to appeal to a growing demographic.
Consumers perceive some flavors, like mint, as healthier than others.1
Consumers also love the pallet cleansing effect that mint flavored chocolates can offer after a meal.
Both spearmint and mint tend to lead the pack as far as most popular mint flavors because they tend to be a bit more mild and easier to incorporate without overtaking a recipe.
Why an All-Natural Mint Flavoring Matters in Your Chocolate Creations & Cream Centers
When creating a chocolate product that can appeal to both new and old consumers, providing them with a superior taste experience is essential.
To achieve this, it’s important to incorporate the highest quality ingredients – which includes flavorings – to both meet their flavor expectations and set your products apart in today’s saturated chocolate market.
Using all-natural mint flavorings is a crucial step to creating a chocolate treat that will wow the crowds.
- All-natural mint flavorings avoid unnecessary chemicals and provide you with the most intense flavor experience available.
- They’re true-to-source and never impart any synthetic or imitation derivative into your chocolate product.
- They’re made from the highest quality sources and never contain any added salt or sugar.
This will not only impress anyone sampling your wares, but it will also attract new consumers looking for chocolate creations with clean labels and superior flavor profiles.
Bickford's Premium Mint Flavors
Spearmint
A subtle mint option ideal for milk chocolate candy and cream centers.
Discover our Water-Soluble Spearmint Flavoring and Oil-Soluble Spearmint Extract
Peppermint
A more distinct mint offering that can help set dark chocolate candy above the rest.
Discover our Water-Soluble Peppermint Flavoring and Oil-Soluble Peppermint Extract
Mint
An essential mint flavor that can be used in both dark and milk chocolate concepts.
Discover our Oil-Soluble Mint Extract
Wintergreen
A pungent and distinct mint flavor that blends well with dark chocolate and fudge recipes.
Discover our Oil-Soluble Wintergreen Extract
Need Mint Flavorings in Bulk Sizes and Wholesale Prices? Discover Bickford’s Flavoring Oils Wholesale Program
At Bickford Flavors, we’ve been providing small and large-batch candy makers and manufacturers a solution to naturally improve the taste and flavor of their candy application for over a century.
Our oils are always specially made to align with special diets and lifestyles, such as low-protein, low-carbohydrate, gluten-free, and more.
Additionally, our premium flavors are certified Kosher and available at wholesale prices and benefits.
Our wholesale program delivers:
- Preferred pricing
- No minimum order requirement after one gallon
- Faster than normal turnaround times
Want to get to know us better? We invite you to see what we’re all about:
Learn more about partnering with us on custom chocolate candy flavorings.
Resources
1University of Wisconsin OSHKOSH. Consumers perceive some flavors like mint as healthier than others, UWO research shows. Accessed June 14, 2021. https://uwosh.edu/today/74808/consumers-perceive-some-flavors-like-mint-as-healthier-than-others-uwo-research-shows/.