Have you ever not been a fan of something unless it was cooked or made a certain way? That’s how I’ve always felt about peppermint. Oh, but I absolutely love peppermint when it’s mixed with chocolate. So, I’m sure you can imagine how excited I am to share this homemade Peppermint Bark recipe today! It’s not only easy to make, but it has the perfect balance of sweet chocolate and minty peppermint flavors. It’s perfect for sharing at holiday parties or giving as an easy and budget-friendly Christmas gift! I’ll share all of my favorite tips in the post below ;)
What is Peppermint Bark?
Peppermint bark candy is a festive take on the classic chocolate bark. It’s such a simple treat for Christmas time, and it only uses 5 ingredients. I add peppermint extract to melted semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate, layer them together in a parchment-lined baking pan, and then sprinkle crushed candy canes on top. Pop the pan into the fridge to set, break the chocolate into pieces, and you’re done—SO easy!! You don’t need any special equipment or fancy ingredients, and it’s a great recipe to make with kids over the holidays.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy peppermint bark recipe:
- Semi-Sweet & White Chocolate: I tested this recipe using chocolate chips and bars and found that the chocolate bars worked best. Chocolate chips are often made with stabilizers, which means they don’t melt as smoothly. Because the chocolate layers are the main components of this recipe, using high-quality chocolate will make a huge difference in taste and texture. I like Baker’s and Ghirardelli chocolate bars.
- Cooking Oil: Helps the chocolate melt smoother and make it easier to spread in your baking dish. I recommend a neutral flavored oil like canola or vegetable. Coconut oil also works, but just note that unrefined coconut oil can have a strong coconut flavor, so refined oil is best if you want to avoid that.
- Peppermint Extract: For adding the peppermint flavor. It’s a concentrated extract, so I only add ½ a teaspoon in total!
- Candy Canes: I place my candy canes in a ziplock bag and crush them using a rolling pin. Don’t worry if there are some bigger pieces; they add texture to your bark.
Can I Use Peppermint Oil Instead of Peppermint Extract?
I’ve only ever made this recipe for peppermint bark using peppermint extract. The amounts I list in the recipe card are perfect for the extract, but I know peppermint oil is much stronger. If you want to use a food-safe peppermint oil rather than an extract, I would start with a drop and taste before adding more. It’s very potent, so a little goes a long way. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away once added!
Recipe Tips!
- Keep an eye on the chocolate as it melts in the microwave. Stir every 20-30 seconds. The moment it starts to mix smoothly, it’s ready. Don’t let it overheat, or it will become thick and lumpy. Mine took about 1:25 minutes to melt, but your microwave may vary.
- Just a tiny bit of peppermint extract mixed with the melted chocolate adds a wonderful minty flavor to the peppermint bark.
- Don’t let the first chocolate layer set too long in the fridge or else the white chocolate layer will not adhere well. Set a timer for 10-12 minutes and take it out as soon as the timer goes off. I took mine out right at 10 minutes.
- Lining your baking pan with parchment paper stops any sticking and makes it easy to remove once the chocolate is set.
- I use an 8×8 inch square dish for this recipe, but you can also use a larger dish if you want a thinner, more brittle texture. However, the chocolate will set much faster the thinner it is, so you’ll need to work quickly when adding the white chocolate layer and peppermint candy pieces.
How to Store
I keep my homemade peppermint bark pieces in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks. They’ll also last 3-4 days at room temperature, which is great if you’re giving them as a gift! Just make sure to store them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent the chocolate from melting. You can also freeze any leftovers for up to 2 months. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying them all over again!
Peppermint Bark Recipe
Equipment
- 8×8” Baking Dish
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 5 candy canes $0.83
- 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped* $5.00
- 8 oz. white chocolate, chopped* $5.00
- 1 tsp cooking oil, divided $0.02
- ½ tsp peppermint extract, divided $0.20
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper and set it to the side. Unwrap the candy canes. Place the candy canes in a large zip lock bag, seal the bag, then use a rolling pin to crush all of the candy canes. You can roll or gently bang the rolling pin over the candy canes, leaving a mixture of smaller and larger pieces. Set the crushed candy to the side.
- In a small bowl, add the chopped semi-sweet chocolate and ½ tsp cooking oil. Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20-30 seconds. Keep an eye on the chocolate as it melts. The moment it starts to mix smoothly, it's ready. Don't let it overheat or else it will become thick and lumpy. Every microwave is different. It took approximately 1:25 seconds for mine to smoothly melt. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in ¼ tsp of peppermint extract.
- Pour the melted chocolate into the parchment lined baking dish. Spread the chocolate evenly around with a small spatula or spoon. Place the dish in the refrigerator for 10-12 minutes until the chocolate is mostly set. You don't want the chocolate to fully set or else the white chocolate layer will not adhere properly.
- In a separate bowl, add the chopped white chocolate and the remaining ½ tsp cooking oil. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20-30 seconds. Keep an eye on the chocolate as it melts, being careful not to overheat it. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in ¼ tsp of peppermint extract.
- Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and pour the melted white chocolate on top of the semi-sweet chocolate. Spread the white chocolate evenly around with a small spatula or spoon.
- Now sprinkle the crushed peppermint candy on top of the melted white chocolate. Place the baking dish back in the refrigerator until the chocolate is fully set, about 1 hour.
- Once the bark is fully set, remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and lift the peppermint bark out of the parchment paper. Break the bark into small and large pieces or cut it with a sharp knife. If your bark is too hard to break, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so the chocolate can soften a bit. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. Enjoy!
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Notes
Nutrition
how to make Peppermint Bark – step by step photos
Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper and set it to the side. Unwrap 5 candy canes. Place the candy canes in a large zip lock bag, seal the bag, then use a rolling pin to crush all of the candy canes. You can roll or gently bang the rolling pin over the candy canes, leaving a mixture of smaller and larger pieces. Set the crushed candy to the side.
In a small bowl, add 8 oz. chopped semi-sweet chocolate and ½ tsp cooking oil. Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20-30 seconds. Keep an eye on the chocolate as it melts. The moment it starts to mix smoothly, it’s ready. Don’t let it overheat or else it will become thick and lumpy. Every microwave is different. It took approximately 1:25 seconds for mine to smoothly melt.
Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in ¼ tsp of peppermint extract.
Pour the melted chocolate into the parchment lined baking dish. Spread the chocolate evenly around with a small spatula or spoon. Place the dish in the refrigerator for 10-12 minutes until the chocolate is mostly set. You don’t want the chocolate to fully set or else the white chocolate layer will not adhere properly.
In a separate bowl, add 8 oz. chopped white chocolate and the remaining ½ tsp cooking oil. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20-30 seconds. Keep an eye on the chocolate as it melts, being careful not to overheat it.
Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in ¼ tsp of peppermint extract.
Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and pour the melted white chocolate on top of the semi-sweet chocolate. Spread the white chocolate evenly around with a small spatula or spoon.
Now sprinkle the crushed peppermint candy on top of the melted white chocolate. Place the baking dish back in the refrigerator until the chocolate is fully set, about 1 hour.
Once the bark is fully set, remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and lift the peppermint bark out of the parchment paper. Break the bark into small and large pieces or cut it with a sharp knife. If your bark is too hard to break, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so the chocolate can soften a bit. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. Enjoy!
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