peppermint reindeer bark {super easy recipe} (2024)

By: AutumnUpdated: 6/13/21

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Filed In: Christmas| Christmas Recipes| holidays

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Chocolate bark is fun to make, plus it’s kind of a no-brainer: just melt some chocolate, spread it out, and top with anything that sounds yummy. The kids and I decided to make peppermint reindeer barkfor Christmas, and itturned out pretty adorable. I’ll show you how easy it is to make in a quick video as well as share one of my favorite secrets for making sure your chocolate candies turn out perfect without resorting to adding shortening or using fake chocolate.

peppermint reindeer bark {super easy recipe} (1)

Chocolate can be a little finicky to work with. That’s because once you melt chocolate, it loses it’s temper. That’s right, it gets angry. I would too if someone was trying to melt me. No, seriously, though, “tempered” chocolate is good because it: sets up quickly and doesn’t melt when you touch it, stays shiny and doesn’t get gray streaks, and has a good “snap” when you break off a piece. If you melt chocolate to make chocolate bark and don’t re-temper it, you’ll end up with a finished product that still tastes great, but is a little bendy, a little too easy to melt with your fingers, and possibly spotty or streaky. And we don’t want that.

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Now, the “real” way to temper chocolate involves heating it to a specific temperature, then letting it cool to another temperature, then “seeding” it with already tempered chocolate…and ya, I’m not nearly patient enough to do that. Don’t worry, there’s a “quick and dirty” method that works really well. If you want to melt an entire bag of milk chocolate chips (which is what you need for today’s recipe), set asideabout 2 tablespoons of the chocolate chips. Pour all the rest of the chips into a microwave safe bowl and microwave them for 30 seconds. Then stir. Repeat one or two more times until the chips are completely melted. Then toss the 2 tablespoons of chips you kept out back in, andkeep stirring until those chips are melted as well. Viola: tempered chocolate that won’t streak as it sets up and won’t melt on your fingertips when you eat it.

In addition to 1 bag of melted milk chocolate chips, you’ll need candy eyes, red m&ms, mini pretzel twists and 1 candy cane to make the peppermint reindeer bark. Crush the candy cane and cut up the pretzelsto make antlers. (NOTE: Breaking the pretzels doesn’t really work – you need to cut them. I found the best way to do it is put a pretzel down on a cutting board, line up a knife on top of it, and kinda smack the back of the knife with your hand to get it to cut right through. You’ll end up destroying some pretzels, but hey, the kids will have fun doing it. And they might find out that it’s really easy to get them to break perfectly if you do it with your teeth, like mine did. Of course, then you probably better not give it away 🙂

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And watch this quick video to see how to put it all together:

Easy as can be, right? When it’s all done, just line a cute Christmas tin or box with wax paper and tuck the bark inside for a pretty DIY Christmas gift, or keep it on the counter fora fun holiday treat.

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Looking for more Christmas treats? Check out these posts:

25 adorable Christmas treats to make with kids

Easy Christmas Oreo pops

Christmas tree spinach dip breadsticks

How to make rocky road candy

Marshmallow Snowman for your hot chocolate

Easy to decorate M+M sugar cookies

The LEFT RIGHT Christmas gift exchange game (it’s hilarious!)

Meet Autumn

Hello there! I’m a busy mom of five who loves to make things. Crafts, recipes, sewing, holiday projects: I’ve tried them all, and you can too! I love EASY projects anyone can make.

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  1. Rebecca says

    OMG!!!! A real professional video job! I really liked it, except I started comparing this with my sticky, cluttered kitchen. Developed some kitchen envy! Then I thought: Hey, what a good idea! Gonna try it for real!

    Reply

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peppermint reindeer bark {super easy recipe} (2024)

FAQs

What's peppermint bark made of? ›

What is peppermint bark made of? It's just three simple ingredients: white chocolate, peppermint oil, and peppermint candies! If you have extra candy canes lying around, crush 'em up and use those instead.

