Easy Peppermint Bark — 🍫❤️🤎 An EASY, no-bake, and make-ahead recipe for homemade peppermint bark! This classic Christmas candy never goes out of style and is perfect for gifting, holiday parties, or cookie exchanges! No one can resist a piece of this festive looking and oh-so-pepperminty treat made with both semi-sweet and white chocolate, and crushed peppermints!
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Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe
We all can use an easy, no-bake, holiday dessert recipe especially when there are only 4 ingredients in it!
There’s a layer of semi-sweet chocolate that’s topped with white chocolate which has been spiked with peppermint extract.
To really boost the peppermint flavor as well as give a festive appearance to this Christmas candy recipe, crushed peppermint candies are sprinkled on top.
One of my favorite things about peppermint bark, apart from it’s wonderful pepperminty taste, is that you can make it weeks ahead of time and it tastes just as good later on!
Because of that, it’s great to include in cookie exchanges, to set out when you’re entertaining for the holidays, or give it as gifts.
Ingredients in Peppermint Bark
To make this easy peppermint bark candy recipe, you only need a handful of ingredients. With so few ingredients, each one really counts, so try to buy the highest quality you can.
You’ll need the following items:
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – dark or milk may also be used
- White chocolate chips
- Peppermint extract – NOT peppermint oil
- Peppermint candies – either purchase pre-crushed peppermint candies or crush them yourself (crushed candy canes work too)
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Peppermint Bark
Making Christmas peppermint bark is a cinch! Follow my easy and straightforward directions, and you’ll have this ready in no time.
- Melt the semi sweet chocolate and then spread it into a parchment paper lined 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Melt the white chocolate and mix in the peppermint extract. Spread over the semi-sweet chocolate when the semi-sweet chocolate is about 90% set (this encourages your bark to “stick together” when you cut or break it).
- Evenly sprinkle with peppermint candies and allow it to fully harden before breaking into pieces and enjoying!
Recipe FAQs
1. Put it in a microwave safe bowl and initially heat it for 20 to 30 seconds on high power.
2. Stop to check and stir.
3. Continue heating in 10 to 15 second bursts, stopping after each one to stir.
4. Repeat until you can stir the chocolate smooth.
Tip: Make sure not to overheat the chocolate! Be very careful when it gets close to the point of being fully melted that you do not continue to (over)heat it because you will scorch it or burn it, it’ll harden and turn into an unsightly rock blob, and you’ll have to start over.
For my peppermint bark recipe, I use semi-sweet chocolate chips. If you’re using chocolate chips, make sure that you’re using high-quality chocolate chips that you know will melt smoothly.
I have confidence in the Ghirardelli brand for this purpose as well as for the taste. I use their semi-sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.
Additionally, you can also use chopped chocolate from a whole chocolate bar. For value, the Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Bars are excellent. I suggest the Dark Chocolate.
However, in my area there is no white chocolate option at Trader Joe’s so you can use another brand for the white chocolate bar like Lindt White Chocolate.
No! Peppermint extract is very potent, much more potent than vanilla extract (which I do eyeball), so I highly suggest using an actual teaspoon to measure it out so that you do not accidentally add too much and overwhelm the chocolate.
No, they are not! For this recipe, select peppermint extract. Do not select peppermint oil because they are not the same. Peppermint oil is much more concentrated than peppermint extract, and you would need less than even the 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract called for.
For peppermint bark that keeps separating or not sticking together when you cut it:
1. If the semi-sweet chocolate is almost hardened, but not quite to the point of being fully and completely set, when you pour the white chocolate over it, this will encourage the two layers to “marry” and ultimately stick together when cutting or slicing. BUT make sure though that it’s almost set. If not, you’ll end up with a swirly bark and while the taste will be fine, it won’t resemble classic peppermint bark.
2. Use high quality chocolate (Semi-sweet chocolate chips and White chocolate chips) which I’ve mentioned already. Some people advise against using anything with palm oil.
3. DO NOT try to speed up the process of allowing the bark to fully set up and harden by placing the pan in the freezer (nor the fridge). Upon thawing, condensation will be produced, and this moisture will prevent the layers from bonding and sticking together.
If you want extra-thick bark, rather than using a 9×13-inch pan like I did for this holiday bark recipe, you can use a 9×9-inch pan and it’ll be thicker.
Yes! To double the recipe, double everything and use two 9×13-inch pan. To halve the recipe, halve everything and use one 8×8-inch pan.
This will easily keep at room temperature for 1 month, and likely much longer. There’s really no reason to store your peppermint bark in the refrigerator. Apart from that, it could actually make it overly hard. You don’t want to break a tooth! 
