Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe

This Easy Peppermint Bark recipe made with white chocolate, semisweet chocolate and crushed peppermint candies is a festive holiday treat! Homemade peppermint bark makes a delicious Christmas gift for everyone on your list!

This Homemade Peppermint Bark recipe is one of my family's favorite easy desserts to make during the Christmas holidays. And, it's a good thing it's so uncomplicated because this stuff goes fast!

We make Halloween Bark in the fall, Bunny Tail Bark in the spring and Red White and Blue Bark in the summer. But this festive 4 ingredient peppermint flavored candy is my favorite!

You need a mix of white and semi sweet chocolate for this bark recipe. And unlike other recipes, you swirl the 2 chocolates together so they don't separate!

Ingredients

You only need 4 ingredients for homemade peppermint bark. You can find everything you need in your local grocery store or online:

• Semi sweet chocolate chips
• White chocolate chips
• Peppermint extract 
• Crushed peppermint candies

How to Make Homemade Peppermint Bark

First, melt the white chocolate and semi sweet chocolate in 2 separate bowls. I like to melt chocolate in the microwave, but you can do this on the stove or with a double boiler if you prefer those methods.

Then, mix a little peppermint extract into the melted chocolate. The extract should be at room temperature so that the chocolate doesn't seize.

Spread the chocolates next to each other on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper, and allow to cool slightly. Then, swirl them together using a toothpick, sharp knife, or an offset spatula. Make sure that it's in an even layer.

If you want, you could not mix the chocolates together, and instead have a distinct white chocolate layer and dark chocolate layer. I think the bark looks better swirled though.

For a festive look, sprinkle on crushed candy cane or crushed peppermint candy. You can buy crushed peppermint candy in most grocery stores-- it's usually in the baking aisle or in the holiday section.

You can also crush up peppermints yourself with a rolling pin or a food processor-- just make sure it's in small pieces that won't be too big for the bark slices! A meat tenderizer will work for this too.

We like to add red and green jimmies or seasonal candy sprinkles. The more, the merrier, right?!

You can pop the bark into the fridge or freezer to help it set faster. After it sets, cut the bark into squares. You can also break it into smaller pieces with your hands.

Serve with your choice of holiday beverage: hot chocolate, eggnog, and brandy are some of my family's favorites!

How to Store

Store the peppermint bark in a covered, airtight container in the fridge. If your house is cold, it'll probably be fine on the counter. But here in the desert, chocolate tends to melt if we just leave it out on the counter!

You can also freeze the bark in a sealed container for longer storage. Just break it up, put it into a freezer bag, and take it out when you're ready to munch!

Peppermint bark also makes a great gift for holiday parties! Just put a few pieces into little cellophane bags and wrap with a bow--so cute!

Quick Tips

Peppermint bark is super easy to make. But here are a few tips to avoid the bark separating or the chocolate from seizing:

• Melt the chocolate in increments in the microwave or on low heat on the stove
• Use room temperature peppermint extract to prevent the chocolate from seizing
• Swirl the white chocolate and dark chocolate together to prevent the layers from separating. If you want the layered look, pour white chocolate over the dark after it cools slightly but before it hardens completely.
• Stick with wax or parchment paper--aluminum foil will stick to the melted chocolate and make the bark hard to break into pieces.
• You can use metal bowls to melt the chocolate if you're using the double boiler method, but metal bowls can't go in the microwave.

Variations

I usually stick with semi sweet and white chocolate chips, but you can use whatever kind of chocolate morsels you like, such as milk chocolate chips.

Whether or not you make the bark with candy coating or candy melts instead of high quality chocolate is up to you--not everyone prefers the taste of real white chocolate!

In addition to candy cane bits, crushed mini candy canes, or whatever peppermint topping you choose, you can sprinkle on some sea salt for that classic sweet and salty flavor!

If you like nuts, almonds pair excellently with chocolate. Throw some almond pieces on top and make a tasty peppermint almond bark!

More Peppermint Recipes

If you enjoyed this peppermint bark recipe, check out some more delicious desserts perfect for the holiday season:

• Easy Peppermint Brownies
• Peppermint Mocha Cookies
• Instant Pot Peppermint Cheesecake
• Peppermint Mocha Dessert Dip

Recipe was first published in 2015 and last updated in 2021.