This classic homemade peppermint bark recipe is two layers of chocolate topped with crushed candy canes. It's an easy, festive holiday treat that's fun to give as a present or serve for dessert.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this recipe. The full recipe card and ingredient list can be found at the bottom of the page.
- Candy canes
- Semisweet (dark) chocolate (chips or bars)
- White Chocolate (chips or bars)
- Peppermint extract (optional)
Instructions
Here's how to make this recipe in 6 simple steps:
Step 1: Line a baking dish
Line an 8” x 8” or 9” x 9” baking dish with foil or parchment paper.
Step 2: Crush the candy canes
Place the candy canes in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Or add them to a food processor and pulse until crushed.
Step 3: Melt the semisweet chocolate
Add the semisweet chocolate to a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each 30 seconds, until melted smooth. Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate for 15 - 20 minutes, or until firmly set.
Step 4: Melt the white chocolate
Add the white chocolate to a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each 30 seconds, until melted smooth. Optionally, stir in the peppermint extract. Pour on top of the semisweet chocolate and spread into an even layer.
Step 5: Add candy canes
Sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top of the white chocolate.
Step 6: Refrigerate
Refrigerate the bark for 45 - 60 minutes, or until firmly set. Remove and chop or break into pieces.
Ingredient Notes
- Candy canes: any variety of candy canes can be used for this recipe as long as you use about ¼ cup of crushed candy canes.
- Semisweet chocolate: using good quality chocolate is essential for this recipe (otherwise the layers may not stick together). I usually use Ghirardelli bars (bittersweet, 60% or 70% cacao).
- White chocolate: using good quality white chocolate is also important (I use Ghiradelli bars). Look for white chocolate that does not contain palm oil, as it can cause the white chocolate to not adhere to the semisweet chocolate layer.
- Peppermint extract: this is usually found in the baking aisle near the vanilla extract. It gives the chocolate some extra peppermint flavor; but if you can't find it you can leave it out of the recipe.
Storage
- Room temperature: store the bark at room temperature in a cool, dark space for up to 10 days. Keep it in an airtight container.
Frequently Asked Questions
The layers of your bark may separate (not adhere) if you aren't using good quality chocolate or don't let the chocolate set for long enough.
Be sure you are using high quality baking chocolate (preferably bars) and white chocolate that does not contain palm oil. And let your chocolate set until it is completely firm.
You can use your hands or a knife to break apart the bark into large pieces.
I find that using a large knife works best (it allows you to be more precise with the size of the bark). Roughly cut or break the bark into triangles.
You can tell if the layers of your bark are set if they are completely firm all the way through.
Some types of chocolate will also have a visible color change (getting darker) once they are set.
To crush your candy canes, use a knife or place them in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
The candy cane pieces can be sharp, so be sure to do either method on a large cutting board.
Top Tip
The most important part of this recipe is making sure that your layers of chocolate are completely set before moving on to the next step.
You'll know that your chocolate is set when it is completely firm all the way through — no part of the chocolate should be soft.
If your chocolate does not set completely it could cause the layers of your bark to not stick together.
More Christmas Recipes
For more Christmas inspired recipes, check out these top posts:
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Peppermint Bark
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This classic homemade peppermint bark recipe is two layers of chocolate (dark chocolate and white chocolate) topped with crushed candy canes. It's an easy, festive holiday treat that's fun to give as a present or serve for dessert.
Ingredients
- 5 - 6 standard candy canes (about ¼ cup crushed )
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate ((good quality chips or bars)* )
- 12 ounces white chocolate ((good quality chips or bars))
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)
Instructions
- Line a baking dish: line an 8” x 8” or 9” x 9” baking dish with foil or parchment paper.
- Crush the candy canes: place the candy canes in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Or add them to a food processor and pulse until crushed.
- Melt the semisweet chocolate: add the semisweet chocolate to a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each 30 seconds, until melted smooth. Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate for 15 - 20 minutes, or until firmly set.
- Melt the white chocolate: add the white chocolate to a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each 30 seconds, until melted smooth. Optionally, stir in the peppermint extract. Pour on top of the semisweet chocolate and spread into an even layer.
- Add candy canes: sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top of the white chocolate.
- Refrigerate: refrigerate the bark for 45 - 60 minutes, or until firmly set. Remove and chop or break into pieces.
Notes
*Using good quality chocolate will help prevent the 2 chocolate layers from separating (I use Ghiradelli baking chips or bars). Avoid using white chocolate with palm oil as it can also cause the 2 layers to separate.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: bark, candy cane, Christmas, holidays, peppermint
Joan
This is sooooo good! I made it for some of my neighbors and got so many compliments. Made a great Christmas gift!
★★★★★