Last Updated on June 5, 2026 by Deliciously Organic Editor
Do you struggle with sugar cravings? Do you get “hangry” if you don’t eat? Do you struggle with hormone imbalance? Adrenal fatigue? Thyroid disease?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, taking steps to balance your blood sugar levels can help you a lot! I know it sounds like a gimmick, but these buttermints can truly help reduce your cravings very quickly! The original recipe, minus the peppermint, was created by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride who’s a brilliant MD and an expert on gut health.
The combination of nutrient-dense grass-fed butter and raw honey satiates the body, helps balance blood sugar levels and reduce sugar cravings.
I don’t recommend making these with stevia or another “sugar-free” sweetener, because the very small amount of honey satisfies your current sugar cravings. The amount of fat in these little mints slows the absorption of the sugar from the honey, so you don’t need to worry about blood sugar spikes.
How often do you eat them?
After you make the mints, store them in the freezer. Then eat 1-2 mints every 30-60 minutes during waking hours for two weeks, as needed to normalize blood sugar levels. After about 2 weeks, you’ll find that you don’t need the mints anymore and your sugar cravings will have decreased.
What about a Dairy-Free Option?
Unless you have a documented dairy allergy, eating some butter is healthy and can help reduce cravings and inflammation and also balance hormones. I know many people are saying that all dairy automatically causes inflammation, but this simply isn’t true. Grass-fed butter is a very heathy food and a great addition to our diets when we’re struggling with health issues.
If you do have an allergy to dairy, you can substitute with either 2 cups of dairy-free ghee, or 1 cup of coconut butter and 1 cup of Nutivia Palm/Coconut Shortening in place of the butter. If you use the coconut butter option, then make sure you’re getting some good animal fats elsewhere in your diet every day.
I used this recipe for many of my Nutritional Therapy clients – they’ve all told me the mints work like a charm to reduce sugar cravings! Give them a try and let me know how it goes.
How can I learn more about the steps I can take for thyroid disease?
I have four fantastic options for you!
- To download my 50 of my top tips to support the thyroid naturally, tap here. I’ll also send you an educational email every few days to help you learn how to support your body naturally.
- If you’d like to learn from first steps you can take to help support your thyroid, check out my class, “5 Keys to Thyroid Hormone Balance”. It’s just 45 minutes and I promise you’ll learn something new!
- If you’re looking for a step-by-step plan for Hashimoto’s that truly works (no more piecing together info!), check out my 90-Day Thyroid Reset Program.
- Book a consult with me for one-on-one help. Here’s info about what working with me looks like.
Buttermints
Please make sure you use a pure peppermint essential oil so you’re not accidentally adding synthetic chemicals or other vegetable oils into this recipe. doTERRA publishes 3rd-party purity reports for this exact reason.
If you work and need to take these with you, then instead of piping them into small portions, put the mixture in a mason jar and have a small spoonful when needed (see directions above in post).
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: Makes about 80 quarter-size mints
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 1 pound unsalted, grass-fed butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 6 drops peppermint essential oil
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until completely combined and smooth. Add an additional drop or two of peppermint oil if desired.
- Using a piping bag, pipe small portions, about the size of a nickel, onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can also drop small portions of the butter mixture onto the pan using a spoon. Freeze.
- Note: If you’re not comfortable using peppermint essential oil, you can omit it.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
Hi there,
These look like a great idea! Just curious…do you have to do the every 60 minutes during waking hours thing, or could you jist have them when you feel that sugar craving coming on?
If you’re trying to balance blood sugar levels, then I recommend every 60 minutes, during waking hours for about 2 weeks. If you only have an occasional sugar craving and don’t feel you have adrenal or blood sugar issues, then eating them only when you have a craving would be fine.
In the original recipe from Dr McBride, it shows along with the butter, honey and mint, to add a cup of home brewed sour cream.why does your recipe not include this ingredient?
In the original recipe from Dr McBride, it shows along with the butter, honey and mint, to add a cup of home brewed sour cream.why does your recipe not include this ingredient?
In our practice, we didn’t find that ingredient necessary. They work great with just the 3 ingredients listed above.
I’m having hard time finding Grass Fed “butter” in my area. I have found Grass Fed Ghee, in glass jars. Can I use ghee in this recipe instead ? If so would I use 16 ounces of it?
An organic butter will do!
Is it possible to flavor them with lemon oil or orange if I don’t like peppermint flavoring? Any other flavor suggestions would be appreciated. Also what could I substitute the honey with? Not a fan of the taste of honey.
