What Is Peppermint Bark And How Do You Make It?

The holiday season is a time to indulge in sweet decadent treats, but supplying the dozens of cookies, brownies, and fudge can be time-consuming. Peppermint bark is the perfect choice for anyone looking to maximize holiday cheer with minimal time investment, all without compromising on taste.

You've likely seen peppermint bark at some point. It looks like broken chunks of chocolate with minty, crushed candy cane sprinkled on top – because that's exactly what it is! Marrying the timeless duo of chocolate and mint together, you get a powerhouse of a party platter ready to be served or a thoughtful homemade gift for your loved ones to enjoy.

Making peppermint bark is easy, which is half the appeal. All it takes is some chocolate chips, both white and semisweet or dark, and some peppermint candy canes. Some recipes include coconut oil or peppermint extract, but that's a personal preference. You really only need the basic three and you've got a serious crowd-pleaser on your hands.

To turn your chocolate chips into peppermint bark, you first need to melt them. The easiest way to do this is to microwave them for one minute. You'll want to keep the white chocolate chips separate from the semisweet chips since you'll be layering them on top of each other. Start by melting the semisweet chocolate chips. If you don't want to use the microwave, you can also use your stovetop for this. Boil water in a saucepan and place your chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. 

When the water is hot, place the bowl with the chocolate chips on top of the saucepan. The steam from the water will heat the bottom of the bowl, causing the chocolate to melt. Be sure to stir it regularly. Then, grab a 9-by-13-inch pan and line it with aluminum foil. Pour the melted chocolate into the pan and place it in the refrigerator to cool and harden back up slightly. Now, melt the white chocolate chips and repeat the process, layering the white chocolate on top of the partially hardened first layer of melted semisweet chips.

Next, take your candy canes, place them in a Ziploc bag, and crush them with a rolling pin. If you want to increase the mintiness of the peppermint bark, you can take the dust from the candy canes and pour it in with the white chocolate while it's melting. Before the white chocolate has had a chance to harden completely, sprinkle the crushed candy cane on top to fuse the two together. This way, the candy cane pieces won't fall off the peppermint bark. After a little time in the fridge, your minty dessert is ready to eat!