Made with only four ingredients, this peppermint bark is one of the simplest holiday cookies you could make and one of the most festive, too. What’s more, it yields a ton, making it perfect for gifting all season long. So easy, so pretty, so delicious!

Overhead shot of peppermint bark in glass jars.

A few weeks ago, a woman commented on this chewy chocolate sugar cookie recipe saying she loved all things peppermint and was planning on rolling the unbaked cookies in “peppermint dust”. I had never heard of peppermint dust but quickly learned from an online search it is simply candy canes that have been pulverized into “dust.”

I loved the sound of this because I, too, love all things peppermint but I’ve never loved candy canes. A few days later, the woman wrote back saying: “Rolled the dough in the ‘dust’, baked and then sprinkled a bit more on top after baking. They are incredible. I am going to try doubling the recipe and make for Christmas gifts.”

About this same time, the Willams-Sonoma catalog arrived, and as I flipped through it, the decorative tins of peppermint bark catching my attention, I wondered how a homemade version might taste topped with peppermint dust as opposed to coarsely chopped candy canes.

Feeling inspired, I found a recipe online and gave it a go. Friends! I had no idea making peppermint bark was so easy! And so tasty! And so high-yielding!

Having just made a batch of double chocolate crinkles, which are exceptional but which demand much more time and attention (and which I can’t wait to share with you soon), making peppermint bark felt like a breath of fresh air. Like these boozy rum balls and these lemon-almond snowballs and these ugly delicious gingerbread cookie bars, peppermint bark falls into the low-effort, high-reward category of cookies we all need more of in our lives.

Easy, festive, tasty: what’s not to love? Pack it into jars. Wrap it in little baggies. Gift it all season long.

How to Make Peppermint Bark, Step by Step

Gather your ingredients: dark chocolate, white chocolate, and peppermint extract.

The ingredients to make peppermint bark.

You’ll also need some candy canes:

A bowl of candy canes.

I like to blitz the candy canes into dust in the food processor, but if you prefer a coarser chop, simply place them in a ziplock bag and gently crush them using a rolling pin.

A food processor filled with crushed candy canes.

Measure out the chocolate: 12 ounces of dark chocolate and 16 ounces of white chocolate.

Two bowls of chocolate: one of dark chocolate disks, the other of chopped white chocolate.

Set each bowl of chocolate over a pot on the stovetop: I’m using these 1-quart Pyrex bowls (which I use for the peasant bread) and two All-Clad 2-qt saucepans (similar to this one).

Two pots holding two bowls of chocolate set over boiling water.

Once the dark chocolate is melted, add a quarter teaspoon of peppermint extract and stir to combine:

A bowl of melted dark chocolate set over a pot of boiling water on the stovetop.

Then spread the melted chocolate into a 9×13-inch or 10×14-inch parchment-lined pan.

A layer of melted dark chocolate spread into a 10x14-inch pan.

Transfer to the fridge for 10 minutes (or until the chocolate just sets).

A layer of chilled set dark chocolate in a 10x14-inch pan.

Meanwhile, stir another 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract into the melted white chocolate:

A bowl of melted white chocolate set over a pot on the stovetop.

Spread the white chocolate over the top of the dark chocolate…

A layer of melted white chocolate not quite spread over a layer of dark chocolate in a 10x14-inch pan.

… and spread it edge to edge:

A layer of melted white chocolate spread over a layer of dark chocolate in a 10x14-inch pan.

Sprinkle with the peppermint dust, then return to the fridge for another 20 minutes.

A 10x14-inch pan filled with peppermint-dusted peppermint bark.

Store the remaining peppermint dust in a jar for future use:

A jar of peppermint dust

Remove the bark from the fridge, and let it sit at room temperature for another 20 minutes before cutting:

A full sheet of uncut peppermint bark on a sheet of parchment paper.

There are two approaches to cutting the bark: you can either break it into irregular shards or you can cut it into neat, even pieces, which is my preference. To do so, trim away the edges first.

Edges trimmed from the peppermint bark on a cutting board.