Yes, you can use another essential oil. I don’t have a substitute for the honey.
Can you still use these if you have candida?? No sugars of any kind are usually allowed.
I recommend talking to your practitioner about what’s best for you while you’re on a candida protocol.
Is it ok to use this amount of mints/butter if you have no Gall bladder? Should you take digestive enzymes with it?
I have the same question! 🙂
Instead of honey could I use real organic maple syrup? Thanks!!
There’s grass fed butter at Costco and Trader Joe’s
Kerry Gold butter is Grass fed. In my area it is carried by BJ’s, Aldi’s, Stop&Shop, Price Chopper.
FYI. Check labels of grass fed butter. If it does not say 100% grass fed, they could use anything. Look at the kerrygold lawsuit. They argued that they did not say 100% grass fed, whilst using literal garbage in their butter. Beware
Hello
Sorry for my english i am french
While eating those buttermint
How to do with insulin résistance and Hypothyroidism for Hypothyrodism its needed 100 gr of carbs a day
How Can i do to deal with insulin résistance while eating buttermint during day
While eating buttermint all day
What Can i eat each meal Can i eat strachy vegetable ssoaked grains ?
Thanks
Hi Carrie!
Would these work for low blood sugar issues as well? Would you recommend eating them so frequently over the 2 week period for this, too (or any modifications)?
These tips can help with high or low blood sugar.
Yum! What a great idea! My girls would love these! Would they still be effective if you omitted the peppermint?
Yes, they will still be effective, but will taste much better with the peppermint.
Would they still work to curb cravings if you added a little vanilla and sea salt instead of peppermint?
I don’t see any reason why that wouldn’t work!
I made a jar of the butter-honey a couple weeks ago, every time I gave a spoonful to my hubby he exclaimed, “this can’t be right!” Haha. I love the idea of adding the peppermint, I’m going to make these today. And, YES, these little buttery gems really help to curb the sugar cravings. ;o)
I’m so glad you’ve found them helpful! 🙂
THANKS for this recipe. Im going to make it and was thinking to put coco in it as well. I LOVE how coco & mint go together. If it wouldnt take away from the effectivness woh much would you recomend to add?
I think a little bit of cocoa powder would be just fine to add!
Just started keto,love the sound of these,i think i would sub monksfruit for the honey what do you think?
I’m definitely going to try these! Do you have any other recommendations for stabilizing blood sugar? I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia four years ago and typically eat six times per day.
These tips will also help you! https://deliciouslyorganic.net/20-steps-heal-adrenal-fatigue/
I just learned that it’s best to eat 3 meals a day and no snacks in between to help correct blood sugar problems. Everytime we eat it leads to a spike in insulin and then that ends in lowered blood sugar. Reducing the amount of times you eat in a day reduces the number of insulin spikes and this would help normalize your blood sugar. Also eating less sugar and foods that quickly convert to sugar.
After your blood sugar imbalance is corrected, it’s a good idea to eat 3 meals a day. But, if one currently has blood sugar imbalance, then it’s best to eat every few hours during the day for at least 4-6 weeks until levels even out, and then slowly pull back to 3 meals a day. These butter mints are incredibly helpful to reduce sugar cravings as they provide healthy fats to stabilize insulin levels.
Would this effect your cholesterol levels ? I’m due for blood work in about 1 month and wondered if it would effect results??
The info in this article will help answer your question:https://deliciouslyorganic.net/best-oils-and-fats-for-cooking-baking/
Can you use another essential oil instead of peppermint? Trying to conceive and peppermint isn’t good for pregnancy from what I’ve read.
Can you substitute organic maple syrup for the honey?
I can’t eat honey, strange I know but I’m actually really sensitive to honey… Are there any other natural sweeteners that I could use in place of the honey? Maple syrup or coconut sugar?
I used pure sorghum, no mint. And Kerry Gold Irish butter, salted. I love the flavor! We’ll see in couple weeks if I feel better!
Is there a non dairy alternative to butter what if you choose not to have any animal products for ethical and environmental reasons? 😉
You could try the dairy-free recommendations I give in the post if you’d like! 🙂
Would peppermint extract instead of essential oil work?
Yes, but those usually contain additives or preservatives, so I’d make sure to read the ingredient list.
Just checking if organic butter would be ok? Grass fed butter is hard to find where I am.
Yes, organic butter would be a good choice.
Can you define “waking hours” for me?
When you are awake each day.
I followed this for the two weeks and it worked amazing. I finished it a few days ago and am starting to crave sugar again. Is it possible to do this longer than two weeks if the sugar cravings come back?
