Aunt Pauline Winkler (APW) had these down to a science and she honored all of her relatives special functions like weddings with them. Because she was the one who made them most her name gets affixed; however, 3 other names might get substituted later. APW recently died and 3 of us are reinventing the wheel today while we try to make this recipe work. Here it is for those of you who are brave at heart. I recommend you try honey candy first, and then progress to this devil candy later. If you do attempt this delicious to eat but hard to make treat you may want to move to Utah. The warning I heard from both APW and from my Grandmother Beth (who cites her Aunt Winona) is that you can't make Butter Mints when there is a cloud in the sky. Humidity kills them.

BUTTER CREME MINTS
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1 square of butter 3 cups of sugar 1 cup water Mint Flavoring Food Coloring, if desired ~ In a pot having a lid, boil together the water and butter. When boiling, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Put the lid on and cook slowly for 3 minutes. Remove lid and turn heat to high and cook until candy spins a thread, (260 degrees [try between 255 and 260, but DON’T let it get higher than 260]). Pour on buttered marble or platter. Add flavoring and coloring and let cool. When the candy is cool enough to handle, stretch it until it is full of air and loses its gloss. Stretch into rope and cut into desired pieces. Let stand at room temperature until creamed. Store in airtight container.
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HINTS:
*Wipe the sides of the pan down with a pastrybrush dipped in water. Do this several times during cooking to dissolve any sugar that may have formed on the sides of the pan. (Cloth wrapped around the tines of a fork may be used instead of a brush.)
*DO NOT STIR AFTER THE SUGAR IS DISSOLVED
*For flavoring, use 3 or 4 drops of peppermint oil or 1/4 tsp of most flavorings.
*Use 1/8 tsp of most colorings.
*These freeze very well and will most likely mellow.