Festive Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe From Only 3 Ingredients! (2024)


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Festive Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe From Only 3 Ingredients! (1)

I love making gifts for people – especially for the holidays when buying tons of gifts can be such a budget buster.

My top gift of choice: cookie tins! I make a variety of cookies for the tins and love to include this delicious and easy peppermint bark recipe!

It’s a fabulous friend/neighbor/teacher/mailman/other person giftidea!

Want the Recipes for Other Cookies in Our Cookie Tins?

Festive Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe From Only 3 Ingredients! (2)

Grab our FREE Christmas Cookies mini recipe book!

Other ideas to include in the tins along with the peppermint bark and cookies would be:

  • Fudge
  • Spice Packets or Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
  • A small ornament (I usually include one in our tins)
  • A small gift card

Our Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe

This delicious and classic recipe tastes oh-so-good and combines two of my favorite flavors: chocolate and peppermint. No wonder I love it so much!

Holiday peppermint bark looks incredibly festive. The colors are such a perfectmatch for the season, that peppermint bark makes a gorgeous gift (even if you just wrap it up all by itself).

Make this with dark chocolate and peppermint candy-infused white chocolate, then top it off with crushed candy cane pieces. You’ll never want to buy store-bought peppermint bark again!

Festive Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe From Only 3 Ingredients! (3)

The Simple Process for Making Easy Peppermint Bark

You’ll make the dark chocolate bottom layer first by heating it in a double broiler. and spreading it into a (wax paper lined) 8×8 pan.

The dark chocolate will begin to firm up a bit while you prepare your white chocolate.

I have found that it works best to add the white chocolate layer before the dark chocolate layer as fully hardened.

If the dark chocolate fully sets before I add the top layer, then the layers tend to break apart from each other when I’m trying to pull apart the bark.

Instead, if the dark chocolate is still setting, then the layers fuse together much better.

Quickly fold the candy pieces into your white chocolate and then stop mixing, as the heat from the chocolate can start to melt your candy canes and you want to keep them intact.

Then, top everything off with crushed candy cane pieces for a finishing touch. You’re done!

Tips to Make the Process Even More Quick& Easy

If you know me, you know that my life is crazy busy (like any mom’s)! Because of that, I am always looking for ways to streamline and simplify recipes.

These tips from my own experience will help make this recipe even easier for you (especially if you have never made peppermint bark).

  • Not surprisingly, the trick to incredible peppermint bark is to use high-quality chocolate. If you prefer, you can use all dark or all white chocolate for this recipe.
  • The overall process is simple: work your way up from the bottom.

Pro Tip: you could also use the microwave, but you do have to cook in short spurts and stir thoroughly to prevent scorching the chocolate.

Holiday Peppermint Bark Pairs Well With Homemade Hot Chocolate For The Ultimate Holiday Comfort Food!

Holiday peppermint bark is one of those seasonal favorites that everyone seems to enjoy.

If you’ve never made it before, you are in for a very pleasant surprise. This super easy recipe assembles quickly with minimal fuss.

Tell us in the comments below: have you had holiday peppermint bark before? Have you made it before? What other flavors of bark would you like to see from us?

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Festive Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe From Only 3 Ingredients! (4)

Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe

Print Recipe

Peppermint bark is one of those seasonal favorites that everyone seems to enjoy. This super easy peppermint bark recipe assembles quickly with minimal fuss and looks gorgeous and festive.

Servings Prep Time
2 pounds 10-15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30-40 minutes 1 hour
Servings Prep Time
2 pounds 10-15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30-40 minutes 1 hour

Festive Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe From Only 3 Ingredients! (5)

Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe

Print Recipe

Peppermint bark is one of those seasonal favorites that everyone seems to enjoy. This super easy peppermint bark recipe assembles quickly with minimal fuss and looks gorgeous and festive.

Servings Prep Time
2 pounds 10-15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30-40 minutes 1 hour
Servings Prep Time
2 pounds 10-15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30-40 minutes 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 16 oz. high-quality dark chocolate chopped into small pieces
  • 16 oz. high-quality white chocolate chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup crushed peppermint candy

Servings: pounds

Instructions

  1. Place peppermint candy in a heavy-duty freezer bag and cover with a towel. Pound bag with a meat mallet or rolling pin until finely crushed. Set aside. (This can be done in a food processor, if preferred).

  2. Line a small, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. If necessary, dampen the bottom of the outer edges of the parchment paper to hold it in place.

  3. In a double broiler, melt the dark chocolate until smooth. Transfer while warm and melted to parchment paper and spread with a plastic spatula until uniformly thick.

  4. Thoroughly clean double broiler before melting the white chocolate. Once smooth, stir in the crushed peppermint pieces until evenly distributed.

  5. Pour the white chocolate mixture on top of the dark chocolate layer. Spread until evenly distributed over the dark chocolate layer. Top with extra peppermint pieces, if desired.

  6. Place baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Once harden, break peppermint bark into pieces before serving or storing.

Recipe Notes

  • The “secret” to outstanding peppermint bark is to use high-quality chocolate.
  • If you prefer, you can use all dark or all white chocolate for this recipe.
  • You can just as easily use the microwave for this recipes as the double broiler. When using the microwave, be sure microwave for no more than 1 minute at a time and stir well each time to prevent scorching the chocolate.

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Festive Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe From Only 3 Ingredients! (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 Christmas bark made of? ›

Christmas Bark is a white chocolate bark recipe loaded with m&ms, sprinkles, and pretzels. It's a delicious and super easy holiday dessert recipe.

How long does peppermint bark last in the fridge? ›

Homemade peppermint bark will last about 2 weeks in an airtight container on the counter. In the fridge, it will last up to 3 weeks, although the candy cane pieces on top can become a bit sticky. You can even freeze it for up to 2 months. Just wrap it in foil first.

How do you keep peppermint bark from splitting? ›

Don't let chocolate come in contact with water or steam, which cause it to seize. (Peppermint extract is made with alcohol so even though it's liquid, it won't seize). Let bark sit at room temperature for few minutes before slicing/breaking to prevent layers from separating.

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

You'll need parchment paper to make the recipe work properly; don't try to replace it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. The bark looks attractive either cut or broken into ragged pieces. I pllace in cookie boxes lined with red cellophane.

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.

How long can you keep Christmas bark? ›

this is a great do-ahead treat!

It just gets better, too – because you can make this marbled chocolate bark in advance and keep it in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature or in the fridge or freezer for easily a month, till you're ready to gift or serve.

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.

Is peppermint bark a good gift? ›

The best peppermint bark is an absolutely essential holiday treat. It doesn't really feel like the holidays until you're in possession of a tin of chocolate covered in peppermint candy someone pulverized with a hammer.

Is William Sonoma peppermint bark worth it? ›

So what's the overall verdict? It depends on your preference! If you really love mint, want your peppermint bark to have some heft, or plan to gift it to loved ones, Williams Sonoma is your best bet. If texture or price are the most important factors for you, Costco wins by a landslide.

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.

Who invented peppermint bark? ›

Williams Sonoma introduced its version and popularized it in 1998, though the confection existed as early as 1966 in the United States. Peppermint bark is a variation on chocolate bark, which is thought to be derived from traditional French mendiants, though the true origins of this connection have been lost.

Why does peppermint bark split? ›

The palm oil can prevent the two layers from sticking together. 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.

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? ›

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.

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