Peppermint Bark is a classic Christmas treat! This favorite homemade peppermint bark recipe is made with layers of peppermint-filled milk chocolate and white chocolate and topped with crushed candy canes. Easy to make in minutes with only 5 ingredients for holiday snacking and gift-giving!

Peppermint bark makes a much-loved addition to any Christmas cookie tray or candy platter. It also makes a thoughtful gift! Put some of it on a tray or in a gift bag along with some other favorite holiday candies like Divinity, Chocolate Truffles, and Peanut Butter Balls.

Candy with layers of milk chocolate and white chocolate and topped with peppermint candy.

Peppermint bark is a holiday favorite around my house that my whole family loves. We used to buy a tin of it on our trip to visit Santa when my son was just a little boy. That was a fun tradition, but my homemade peppermint bark recipe is so much more delicious and fun to make, so we love making it at home!

Why You’ll Love This Peppermint Bark

Homemade – Made from scratch, so it’s fresh and delicious!

Quick and easy – Ready to enjoy in about 15 minutes since my recipe uses the freezer. And it’s simple to melt and spread the chocolates and add crushed candy canes!

Just a few ingredients – Only 5 ingredients are needed for this recipe.

Fun and festive – Colorful, delicious, and festive for the holidays for all ages!

Peppermint Bark spread onto wax paper lined dish.

How to Make Peppermint Bark Recipe

With minimal ingredients, for just a few dollars, and in less than 15 minutes, you can make peppermint bark. I love making several batches of it each year to enjoy with my family and friends and to share with others.

Peppermint Bark Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

Dark chocolate wafers and white melting wafers, with coconut oil, candy canes and peppermint extract for making peppermint bark.

For this homemade recipe, you’ll need chocolate chips/wafers, coconut oil, white chocolate candy melts/melting wafers, peppermint extract, and crushed candy canes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Prep. Line a 9×13 baking dish with waxed paper, making sure to leave enough of the waxed paper to overhang the edges of the dish. This helps easily lift the finished bark from the dish when ready.
  2. Make the chocolate layer. Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave-safe dish, heat for about a minute, and stir until smooth. Next, I stir my peppermint extract into my melted chocolate, pour it into the prepared baking dish, and place the dish into the freezer to freeze the chocolate layer of the peppermint bark.
  3. Make the white chocolate layer. Melt white chocolate candy melts and then spread the melted white chocolate candy melts over the frozen chocolate layer. Sprinkle crushed candy canes or peppermint candies over the top of the melted white chocolate candy melts and return the baking dish to the freezer for the peppermint bark to freeze.
  4. Break apart your peppermint bark. Once frozen, remove the baking dish from the freezer and lift the peppermint bark from the baking dish using the extended edges of the waxed paper. Break the bark into pieces and store it in a dish, tin, or cellophane bag for serving or gifting.

Tips for the Best Peppermint Bark

  • Use good-quality chocolate
  • The bark is quick, easy, and ready to enjoy in a snap since my recipe uses the freezer for part of the process.
  • Extend the edges of the waxed paper for easy lifting and removal from the pan.

Storage Tips

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 weeks.

Peppermint Bark broken in pieces and stacked in serving dish.

More Favorite Christmas and Holiday Recipes

Here’s how I make my peppermint bark recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Peppermint Bark Recipe

5 from 5 votes
Peppermint Bark is a classic Christmas treat! This delicious homemade peppermint bark recipe is made with layers of peppermint-filled milk chocolate and white chocolate and topped with crushed candy canes. Easy to make in minutes with only 5 ingredients. A favorite for holiday snacking and gift-giving!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, milk, semi-sweet, or dark
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups white chocolate candy melts/melting wafers
  • 4 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy

Instructions 

  • Place waxed paper in a 13×9 baking dish. Leave enough waxed paper along edges to lift peppermint bark from baking dish later.
  • Add chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon coconut oil to a medium glass bowl. Heat in microwave for about 1 minute. If not melted, heat in 30 second increments until it is melted. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons peppermint extract to melted milk chocolate and stir until well-combined. Pour chocolate into the prepared baking dish and place in the freezer until hardened, approximately 3 minutes.
  • Repeat the same process with the white chocolate candy melts. Remove baking dish from freezer and spread white chocolate over frozen chocolate. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies over white chocolate and return to the freezer until firm, approximately 3 minutes.
  • Remove from freezer and pull waxed paper from baking dish. Break peppermint bark into pieces. Place on a dish, in a tin, or in cellophane bags for gift giving.

Notes

Storage Tips

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 28mg | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Homemade Peppermint Bark Recipe - Peppermint Bark makes a favorite holiday treat! This homemade peppermint bark recipe is made with layers of peppermint filled milk chocolate and white chocolate and then topped with peppermint candy. // addapinch.com

From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2010.

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Recipe Review




41 Comments

  1. Oh my! What happened? I followed the recipe exactly, except… I did use the vanilla wafers and chocolate wafers instead of chips. My chocolate layer and vanilla layer separated when it was time to break them into pieces. It’s still yummy!

    1. Nadine, always let the peppermint bark come to room temperature before breaking apart. Make sure white chocolate contains cocoa butter and not oils which will cause it to separate from the chocolate layer when breaking. Thanks!

  2. I can’t wait to make your Peppermint Bark I fell in love with peppermint bark coffee creamer last year and went to store and bought 7 bottles of it in Jan so I would have some all year now it looks like I will be saving money making my own and I’m sure taste much better also Thank You

    1. When you find a good thing, you have to stock up! 🙂 I hope you love my peppermint bark recipe as much as the creamer! It is a family favorite recipe for sure!

  3. Sometimes, when I make peppermint bark, my white chocolate and milk chocolate layers separate. It happens when I “break” it apart to serve. Any suggestions or know why this happens? Thanks!

    1. Hi Fran,
      This has never happened to me, but maybe this will help.
      Let the peppermint bark come to room temperature before breaking apart. Make sure white chocolate contains cocoa butter and not oils which will cause it to separate from the chocolate layer when breaking. Thanks!

  4. 5 stars
    I just tried this recipe for the first time. My house smells of peppermint and I love it. I just wanted to comment about seized chocolate as both my milk chocolate and white chocolate seized when I added the extract. Admittedly my milk chocolate was way too hot when I added the extract. I’ve never known how to recover seized chocolate before but I tried Robyn’s suggestion from other reviewers comments about it and low and behold it worked! I did have to add 2 tsp of coconut oil in the end to each chocolate (1 tsp + heat then stir and repeat until recovered) but it did indeed recover it. I’m here to say all was not lost. Thank you so much for this very simple recovery tip.

  5. 5 stars
    I made these last year and they came out so delicious i decided I am starting a new tradition and making this every year. Thank you for this wonderful recipe! : )

    1. It’s a wonderful tradition, Danielle! It’s one in our home too because my son (and the rest of us) love it so much! I’m so glad you enjoy it! Thanks! xo

  6. Just made the bark. I had trouble finding white choc candy melts. I did find Ghiradelli white chocolate baking bars that contained cocoa butter.
    Where did you find the chips?
    Thanks! Donna

  7. 5 stars
    This recipe worked great for me. I made 5 batches for holiday gifts and it all turned out perfect. Everyone loves peppermint bark.

    1. What a great gift! I’m so happy you enjoy this – it’s my son’s very favorite too! Thanks so much, Jenna! Have a wonderful holiday! xo