This Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark is crisp, creamy, and layered with rich dark chocolate, white chocolate, and crushed peppermint candies for an easy holiday treat that looks far more complicated than it is. Made with just a handful of ingredients, it's perfect for gifting, dessert trays, or adding to a lineup of homemade chocolate treats like my Dark Chocolate Bark.
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark At A Glance
- ⏱ Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- 🍫 Yield: About 12 servings
- 🇺🇸 Cuisine Type: American
- 🍬 Flavor Profile: Crisp layers of rich dark chocolate and creamy white chocolate with a cool, refreshing peppermint crunch
- 🥗 Dietary Info: Naturally gluten-free
- 🥡 Storage Notes: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If your kitchen runs warm, refrigerate to prevent melting
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A classic holiday treat made with just three ingredients. Easy to make, beautiful to gift, and always the first thing to disappear from the dessert table
I first tasted peppermint bark from a holiday tin at Williams Sonoma and was instantly hooked. Using good-quality chocolate makes all the difference, giving this version a smooth texture and rich flavor.
If you love easy homemade chocolate treats during the holidays, there are plenty of other bark recipes worth making alongside this Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark. My Dark Chocolate Bark With Apricots And Pistachios adds a slightly savory, Mediterranean-style twist that feels especially festive, while the Milk Chocolate Bark With Almonds, Dark Chocolate Bark With Orange, and White Chocolate Bark With Almonds are both great additions to cookie trays and edible gift boxes.
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For a full holiday dessert spread, pair this bark with a few easy cookies and bars that can be made ahead. My Cranberry Bliss Bars bring the same festive flavor combination of chocolate and cranberry, while the Italian Almond Cookies and Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies add something buttery and a little more classic to the dessert tray. If you want one richer option for chocolate lovers, the Biscoff Brownies absolutely deliver.
Key Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this white chocolate peppermint bark:
- Dark Chocolate: Use a good-quality dark or semisweet chocolate here since it is the base flavor of the bark. During testing, chopped chocolate bars melted much more smoothly than standard chocolate chips and gave the bark a shinier finish.
- White Chocolate: White chocolate balances the darker layer and gives the bark its classic peppermint bark look. I found that melting the white chocolate slowly in short microwave intervals helped prevent it from seizing or turning grainy, which can happen quickly with white chocolate.
- Peppermint Candies: Crushed candy canes or peppermint candies both work well. During testing, lightly pressing the candy pieces into the white chocolate helped them stick better once the bark hardened and made the finished bark easier to slice or break apart.
See the recipe card for quantities.
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How To Make This Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark: Step-By-Step
Step 1: Place the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave using 30-second intervals and stirring in-between.
Add ¾ teaspoon of the peppermint extract to the chocolate.
Step 2: Pour it onto a prepared baking sheet, lined with either aluminum foil or parchment paper, and spread it into an even layer before setting it aside for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in the same manner as the dark chocolate and stir in the remaining peppermint extract.
Pour it over the dark chocolate and spread it into an even layer.
Step 4: Sprinkle the candy canes over the top and softly press them into the chocolate.
Let the bark sit at room temperature for an hour before breaking it or cutting it into pieces.
Hint: If you're crushing your own candy canes, put them in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. You want them to be in small pieces and not large chunks so that they sprinkle well.
Pro tip
When you pour the chocolate and smooth it out, I use an offset spatula and make sure to tap the pan gently. This helps remove any air bubbles trapped and lets it set properly.
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark FAQ's
Use short microwave intervals (about 30 seconds each) and stir between rounds. Stop when a few small pieces remain and stir until smooth.
If you do, choose a high-quality chip made with cocoa butter. Many chips contain stabilizers that prevent smooth melting.
Let the first layer set slightly but not harden completely before adding the next. This helps the two layers bond together.
More Delicious Desserts
Let me know your thoughts on this Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark by leaving a star rating below or by sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, orPinterest!
Thank you!
Gwen
Homemade Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped into ½ inch pieces or use a good quality chocolate chip
- 1 ½ teaspoons peppermint extract divided
- 1 pound white chocolate chopped into ½ inch pieces or use a good quality chip
- 3 candy canes crushed, or 12 round hard peppermint candies crushed
Instructions
Semisweet Chocolate layer
- Using a microwave safe bowl, place the semisweet chocolate into the bowl.
- Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until melted.
- Add ¾ teaspoon peppermint to the chocolate.
- Pour the chocolate onto a prepared baking pan that has either aluminum foil or parchment paper on the bottom.
- Spread the chocolate into a thin layer.
- Let sit on the countertop for 10 minutes.
White Chocolate Layer
- Using the same method as above, melt the white chocolate in the microwave.
- Add the remaining ¾ teaspoon of peppermint extract to the white chocolate.
- Pour over the semisweet chocolate layer and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the top and press gently to incorporate them with the chocolate.
- Let sit on the countertop for about an hour.
- Lift the bark out of the pan using the foil or parchment paper.
- Break or cut into pieces and store in an airtight containter on the countertop.
Notes
Let the chocolate layers cool slightly before adding the next to help them stick together.
Crushed candy canes or peppermint candies both work well for the topping.
Store the bark in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
If your kitchen is warm, keep it in the refrigerator to prevent melting.
This bark makes a great holiday gift. Layer pieces between parchment in a tin or gift box for an easy homemade treat. Add other bark recipes like the Dark Chocolate Bark, White Chocolate With Almonds, or the Milk Chocolate Bark With Almonds.
Anonymous says
My favorite combo!