Easy Peppermint Bark

This Easy Peppermint Bark recipe is made with just 4 ingredients: dark chocolate, white chocolate, peppermint extract, and candy canes. An easy and delicious no-bake holiday treat that you’ll never have to buy again!

National Peppermint Bark Day. Yes, there’s a ‘food holiday’ for it now! Why? Because it’s that good! A certain store perfected their recipe years ago and while others have tried to copy none have succeeded. But did you know how easy it is to make homemade bark? You’re about to find out!

Growing up as a kid I never used to like the combination of mint and chocolate. However, in these last few years I really have started to enjoy the flavor pairings – whether it’s been in ice cream, cookies, peppermint mocha, or this peppermint bark! Chocolate and mint really do pair quite well.

Ingredients: Easy Peppermint Bark

1. Dark Chocolate– I used dark chocolate chips. You can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate. I like dark chocolate on its own, but do believe that when it pairs with the white chocolate here it’s the perfect amount of sweet. Milk chocolate would be too sweet for me.
2. White Chocolate– I used white chocolate chips to make a classic peppermint bark. If you make other variations of bark, I typically just use the dark chocolate and then throw on different toppings. White chocolate isn’t my favorite on its own, but paired here with the dark, it’s the perfect amount of sweet.
3. Peppermint Extract – If you’re asking if you need to add this in, the answer is YES! Add too much and it will taste a little like medicine, but add in just a little and it helps to give that extra minty flavor you’re looking for. & if you’re thinking what do I do with the rest? You can make a homemade peppermint mocha. Believe me, you’ll find a way to use it!
4. Candy Canes– These are the decoration technically you add on top with a little more of the mint flavor too. In any other homemade bark, this is where different toppings are added as the chocolate sets.

How To Make Easy Peppermint Bark

The only ‘hard’ part of this recipe is the time it takes. As each chocolate sets you’ll need to wait for the chocolate to harden in the fridge. Use the time to prep other items in the kitchen and those minutes will fly by. Promise!

1. Melting Your Chocolate: You can do this two ways – in the microwave or on the stovetop. I prefer the stovetop method since it gives you better control over the heat. I don’t have a double boiler, so I use a pot and glass bowl. Start by bringing your medium pot filled a little less than halfway with water to a simmer. Then place a heatproof bowl that’s just big enough to sit on top of the pot and add your chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar to the bowl. Keep the pot over low heat and stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula until silky smooth. Make sure that no water gets into the bowl. You’ll do this first with the dark chocolate and then again separately with the white chocolate.
2. Spread the Dark Chocolate: Once your chocolate has melted, spread the chocolate with an offset spatula on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread into an even layer. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
3. Melt the White Chocolate. Melt your white chocolate the same way you did the dark chocolate. White chocolate can be a bit finicky, so I know I said the recipe was 4 ingredients, but I added a teaspoon of canola oil here to make sure the white chocolate melted smoothly. You can use coconut oil as well. And if you see the white chocolate melting easily, don’t add any.
4. Crush Your Candy Canes. While the chocolate is melting, place your candy canes in a Ziploc bag. Pound/Crush with the back of a measuring cup – that’s what I use and find to work the easiest.
5. Spread the White Chocolate. Remove the dark chocolate from the refrigerator and pour the white chocolate over the dark chocolate. Use the offset spatula to spread the chocolate over the dark chocolate. Be careful to not spread too thin because the chocolate can start to melt the dark chocolate and then you’ll have a mixed chocolate bark look.
6. Top with candy canes. Now is the time to add the crushed candy canes. Press lightly and return to the refrigerator to set for the last time!

OTHER HOLIDAY DESSERT RECIPES!

• Maple and Cinnamon Poached Pears
• Apple Crumble For Two
• Chocolate Mendiants
• Homemade Peppermint Mocha

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