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!

Peppermint Bark Recipe

Robyn Stone

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 (6)

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

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Peppermint Bark Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to keep peppermint bark layers from separating? ›

Tips for Making the Best Peppermint Bark

You can also pick up the baking pan and tip it to help the chocolate slide around. Why are my layers separating? You may have chilled the layers for too long. Only refrigerate the bottom and middle layer for 10–15 minutes before spreading the next layer on top.

What's the difference between peppermint and peppermint bark? ›

Peppermint bark is a chocolate confection. Generally it consists of peppermint candy pieces, such as candy canes, in white chocolate on top of dark chocolate, but peppermint bark can refer to any chocolate with peppermint candy pieces in it. It is especially popular around the Christmas season.

How long is peppermint bark good for? ›

Frequently Asked Questions. How long is peppermint bark good for? Peppermint bark will last at room temperature for 2 weeks or in the refrigerator for 3 weeks.

Why is Ghirardelli peppermint bark so good? ›

The layer of rich dark chocolate and the creamy mint layer with bits of peppermint crunch are a perfect blend of flavors and textures. They're best when kept in the refrigerator as it really helps keeps the mint and chocolate flavors crisp so they stand out more.

Is Williams Sonoma peppermint bark worth it? ›

It's chocolatey, crisp, crunchy, and super festive. Peppermint bark also makes for a great gift, especially if you splurge on a tin of Williams Sonoma's beloved bark. For 25 years, the kitchen supply store has sold its signature recipe in decorative tins around the holidays.

What is the best way to store peppermint bark? ›

Like most chocolates, peppermint bark is best stored in a tightly sealed container in a dark cool place. I prefer to keep it out of the freezer and store at room temperature. Peppermint bark should last about 2 weeks making it perfect for gifting!

Who makes Costco peppermint bark? ›

Costco's Kirkland Signature Peppermint Bark

TikTok's Costco Aisles recently boasted about the candy being seen back at Costco, noting its signature “Belgian chocolate (dark and white chocolate) and all-natural peppermint.”

Is peppermint bark safe for dogs? ›

Peppermint bark, chocolate-covered mints, or other chocolate and peppermint combinations can potentially cause chocolate toxicity in dogs. Ingesting a small amount of chocolate may only cause GI upset.

Is peppermint bark good to eat? ›

The peppermint shards are plentiful but not stabby or unpleasant to eat. We really liked Choceur's dark chocolate peppermint bark as well, but the white chocolate version stood out as a must-buy product. It's creamy and melts in your mouth. It doesn't just taste like sugar; it tastes like good white chocolate.

Is peppermint safe for dogs? ›

Peppermint is not toxic to dogs, but in some cases, it may give your dog an upset stomach. In particular, avoid any peppermint candy or products that contain xylitol or pennyroyal oil. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that highly toxic to dogs and can lead to hypoglycemia, liver failure, and even death.

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.

Why is it called peppermint bark? ›

The name "bark" or "candy bark" doesn't exactly explain itself, does it? Barks like this peppermint bark are called that because of the way the chocolate candy breaks into craggy pieces that resemble the layers and borders of tree bark. Also, many barks are made with dark chocolates, so the color is similar, too.

Does Williams Sonoma peppermint bark expire? ›

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

What are the ingredients in Palmer peppermint bark? ›

INGREDIENTS: SUGAR, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL (PALM KERNEL, COCONUT, AND/OR PALM), SKIM MILK, WHEY, CORN SYRUP, PEPPERMINT OIL, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, SOY LECITHIN (EMULSIFIER), SALT, VANILLIN (ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR), U.S. CERTIFIED COLOR (FD&C RED #40).

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