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Peppermint Bark
Ingredients
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chips or finely chopped bar of chocolate*
- 16 ounces white chocolate, chips or chopped bar of chocolate*
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, NOT peppermint oil
- ½ cup crushed peppermint candies (about 12 peppermint candies or 3 candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and spray well with cooking spray; set aside.
- To a large, microwave-safe bowl, add the semi-sweet chocolate chips, and heat for 30 seconds on high power. Stop to check and stir. Heat in 10 to 15-second increments thereafter, until chocolate can be stirring smooth. Tips– Whatever you do, don't overheat the chocolate! It will burn, turn rock hard, you'll have to throw it out, and start over. After the chocolate is about 80% melted, use caution and make sure you only heat it as long as it's absolutely necessary so you can stir it smooth. Read the blog post for my recommendations on melting chocolate using a double boiler set-up if you're unfamiliar with that and/or aren't going to melt it in the microwave.
- Turn the chocolate out into the prepared pan, smoothing it with a spatula or offset spatula. Allow the milk chocolate to set up AT ROOM TEMP on your countertop and harden almost all the way. Tips – For peppermint bark that resists separating or not sticking together when you cut it, if the semi-sweet chocolate is almost hardened, but not quite to the point of being fully set, when you pour the white chocolate over it, this will encourage the two layers to stick together when cutting or slicing. Don't place the pan in the fridge or freezer because condensation will form when you take it out and that moisture will prevent the two layers of chocolate from sticking together.
- To a large, microwave-safe bowl, add the white chocolate chips, and heat for 30 seconds on high power. Stop to check and stir. Heat in 10 to 15-second increments thereafter, until chocolate can be stirring smooth. Again, make sure you only heat as long as necessary so it can be stirred smooth.
- Add the peppermint extract and stir to combine.
- Turn the white chocolate out over the hardened, semi-sweet chocolate layer in the pan.
- Evenly sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies** and allow the bark to set up AT ROOM TEMP until fully hardened.
- When the bark has set, you can slice or cut it as desired.* (Read the Tips in the blog post for how to make sure your bark layers stick together).
- Break the bark into pieces with your hands or place the slab of bark on a cutting board, and using a very sharp knife, slice and serve it. Peppermint bark will easily keep airtight for 1 month at room temperature, likely much longer if you can resist the temptation. There's no need to refrigerate it. You can freeze it for very long-term storage, 4 to 6 months easily.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Christmas Candy Recipes:
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Easy Christmas Crack – A highly addictive, salty-sweet, crunchy, EASY Christmas treat that’s IRRESISTIBLE!! Great for gifts and cookie exchanges because it stays fresh and everyone LOVES IT!!
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Melt In Your Mouth Toffee – Irresistible, buttery, ADDICTIVE, and just melts in your mouth!! EASY and perfect for holiday parties, gift-giving, or cookie exchanges!!
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The Easiest Foolproof Fudge – Look no further than this recipe for the EASIEST and most FOOLPROOF fudge that takes less than 3 minutes to make!! Customize it with your favorite add-ins like cranberries and walnuts! Great for gifts and cookie exchanges!!
Hi Averie, i made this over the holidays and the kids and grandkids went wild. So easy to make and so delicious.. It’s going in my Christmas File ..
thanks
Fun fact I did the milk chocolat put in on the parchment paper and was about to start with the white. When unexpected company dropped in.. Oh no. When they left my chocolat was very hard and i was worried about the separation issue. No panic I brought out my hair dryer and went over the chocolat a few times added the white chocolat and it came out perfect…
Ha! I am Woman ….
Hi Averie, i made this over the holidays and the kids and grandkids went wild. So easy to make and so delicious.. It’s going in my Christmas File ..
thanks
Fun fact I did the milk chocolat put in on the parchment paper and was about to start with the white. When unexpected company dropped in.. Oh no. When they left my chocolat was very hard and i was worried about the separation issue. No panic I brought out my hair dryer and went over the chocolat a few times added the white chocolat and it came out perfect…
Ha! I am Woman ….
I am so glad this turned out great and is going in your Christmas File! I lovveee the hair dryer trick, you are very resourceful and after that, deserved to have this come out perfectly and glad it did!
I would not make again. the 2 layers seperated
why did the dark and white chocolate sepearate from each other when cutting
This is an excellent question and I took time to add a section in the blog post I called “How to Make Sure The Two Chocolate Layers Stick Together When You Cut Peppermint Bark”, just a bit before you get to the recipe card. Hopefully you can identify what your issue was and how to correct it in the future.
Thanks for trying the recipe!