4-Ingredient Peppermint Bark
Melted chocolate is flavored lightly with peppermint and topped with melted white chocolate and crushed candy canes for the quintessential holiday treat. Don't spend money on the expensive Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark – you only need 4 ingredients and 1 hour needed to make your own!
Add it to your holiday gift tins with Grinch Crinkle Cookies, Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies and Peppermint Hot Chocolate Truffle Bombs. Then add it to a bowl full of peppermint ice cream!
Let's get this out of the way: I love the Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark. I do. It's delicious and convenient and so easy to pick up and give to friends and family as gifts. I get it.
But I do not love dropping that much money on it when I know I can make it myself.
Frankly, that's my motivator for most things I make at home – saving money. Saving time and money are two things I feel like I can always improve upon, and I think people always appreciate homemade gifts more than store-bought ones.
And since I have no talents in the craft department, people get the gift of food from me!
Ingredients for peppermint bark
- 16 ounces chocolate chips, dark or semisweet (divided)
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 20 ounces white chocolate chips
- 5 candy canes, crushed (about 1/2 cup)
Tips for making peppermint bark
Use good quality chocolates. The chocolate and white chocolate are the main ingredients here, so you want them to be top notch flavor! I always use Ghirardelli, and sometimes I even use a mix of semisweet and dark chocolates for the base layer.
Chill the base chocolate layer. If you try to pour the white chocolate layer on top of the still not set chocolate layer, it's going to be a mess.
Crush your candy canes on top of a cutting board you don't mind denting a little. If you're brave enough to do it right on a counter top, power to you – but I like to do it on top of a cutting board that has some dents and dings over the years that I don't mind adding to.
Keep a close eye on your white chocolate, and stir constantly. White chocolate is more temperamental than other chocolates, and can seize up more easily if something goes awry.
Stir constantly and make sure to remove from heat as soon as you see all the chocolate is almost completely melted. Give it a few stirs off heat and the rest will meld together nicely without beginning to get grainy.
Add the candy canes, quick! You need to add the crushed candy canes before the white chocolate sets, so just be sure to have them ready to go once the white chocolate comes off the stove.
Don't stress about how you cut them. Seriously. Let all the pieces be different shapes and sizes. No one will care, I promise.
Store in an airtight container. The fridge or the countertop is fine, but just be sure it's covered.
I channel my inner Salt Bae when I make these.
Is Peppermint Bae a thing? Can we make Peppermint Bae a thing?
How to store and transport peppermint bark
My favorite thing about peppermint bark is that it's a relatively simple treat that transports easily in a covered container with little to no frills. And most people like candy bark, right?
I can say with 100% certainty that I have never gone home with leftovers, because it's always demolished long before the party is over.
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Easy 4-Ingredient Peppermint Bark
Ingredients
- 16 ounces chocolate chips, dark or semisweet (divided)
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 5 candy canes, crushed (about 1/2 cup)
- 20 ounces white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and set it aside.
- Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Alternatively, you can melt using a double boiler, heating over low heat, stirring frequently until melted. Add peppermint extract and stir to combine.16 ounces (453 ⅗ g) chocolate chips1/4 teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) peppermint extract
- Pour onto prepared baking sheet, spreading using a spatula. You can have this layer be thick or thin – totally up to you. Just keep in mind that the thicker the bark ends up being, the harder it will be to cut apart. Place baking sheet in fridge to set and harden for at least 20 minutes, or in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- While the chocolate sets, place unwrapped candy canes in a plastic food storage bag. Place the bag of candy canes on a cutting board and use a rolling pin or mallet to crush them as much as possible. You'll have a mix of chunks and peppermint dust, and that's okay!5 candy canes
- Now melt the white chocolate the same way you did the chocolate (but I strongly recommend the double broiler method, stirring constantly). As soon as it's completely melted, remove from heat.20 ounces (567 g) white chocolate chips
- Take the baking sheet out of the fridge and pour the white chocolate on top of the chilled chocolate layer, spreading with a spatula.
- Sprinkle your crushed peppermint over the still-warm white chocolate layer, trying to distribute as evenly as possible.
- Place back into the fridge or freezer to set (about 30 more minutes). Once hard, take it out and cut or crack into pieces. You can break it into as many pieces as you want. Keep chilled until ready to serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is generated by an automatic API and does not take variations across specific brands into account. This information is provided as a general guideline and should not be treated as official calculations. Learn more here.
Eat dark chocolate. Though it’s bitter, it has nutrition than sugary chocolate.
Hi Leslie,
I just made the 4 ingredient peppermint bark to bring to a party tomorrow;. It was easy, looks pretty and delicious. I had to try a sample. Really want to try to the Peanut Butter Espesso cookies when I have more time. Thanks for this Awesome recipe. Hope you are well and Merry Christmas.
Thank you for leaving a comment, Dawn! Merry Christmas, hope you’re well!