Chocolate Peppermint Bark Shards (Printable)

Rich dark and white chocolate layers combined with peppermint create a festive treat.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chocolate Layers

01 - 7 oz high-quality dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), chopped
02 - 7 oz high-quality white chocolate, chopped

→ Peppermint

03 - 1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract, divided
04 - 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy canes or peppermint hard candies (about 3 large candy canes or 10 hard candies)

# How To Make It:

01 - Line a 9x13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Melt dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water or in 30-second bursts in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Stir in 1/4 tsp peppermint extract.
03 - Pour melted dark chocolate onto prepared baking sheet and spread evenly to about 1/4 inch thickness. Chill for 10–15 minutes until just set.
04 - Melt white chocolate using the same method as dark chocolate. Stir in remaining 1/4 tsp peppermint extract.
05 - Pour white chocolate over set dark layer and gently spread to cover quickly to avoid melting the layer below.
06 - Evenly sprinkle crushed peppermint candies on white chocolate and lightly press to adhere.
07 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until completely firm.
08 - Lift bark from pan using parchment and break into irregular pieces by hand.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when you actually spent less time than it takes to watch a movie.
  • The contrast between smooth, creamy chocolate and that sharp peppermint crack is pure magic on your tongue.
  • It's the kind of treat people expect to be complicated, so they're always amazed when you casually tell them how simple it is.
  • You can gift it wrapped in parchment and ribbon, and it feels genuinely luxurious rather than homemade in a rushed way.
02 -
  • Peppermint extract is strong—I learned this the hard way by doubling it once and creating something that tasted like I'd licked a candy cane for an hour straight.
  • Temperature matters more than you'd think; if your dark chocolate layer isn't set enough, the white chocolate will sink through and create a murky middle instead of distinct layers.
  • Don't stir the white chocolate into the dark layer unless you actually want a marbled effect—the goal is contrast and clean lines.
03 -
  • If you mess up the spreading, remember that rustic and uneven is actually more charming than perfect—imperfection is part of homemade's appeal.
  • A bench scraper or offset spatula makes spreading easier, but honestly, the back of a spoon works just fine if that's all you have.

Go Back