I’m glad you saw great results! Yes, it’s ok to continue if you need. If you’re starting to have cravings again, I’d also remove all other sugars (even fruit), and grains from your diet for a couple of weeks and see how that goes for you.
I have really been struggling with adrenal fatigue and low blood sugar levels. It comes and goes but sometime I can’t shake it! I hate waking up in the night with low blood sugar. I am working with an herbalist to treat my adrenal fatigue. Will eating these mints for two weeks help level out my low blood sugar moments?
It should help, and I’d also read this post: https://deliciouslyorganic.net/20-steps-heal-adrenal-fatigue/
I also have a free online class that I teach alongside a fellow NTP that’s all about balancing hormones using food, essential oils, detox, and simple lifestyle changes that I think you’ll find very helpful: https://app.webinarjam.net/register/21771/fb98662293
Hi ?
First thanks for so many good recipes and for share so good information with us.
I have a question, I made the peppermint mints (they’re delicious btw) but I noticed that every time I eat them I feel sick. Even if I eat just one. It’s that normal? Should I try them in an empty stomach? I don’t have any adrenal or blood sugar issues, only want it for occasional sugar cravings.
Thank you!
I just cannot tolerate peppermint, could I substitute spearmint or wintergreen please?
Yes, doTERRA makes a great Spearmint oil that would be good to use in this recipe.
Hi,
I’ve been meaning to make some of these, but I thought essential oils were not supposed to be ingested. Is it safe to do so? Also, I think I will omit the honey and just replace it with a little cocoa powder as I’m so done with sugar that I find 70 % chocolate with a sip of raw milk way too sweet now!
As long as the peppermint oil is from a company that produces pure essential oil, then it’s ok to ingest. Keep in mind labeling can be very tricky to navigate, so it’s always best to purchase oils from a company that publishes their test results so you can make sure there aren’t any synthetics in them. And, while I’m not a huge fan of the FDA, they do have a list of the essential oils they consider GRAS for internal use. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=182.20
I personally use doTERRA essential oils and love that they have the site: http://www.sourcetoyou.com where you can look up the lot number of each bottle of oil and see the 3rd-party testing results that have been reviewed by an aromatherapist.
Hi, I have hypothyroidism, can I eat grapefruit? I take armour thyroid.
If I make the mints and place in jar does it still need to be in the freezer?
How do I carry them when I travel?
I would talk to your doctor about any contraindications with your medications. You can store the mints in the freezer in a jar. They are a bit hard to travel with, so I would plan to use these for a couple of weeks when you aren’t traveling.
You might be able to use lemon, lime or wild orange essential oils in place of peppermint. Have a citrus drop instead.
Hello! What are your thoughts on the calories these will add to your diet if doing it for 2 weeks? Eating some every waking hour adds up to a lot of additional calories… Upwards of 500 a day or am I just calculating it wrong? I am anxious to try this but don’t want to be eating excessive calories. Thanks for the recipe, tips, and awesome blog!
I understand your concern. If you eat more saturated fat, such as the butter in these butter mints, then your body will be more satiated and actually want less food, so I wouldn’t be too concerned about over eating when using these mints. Also, it’s important to remember that when blood sugar levels are high, this tells the body to store fat. So, as you use these mints (alongside a healthy, nutrient-dense diet) to reduce sugar cravings and even out your blood sugar levels, you might actually find that you will loose a bit of weight, or at a minimum, you should maintain your same weight.
Hi. Could a person use coconut oil instead of the butter? I have no problems with using the butter, I just wondered if the coconut oil would have more advantages?
Thanks.
You can use the dairy-free recommendations I listed in the post above, but a straight substitution with coconut oil wouldn’t work well because of the consistency of the oil.
Hi thanks for a wonderful job in keeping us informed. I believe I am hypothyroidism but bld work comes back normal. I am 54 and I have gained over 30lbs in about 2yrs. I am just starting intermittent fasting 20:4 and eating keto when I break.
I would love to try the buttermints as they would be keto friendly but I worry about the honey kicking me out of ketosis. I will definitely be trying the castor oil packs.
I just need to do better and take of the weights. Pls what are your thoughts.
