Homemade Peppermint Bark is one of the best and most enjoyable holiday treats you can't get enough of this holiday season. Smooth, decadent chocolate combines with cool peppermint to create a delightful homemade candy filled with a flavor your taste buds will love.
"Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall." -Larry Wilde
Homemade Peppermint Bark Candy
I have been addicted to Williams Sonoma peppermint bark most of my life. November and December are the most challenging months for me to go into that store. I could leave with hundreds of dollars in peppermint bark just for me. So to deal with this pricey addiction, I thought I should try and make the bark myself. This is what I did, and I love it just as much!
When the holidays come, before I tie on my apron and get out the first bowl, I usually take time to plan out my upcoming cookie trays. Big, small, how much, too much, too little, what will be on it, how should it look? And then it goes something like this: Homemade peppermint bark...must have peppermint bark. How much peppermint bark should I put on the tray?
I'm convinced everyone loves peppermint bark as much as I do. I wouldn't need anything else if I had an entire tray of just homemade classic peppermint bark. Instead, I take the approach that anything else on the tray is just a bonus! I have come to realize that anything else on the tray is just a bonus in my recipient's eyes also. They are excited to get the gift, no matter what is on the tray. It doesn't matter how big or small it is. Nor does it matter what it looks like. They are like the excited child that doesn't care how big the tree is. In their eyes, all Christmas trees are 30 feet tall. It doesn't matter if there is one cookie or 100 cookies in my recipient's eager eyes, which is what I love and probably why I keep giving food gifts.
Ingredients
- Semi-sweet Chocolate
- White Chocolate
- Peppermint extract
- Peppermint candies or candy cane bits
Chocolate for Peppermint Bark
For this recipe, you can pretty much use your favorite chocolate and still have an outstanding product. Spending so much time with chocolate, I went a little fancy with my development this year and used high-quality chocolate. For the dark chocolate, I used Valrhona Manjari 64% , and for the white chocolate, I stayed with Valrhona. Go with your favorite, and you will end up with a fantastic bark!
How To Make The Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe
First, line a jelly roll-sized pan with waxed or parchment paper. In a double boiler melt semisweet chocolate. Stir in a quarter teaspoon of peppermint extract. Spread chocolate over the paper in an even layer to about a quarter-inch thickness. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and allow the chocolate to set for 30 minutes.
Next, melt white chocolate in a double boiler. Stir in a quarter teaspoon of peppermint extract. Spread the white chocolate over the dark chocolate layer. Crush peppermint candies and sprinkle them over the white chocolate layer. Lightly press the crushed candy canes into the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to set fully. Once it sets, break the bark into pieces or use a sharp knife and cut pieces. Then store it in an airtight container.
This recipe is super easy to make! This recipe makes a jelly roll pan size of bark. This big batch can easily fill up quite a few tins or cookie trays. You could also individually wrap some bark in cellophane bags and give those as holiday gifts. I usually double the recipe to keep a tray for myself for whenever I need a holiday treat. What can I say? I'm a fan of good chocolate candy.
Peppermint Bark Tips
You have two options for this.
1. The best way is to melt it in a double boiler. It's simple. You place a glass heatproof bowl on top of a small pot of simmering water and let the heat slowly melt the chocolate. Be careful and don't get any water in the bowl.
2. Microwave. Place your chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and cook on low heat for 30 second increments. Stir between each one. When you are stirring, make sure to get everything from the bottom of the bowl.
You can leave it on the counter to set and depending on room temperature you are probably looking at 30-45 minutes. If you would like to speed up the process, you can place your pan of bark in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. However, I prefer to leave it on the counter and avoid any condensation that may accumulate from the refrigerator.
This ingredient is an essential piece of the recipe. It's what gives you that great peppermint flavor. So don't skip this ingredient.
It will keep in an airtight container for about 2 weeks on the counter.
Place peppermint candies in a large resealable plastic bag. Use your rolling pin or kitchen mallet and pound until crushed coarsely. You could also process it in your food processor.
I hope you enjoy the homemade peppermint bark recipe as much as I do and don't forget to save some for yourself.
And if you have missed days 1 through 3 on our 12 days of Christmas baking, here is where you can find the recipes for Special K Bars, Rocky Road Bark, and Mexican Wedding Cookies.
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Peppermint Bark
Ingredients
- 1 pound 64% semisweet chocolate
- 1 pound white chocolate
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ cup crushed peppermint candies
Instructions
- Line a jelly roll pan with waxed paper.
- Melt semisweet chocolate in a double boiler. Stir in ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract.
- Spread chocolate over the waxed paper to about a ¼ inch thickness.
- Place pan in refrigerator and allow the chocolate to set for about 30 minutes.
- Melt white chocolate in double boiler and stir in ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract.
- Spread the white chocolate over the semisweet chocolate.
- Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies over the white chocolate. Gently press candies into the chocolate.
- Allow the chocolate to set fully.
- Once set, break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Here are a few of our favorite peppermint recipes:
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Original Post 12/15/2014, updated 12/06/2021
Jamie says
So festive for the holidays!
Lindsay Howerton-Hastings says
YUM, love using this for Christmas gifts! Excellent recipe.
Oscar says
This looks so good, can't wait to make them over the holidays.
serena says
I hope you enjoy the bark!
Marcellina says
So excited to make a batch of these for gifts! This bark looks amazing!
serena says
Thanks so much!
Jeri says
Adding this to my Christmas baking list!
serena says
Enjoy 🙂
Freya says
This was the perfect recipe, I can’t wait to make little bags of it for my work colleagues too!
serena says
I'm sure they are going to love it!
Andréa Janssen says
Peppermint bark is one of my favorite holiday treats! Thank. you for the recipe
serena says
I hope you enjoy it!