This 4-ingredient white chocolate peppermint bark layers milk/dark chocolate with white chocolate and a peppermint candy topping. It’s a super simple holiday snack, dessert, or edible gift, perfect for making with kids and customizing to your taste/dietary requirements (including vegan/Keto).
Prepare your tray/shallow box of choice (I used a 9x9 inch/23x23 cm baking tin). To double the recipe, I recommend 9x13 inch/23x33 cm. Line the tray with aluminum foil (shiny side up, with slightly overhang) or lightly greased parchment paper, smoothing away any bumps.Alternatively, you can use a large silicone square/rectangle cake mold, and no foil is required.
Step 2: Melt the Chocolate
Melt the milk/dark chocolate until smooth and fully melted using a double boiler method (see the Notes below for how to do this exactly).
Pour the melted chocolate into your prepared tin, using a silicone spatula to get as much of the chocolate from the bowl as possible. Then tap it gently on the countertop to release any air bubbles.Make sure to use a tea towel or something heatproof to hold the bowl as it will be hot!
Transfer the tray to the refrigerator to set for around 10-15 minutes. It shouldn't be fully set, but mostly set, if you want the two layers to adhere well.
Step 3: Prepare the Peppermint Candy
As the first layer chills, it's time to crush the peppermint candy either using a knife, pulsing in a food processor for a few seconds, or crushing inside a bag with a heavy item (like a rolling pin/mallet).I prefer to use a knife as it gives me more control over the size of the pieces. Crushing the pieces in a bag tends to yield a lot of "candy dust." You can strain them out with a strainer and mix them into the white chocolate or save them for something else or add to your hot chocolate.
Step 4: Prepare the White Chocolate Layer
After the first layer has chilled, melt the white chocolate using the double boiler method until JUST melted. Then remove it from the heat, add the peppermint extract, and stir to thoroughly distribute it.
Pour the melted white chocolate over the first layer, spreading it with a spatula (an offset spatula is best) and tapping it against the counter to smooth/release air bubbles.Be careful as the hot chocolate may have caused the lower level to melt slightly, so you could end up mixing them if not careful.
Sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the white chocolate bark (as much or as little as you’d like). Optionally, gently press the candy into the chocolate slightly so it’s less likely to fall off.
Pace the tray back in the fridge to fully set (for at least 30 minutes, or until set).
Step 5: Break the Chocolate Mint Bark
Once set, remove the chocolate peppermint bark from the fridge, use the tin foil overhang to remove it from your pan, and peel away the foil. Finally, allow it to rest for a few minutes before you cut or break it into irregular bark pieces, and enjoy!
How to Store?
Store: store the white chocolate peppermint bark in an airtight container at room temperature for about 10 days. While the chocolate will be fine after that, the peppermint candies begin to soften and become chewy and unpleasant to eat.Freeze: while it’s possible to freeze chocolate peppermint bark, you must keep moisture away from the chocolate. To do so, I like to wrap the chocolate in two layers of plastic wrap before then placing it in an airtight Ziplock bag or container. You can store it for several months in the freezer this way.
Notes
Step 2: What is a double boiler? Place a heatproof bowl over a small saucepan filled with an inch or two of simmering water (the water shouldn’t touch the bottom of your bowl). Chop the chocolate into smaller pieces and place in the bowl, stirring often until melted.More tips:
To create a chocolate swirl: Instead of two layers, you can swirl the chocolate. Pour the melted milk/dark chocolate into your pan as usual then, without chilling, drizzle the white chocolate over that and use a little spatula to gently swirl it to create a swirl pattern.You’ll only need half the amount of the white chocolate.
The best chocolate for peppermint bark: make sure the chocolate contains cocoa butter; otherwise, you can have issues with the two layers adhering correctly. I recommend using brands like Ghirardelli, Callebaut, and Lindt.
When pouring the white chocolate: it’s best if the first layer of chocolate isn’t completely set. That way, they’ll adhere better.
For clean cuts: use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and then wiped off. Re-dip it as needed while you chop your white chocolate peppermint bark pieces.
To make peppermint bark hearts: use mini candy canes to shape into a heart and pour your chocolate within.
Optional Add-ins and Alternative White Chocolate Bar Ideas:
Dried fruit: a sprinkle of chopped dried cranberries and/or apricot would work well.
Cookies: you could crumble some cookies (digestives/rich tea work well) into the dark chocolate layer or even some pretzel pieces in this white chocolate candy cane bark.
Nuts: I recommend using lightly toasted crushed nuts for the best flavor. My favorites are white chocolate almond bark and pistachio bark (either over the top or mixed into the white chocolate) but experiment with other nuts/seeds like pecans, walnuts, etc.
Coconut: use shredded coconut or coconut flakes (raw or lightly toasted) to make a delicious coconut chocolate bark. Optionally pair with nuts or dry fruit.
Keto peppermint bark: if you’re making your own chocolate, make sure to use keto-friendly sugar (not water-based). Otherwise, use keto-friendly chocolate and peppermint candies.
Vegan chocolate bark: use vegan chocolate (many dark chocolates are naturally vegan). Most candy canes are vegan but double-check your candy.
Pistachio cranberry bark: with either white, dark, or the combination of the two chocolates. Optionally add a pinch of flakey sea salt to balance the sweetness of the white chocolate.
White chocolate Oreo bark: chop/ crush Oreos and mix them with white chocolate mint bark.
You can also create peppermint bark with just one type of chocolate, rather than the white and dark chocolate peppermint bark that we've made here.Check the blog post for more tips and answers to top FAQs!