Peppermint Bark Recipe (2024)

Peppermint Bark is a classic Christmas treat! This favorite homemade peppermint bark recipe is made with layers of peppermint-filled milk chocolate and white chocolate and topped with crushed candy canes. Easy to make in minutes with only 5 ingredients for holiday snacking and gift-giving!

Peppermint bark makes a much-loved addition to any Christmas cookie tray or candy platter. It also makes a thoughtful gift! Put some of it on a tray or in a gift bag along with some other favorite holiday candies like Divinity, Chocolate Truffles, and Peanut Butter Balls.

Peppermint Bark Recipe (1)

Peppermint bark is a holiday favorite around my house that my whole family loves. We used to buy a tin of it on our trip to visit Santa when my son was just a little boy. That was a fun tradition, but my homemade peppermint bark recipe is so much more delicious and fun to make, so we love making it at home!

Table of Contents

  • Why You’ll Love This Peppermint Bark
  • How to Make Peppermint Bark Recipe
  • Peppermint Bark Ingredients
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Tips for the Best Peppermint Bark
  • Storage Tips
  • Peppermint Bark Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Peppermint Bark

Homemade – Made from scratch, so it’s fresh and delicious!

Quick and easy – Ready to enjoy in about 15 minutes since my recipe uses the freezer. And it’s simple to melt and spread the chocolates and add crushed candy canes!

Just a few ingredients – Only 5 ingredients are needed for this recipe.

Fun and festive – Colorful, delicious, and festive for the holidays for all ages!

Peppermint Bark Recipe (2)

How to Make Peppermint Bark Recipe

With minimal ingredients, for just a few dollars, and in less than 15 minutes, you can make peppermint bark. I love making several batches of it each year to enjoy with my family and friends and to share with others.

Peppermint Bark Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

Peppermint Bark Recipe (3)

For this homemade recipe, you’ll need chocolate chips/wafers, coconut oil, white chocolate candy melts/melting wafers, peppermint extract, and crushed candy canes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Prep. Line a 9×13 baking dish with waxed paper, making sure to leave enough of the waxed paper to overhang the edges of the dish. This helps easily lift the finished bark from the dish when ready.
  2. Make the chocolate layer. Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave-safe dish, heat for about a minute, and stir until smooth. Next, I stir my peppermint extract into my melted chocolate, pour it into the prepared baking dish, and place the dish into the freezer to freeze the chocolate layer of the peppermint bark.
  3. Make the white chocolate layer. Melt white chocolate candy melts and then spread the melted white chocolate candy melts over the frozen chocolate layer. Sprinkle crushed candy canes or peppermint candies over the top of the melted white chocolate candy melts and return the baking dish to the freezer for the peppermint bark to freeze.
  4. Break apart your peppermint bark. Once frozen, remove the baking dish from the freezer and lift the peppermint bark from the baking dish using the extended edges of the waxed paper. Break the bark into pieces and store it in a dish, tin, or cellophane bag for serving or gifting.

Tips for the Best Peppermint Bark

  • Use good-quality chocolate
  • The bark is quick, easy, and ready to enjoy in a snap since my recipe uses the freezer for part of the process.
  • Extend the edges of the waxed paper for easy lifting and removal from the pan.

Storage Tips

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 weeks.

Peppermint Bark Recipe (4)

More Favorite Christmas and Holiday Recipes

If you love homemade holiday treats, you may also enjoy these!

  • Fudge
  • Cinnamon Rolls
  • Toffee
  • Make Ahead Christmas Cookies
  • Red Velvet Cake
  • Gingerbread Cookies
  • Sugar Cookies and Chewy Sugar Cookies

Here’s how I make my peppermint bark recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!

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Peppermint Bark Recipe (9)

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Peppermint Bark Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Peppermint Bark is a classic Christmas treat! This delicious homemade peppermint bark recipe is made with layers of peppermint-filled milk chocolate and white chocolate and topped with crushed candy canes. Easy to make in minutes with only 5 ingredients. A favorite for holiday snacking and gift-giving!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, milk, semi-sweet, or dark
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups white chocolate candy melts/melting wafers
  • 4 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy

Instructions

  • Place waxed paper in a 13×9 baking dish. Leave enough waxed paper along edges to lift peppermint bark from baking dish later.

  • Add chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon coconut oil to a medium glass bowl. Heat in microwave for about 1 minute. If not melted, heat in 30 second increments until it is melted. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons peppermint extract to melted milk chocolate and stir until well-combined. Pour chocolate into the prepared baking dish and place in the freezer until hardened, approximately 3 minutes.

