Table of Contents
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
My recipes often stem from a family memory or recipe that has been used for years. Peppermint bark is not a tried-and-true old family staple. Grandma Conrad loved peppermint, and in her later years, decided to make her own peppermint bark. Grandma started making this right before the big trend and excitement of peppermint bark where it could be seen and purchased everywhere.
I remember how excited she was for the ease of the recipe and perfect outcome each and every time. She had no written recipe, but it was fairly easy to replicate.
The ingredients that make this the best bark
- Bittersweet chocolate helps cut the sweetness of the white chocolate. The slightly darker chocolate, as opposed to a milk chocolate, imparts an intense flavor that holds up to the peppermint.
- White chocolate is made up of cocoa butter and none of the cocoa solids. It has a light flavor and is pretty sweet. The important thing to remember with this recipe is to use white chocolate rather than white almond bark. Almond bark is made with vegetable fats and no cocoa butter. But with peppermint bark, the flavor of cocoa butter is important, making real white chocolate very important.
- Peppermint candy is the topping that lets everyone know what they’re about to enjoy. Candy canes are usually plentiful at this time of year, but small peppermint candies also work.
- Peppermint extract is the star of this recipe. Add a little bit and the chocolate is instantly transformed into a seasonal treat. The extract contains no water, only oil, and it mixes into the chocolate with ease.
Peppermint bark may be the easiest and quickest Christmas candy to make! If you don’t have time for baking, making, or creating, this is the recipe for you. And if you do have lots of time and you make all the goods every year, giving candy to all your loved ones, this will be a perfect addition to your array!
Popular Christmas candies
Grandma’s Peanut Brittle
English Toffee Recipe
Homemade Christmas Caramels
Peanut Clusters
Watch how to make the best peppermint bark recipe
The Best Peppermint Bark
Ingredients
- 24 oz bittersweet chocolate
- 24 oz white chocolate
- 1 cup crushed peppermint
- ¾ tsp peppermint extract
Instructions
- Place peppermint candy in a large plastic bag and crush into small pieces with a meat pounder. Set aside.1 cup crushed peppermint
- Line a 9 x 13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Heat 4 cups of water in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Set a large glass bowl on the saucepan so the bottom does not touch the barely simmering water. Add the bittersweet chocolate to the glass bowl. Stir and slowly allow the chocolate to melt. Once all of the chocolate is melted and smooth, pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Smooth to an even layer and sprinkle with ¼ cup of crushed peppermint candy.24 oz bittersweet chocolate
- Wash and dry the bowl and set over the barely simmering water. Add the white chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is smooth, then remove from the heat. Add the peppermint extract, stir, and pour over the bittersweet chocolate. Smooth to an even layer and top with remaining peppermint candy pieces.24 oz white chocolate, ¾ tsp peppermint extract
- Allow to cool at room temperature until hardened, 2-3 hours. Once the bark is hard, cut or break into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Love peppermint bark. What brand of chocolate did you use?
Love all your videos!
Hi Pam! I love to use Ghirardelli chocolate as I feel that it has a great chocolate flavor. Merry Christmas!
I love everything you do from booking and landscaping and your great personality !
Curious-Should the chocolate layer cool first or get firm? When I poured the white chocolate over the bittersweet it all wanted to mix together. It’s not nearly as pretty as yours!!
I just made this and I did use Ghirardelli chocolate but my white chocolate melted right into the bittersweet. I think if I try this again I’m going to let the dark chocolate cool first and then pour the white.
Haven’t tried it but I bet it’s a 5! Have you ever layered the white over the semi sweet and reserved the crushed peppermint just for the top? Asking because I like chocolate more than peppermint. Merry Christmas Kaleb!
Enjoying your recipes . Decorating, and all you ideas thank you and happy Holidays
Would you use the Ghiradelli wafers or the baking bars? I want the best! Just love your website! You are a treasure!
Love, love, love your videos. Your energy and recipes are wonderful. You make cooking fun. If you ever travel to Santa Fe, NM. I would love to host you. 🍽🍽🍽
Do you have a divinity recipe?
My husband and son said this was better than the store bought kind! It is easy and delicious! A keeper recipe for the holidays.
Once again the WYSE GUY comes through to help make Christmas jolly. I just made a batch of THE BEST PEPPERMINT BARK. I loved the SANDWICH layers of this recipe. I used semi sweet chocolate for the bottom layer because I did not have bittersweet. Your suggestion to put crushed peppermint on this layer as well as the top layer of white chocolate made this candy not just pretty but even more delicious and the white layer adhered better with that first sprinkle of peppermint. Thank you and. Merry Christmas to you and your family. 🥰
My layers separated and I put the peppermint between layers. I cooled in the fridge should I have left at room temp to cool?
Have not made candy before at Christmas time but I did see your videos on making peanut butter balls and peppermint bark and looked so easy.
I made both to give out as gifts…
they turned out great and wonderful presentation as gifts!!
Thank you