Thanks
Titi
I know this isn’t a popular opinion, but we’ve found with our clients that struggle with thyroid issues, a ketogenic diet and/or intermittent fasting isn’t a great idea. The adrenals and liver need around 100g of carbohydrates spread throughout the day to prevent blood sugar imbalance, cortisol surges, and a slowing down of the thyroid. Of course, the amount of carbs could be a little more or a little less depending on the health history of each person. The carbs are also necessary so the liver can convert T4 to T3. So, the butter mints would be fabulous to reduce sugar cravings, but I would stick with a nutrient-dense, grain-free diet that contains more carbohydrates then recommended for a ketogenic diet. Here’s a video that Kim Schuette, CN, and I did on intermittent fasting and thyroid disease: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1707868096184558/?fref=gc&dti=197264037393189&hc_location=ufi And, I highly recommend taking this free class: https://app.webinarjam.net/register/21771/fb98662293
It appears that neither of the above links work any longer. Is there another way to access either the webinar or the FB lecture? Thank you!
Which links are you referring to? I looked at the links in the post, but they seem to all be working. Thanks!
I work as a merchandiser so I don’t have an office or access to refrigeration. If I put the mixture in a jar, does it need to be refrigerated?
Butter can be kept at room temp, so you should be fine.
So it’s okay to leave in the jar at room temp for the entire 2 weeks?
Can you use Simply Organic Peppermint Flavor instead of Peppermint Essential Oil?
I haven’t tested it, but in general, peppermint extract (made of peppermint essential oil and alcohol) doesn’t have as strong of a flavor, so you’d have to use quite a bit more and that could throw off the texture of the mints.
Would this be okay to do while on GAPS intro AND have candida issues? I know all sugar is to be removed, including honey for the yeast, but my husband is craving these and feels like his blood sugar levels are too low. We’re on stage 1 day 4 and getting ready to start stage 2 tomorrow. Thanks!
Honey isn’t recommended for the beginning stages of GAPS, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
Hello! I am wondering if I can use Ghee instead of butter?
Thank you for sharing this wonderful info!
Liz
I haven’t tried it, but I think that would work just fine!
Can you use ginger or lemon essential oil? I hate to rush out and get peppermint if I have these 2 oils already.
Hi! I would like to try this… What do you mean with Waking hours? from I am awake until I go to sleep?
Thank you!
Yes, from when you’re awake until when you go to sleep.
Can pure maple syrup be used instead of honey?
Also, can these buttermints be used while following AIP? Thanks!
Can I buy these butter mints somewhere?
I don’t know of a company that makes and sells these. Maybe you could find them at a local health food store or a farmer’s market.
I’ve tried these butter mints a few different times and I seem to react . Neurologic muscle twitches and slightly swollen lymph nodes in my neck . This usually happens when I eat dairy . I know butter is low in casein ? I am a chronic Lyme patient also with Hashimotos and possibly leaky gut. Wondering if I should try again in a few weeks ?
I’d talk to your practitioner and it might be worth trying the dairy-free version that I mention in the post.
Hi Carrie! Just started working on balancing my blood sugar, should I avoid fruit and natural sweeteners(monk fruit, honey, maple syrup) for those two weeks as well? Thank you!
if the recipe yields 80, is that 5 mints per day for 14 days? THANK YOU!!
Isaiah 7:15
King James Version
15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
can grass fed butter be pasteurized?
Yes, the milk can be pasteurized before making the butter.
Just wondering if these would be ok to use as snacks for kids?
And thank you for the work you do on this page, I love it!
A mint along with some other food like fruit, beef jerky, raw cheese, etc. would be a good combo, but I don’t think this would be a good snack for a child just by itself. 🙂
I don’t like honey. I saw a few comments you made about using other ingredients.
Is 1pound of butter to much for a person? I know it is over 2 weeks.
I was hoping to make this over the weekend, but I was not feeling good all weekend.
What about someone that eats when they are bored or stressed do?
I am trying to make these. I decided not to use the peppermint E.O., as I don’t believe that consuming them is ok…so I wanted to try the vanilla & salt that someone mentioned in the comments. My problems is, maybe because of the liquid vanilla extract, it won’t combine completely. The honey and vanilla want to eek out…..Any ideas?
I may have to try putting some cocoa in to help stabilize it and hopefully that may work. I also don’t have a way to use a piping bag (I don’t use plastics), so thought I’d use tiny silicon molds…..
If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. I really want to try this to see if it actually does stabilize my blood sugar as I’m diabetic.
I’ve never made these with substitutions, so I’m not sure what would work best.
Can I eat this before sleeping to prevent waking up at 3-4am? To prevent that adrenaline wake up prob due to drop in blood sugar? Thank you!
Steps should be taken during the day, that include these buttermints, to balance blood sugar for better sleep. This article might help: https://deliciouslyorganic.net/10-holistic-tips-for-a-good-nights-sleep/