  • Repeat the same process with the white chocolate candy melts. Remove baking dish from freezer and spread white chocolate over frozen chocolate. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies over white chocolate and return to the freezer until firm, approximately 3 minutes.

  • Remove from freezer and pull waxed paper from baking dish. Break peppermint bark into pieces. Place on a dish, in a tin, or in cellophane bags for gift giving.

Notes

Storage Tips

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 28mg | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Peppermint Bark Recipe (10)

From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2010.

Categorized as:30 Minutes or Less Recipes, All Recipes, Candy, Christmas Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Food Gift Recipes, Holiday and Occasion Recipes, Make-ahead Recipes, Simple Recipes

Welcome to Add A Pinch

About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

Read more about Robyn

Peppermint Bark Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you get peppermint bark to stick together? ›

The trick for chocolate peppermint bark layers that stick together is to add the white chocolate layer before the semisweet layer is completely set.

What is peppermint bark made from? ›

What is peppermint bark made of? It's just three simple ingredients: white chocolate, peppermint oil, and peppermint candies! If you have extra candy canes lying around, crush 'em up and use those instead.

How long does store bought peppermint bark last? ›

A: Peppermint bark has a shelf life of 1 year.

How do you keep peppermint bark from splitting? ›

Be sure to let the bark chill until it's completely set. If you try to break it before the layers are totally firm and bonded together, it can come apart. The final tip is to let your finished bark come back to room temperature before you break it up.

What can I use instead of parchment paper for peppermint bark? ›

Silicone Pad

Silicone baking pads, often referred to by the brand name Silpat, are a great replacement for parchment paper. Just drop one onto your baking sheet, and whatever you cook or bake on it will come right off. There's no need to grease your pan, and there's very little to clean up afterward.

What happens if my dog eats peppermint bark? ›

Can dogs eat peppermint candy? If your dog eats peppermint candy such a candy canes, peppermint bark, or peppermints, it might just cause an upset stomach. But it could also be life-threatening.

Why is peppermint bark so good? ›

The cooling, refreshing taste pairs perfectly in nearly every wintertime treat: cookies, co*cktails, and even cheesecake. Most of us can agree, however, that peppermint bark is the best minty dessert of all time. What's not to like? It's chocolatey, crisp, crunchy, and super festive.

Who made the original peppermint bark? ›

The origins of peppermint bark are unclear. Williams Sonoma introduced its version and popularized it in 1998, though the confection existed as early as 1966 in the United States.

Where should you store peppermint bark? ›

Peppermint bark will keep for weeks if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. This makes it a great gift idea around the holidays—make a big batch at the beginning of December and grab what you need for easy gifts for teachers, neighbors, and friends.

Where do you store peppermint bark? ›

Remove the Peppermint Bark from the pan by lifting the edges of the aluminum foil. Peel back the foil and break, or cut, the bark into small irregular pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Does peppermint bark need to be in the fridge? ›

Homemade peppermint bark will last for several weeks. You can store it in an airtight container on the counter or in the fridge. If you store it in the fridge, I recommend letting it sit out for awhile before serving it (or else the chocolate gets a little bit hard!).

Why is my peppermint bark soft? ›

If you leave your bark out at room temperature the peppermint bark will tend to be soft. Place back in the refrigerator to harden it back up.

How much is peppermint bark at Costco? ›

Costco's Kirkland Signature Peppermint Bark

The popular holiday bark includes white and dark chocolate coated in crushed peppermint candy for a sweet and minty taste, and the 21-ounce container costs $9.99.

Which liquid will dissolve a candy cane the fastest? ›

The heat in hot water makes the molecules move faster, which is why the hot water dissolves the candy cane faster than the cold water.

What is the best glue for candy canes? ›

A hot glue gun works best, but tacky glue can also be used. I choose to use the hot glue gun, with silver sparkle glue sticks.

Why is my chocolate bark separating? ›

Other tips for preventing peppermint bark from separating

If you use a type of white chocolate made with palm kernel or coconut oil, the dark and white chocolate layers will separate from each other because the oil won't allow it to bond to the dark chocolate layer.

How do you crush peppermints easily? ›

Look to this quick, mess-free tip for crushing peppermint candies. Coarsely crush the peppermint candies in a resealable plastic bag using the smooth side of a meat mallet. Since the candies are so hard, the heftiness of the mallet is the best thing for breaking them up quickly.

How do you keep crushed candy canes from sticking? ›

Humidity is the enemy of hard candy. It will turn it into hard, sticky, goo. I'd try sealing a few pieces in an air-tight container along with some dry rice (or better, silica gel packets) and see if that works better. Instead of powdered sugar, try dusting the candies with a tiny bit of cornstarch.

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