Then cut into 2-inch squares…

Cut squares of peppermint bark.

… then into triangles:

Peppermint bark cut into triangles.

I like to return it to the fridge briefly (just an hour or so) to firm up. Then serve

A 10x14-inch pan filled with peppermint bark.
Peppermint bark cut into triangles in a 10x14-inch pan.

Or pack into jars. You can store the bark at room temperature or in the fridge.

A jar of peppermint bark.
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Overhead shot of peppermint bark in glass jars.

Homemade Peppermint Bark with Peppermint Dust

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Description

Made with 4 ingredients, this peppermint bark couldn’t be simpler or prettier.

Adapted from Dinner at The Zoo’s recipe, which I’ve made just a few small changes to, namely in the method (I use the stovetop and a double boiler to melt the chocolates) and the candy canes, which I blitz into a dust as opposed to coarsely chop.

Notes:

  • Chocolate: I’m using Guittard bittersweet 74% cacao chocolate wafers. I love this chocolate — it’s tasty on its own, which is important: if the chocolate tastes too dark or bitter or unpleasant, it won’t improve once it’s in bark form. As you know, it will be paired with white chocolate, which is sweet, and which will offset the bitterness somewhat. That said, you don’t want to use a chocolate that is too sweet (like milk chocolate). So pick a tasty, dark-ish chocolate.
  • White Chocolate: I recommend Callebaut, Valhrona, or Guittard; otherwise use what you can find. Ghiradelli 
  • Candy Canes: I like to pulse the candy canes until they are blitzed into dust. You’ll need only about 4 candy canes for this recipe, but I’d recommend blitzing more so that you have the dust on hand for other purposes like more bark or rolling sugar cookies in before baking 🙂 
  • The Pan: You need a 9×13-inch or 10×14-inch pan for this. I’ve been loving using my 10×14-inch Lloyd Detroit-Style pizza pan for this recipe. 

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, see notes above
  • 16 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped, see notes above
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, divided
  • 4 regular candy canes, see notes above

Instructions

  1. Fill two small pots with water halfway full. Bring to a simmer. 
  2. Place the dark chocolate in a small bowl. Place the white chocolate in a small bowl. Set each bowl over a pot and leave undisturbed until you see the chocolate beginning to melt, about 5 minutes.
  3. While the chocolates melt slowly on the stovetop, unwrap the candy canes, then place in a food processor. Purée until the candy canes are nearly dust or until they are chopped to a coarseness of your liking.
  4. Stir the dark chocolate with a spatula until smooth, then add 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract, and stir until completely smooth. 
  5. Line a 9×13-inch or 10×14-inch pan with parchment paper. Spread the dark chocolate into the pan, then transfer to the fridge for 10 minutes or until the chocolate just sets — Note: due to some user reviews, you’ll want to rely on visual cues here: the chocolate should be visually set, but do start checking at 10 minutes. If you are using a glass pan, it may take longer. You do not want to leave the chocolate in the fridge much beyond the point at which it has set, otherwise you risk the white chocolate not adhering to the chocolate layer; if the bottom layer has not set, however, the white chocolate will swirl into it. It may take some trial and error to get the timing right given your fridge/pan.  
  6. Stir the white chocolate with a spatula until smooth, then add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract, and stir until completely smooth. 
  7. Spread the melted white chocolate over the dark chocolate — you can do this with a spatula, the back of a spoon, or a small offset spatula. Sprinkle roughly 1/4 cup of the peppermint dust over the surface. You can do this with a sieve or you can simply scatter the dust over the surface with your hands. 
  8. Return to the fridge for 20 minutes. Remove from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for another 20 minutes. 
  9. Cut into neat triangles or break into shards. To cut into triangles, first trim away the rough edges. Then cut the bar roughly into 2-inch squares. Finally, cut each square in half on the diagonal to create triangles. Return the bark to the fridge for another 20 minutes to firm up.
  10. You can store the bark at room temperature in an air-tight container or in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. 
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Stovetop, Fridge
  • Cuisine: American