How do you make peppermint bark that doesn't separate? ›

How do you keep peppermint bark from separating? The trick for chocolate peppermint bark layers that stick together is to add the white chocolate layer before the semisweet layer is completely set. Refrigerate the first layer for about 20 minutes until the top is firm but not solid and cold.

How long is peppermint bark good for? ›

A: Peppermint bark has a shelf life of 1 year.

Who made the original peppermint bark? ›

The origins of peppermint bark are unclear. Williams Sonoma introduced its version and popularized it in 1998, though the confection existed as early as 1966 in the United States.

Is peppermint bark safe for dogs? ›

Peppermint bark, chocolate-covered mints, or other chocolate and peppermint combinations can potentially cause chocolate toxicity in dogs. Ingesting a small amount of chocolate may only cause GI upset.

Why is my peppermint bark sticky? ›

No, peppermint bark doesn't need to be refrigerated. In fact, keeping it in the fridge can cause it to get sticky as moisture collects on the peppermint candy. Remember, this is just candy. You don't normally keep your candy in the fridge, so no need to do it here.

Why is my peppermint bark soft? ›

If you leave your bark out at room temperature the peppermint bark will tend to be soft. Place back in the refrigerator to harden it back up.

Why does peppermint bark split? ›

Be sure to let the bark chill until it's completely set. If you try to break it before the layers are totally firm and bonded together, it can come apart. The final tip is to let your finished bark come back to room temperature before you break it up.

Where do you store peppermint bark? ›

Remove the Peppermint Bark from the pan by lifting the edges of the aluminum foil. Peel back the foil and break, or cut, the bark into small irregular pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Who makes Costco peppermint bark? ›

If that price tag sounds scary, we don't blame you. So when we discovered that Costco sells their own peppermint bark at a fraction of the price, we ran to our nearest warehouse. Kirkland-brand peppermint bark comes in 21-ounce containers and costs mere 9.99.

What is it called peppermint bark? ›

Like other forms of sheet candy, such as brittle, peppermint bark is generally made by pouring tempered chocolate over the top of crushed hard peppermint. Once the chocolate has cooled, it's then cut up or broken into smaller pieces.

Can peppermints go bad? ›

Like food, mints also have an expiration date. If mints are not stored properly, they will eventually go bad. Mints past their expiration date show signs of discoloration and stop giving off their fresh peppermint aroma.

What does peppermint bark taste like? ›

The peppermint shards are plentiful but not stabby or unpleasant to eat. We really liked Choceur's dark chocolate peppermint bark as well, but the white chocolate version stood out as a must-buy product. It's creamy and melts in your mouth. It doesn't just taste like sugar; it tastes like good white chocolate.

How do you store homemade bark? ›

Storage temperature

Our chefs recommend storing chocolate bark at a cool room temperature of around 12 to 20 degrees Celsius. In addition, make sure to keep your chocolate bark tightly closed in an airtight container, separated from other foodstuffs that contain strong odors such as meat and cheese.

Why do they call it peppermint bark? ›

The name "bark" or "candy bark" doesn't exactly explain itself, does it? Barks like this peppermint bark are called that because of the way the chocolate candy breaks into craggy pieces that resemble the layers and borders of tree bark. Also, many barks are made with dark chocolates, so the color is similar, too.

What is bark candy made of? ›

Like other forms of sheet candy, such as brittle, peppermint bark is generally made by pouring tempered chocolate over the top of crushed hard peppermint. Once the chocolate has cooled, it's then cut up or broken into smaller pieces.

What are the ingredients in tree bark? ›

Chemical composition

Bark tissues make up by weight between 10 and 20% of woody vascular plants and consists of various biopolymers, tannins, lignin, suberin and polysaccharides.

Is peppermint natural or man made? ›

Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a hybrid species of mint, a cross between watermint and spearmint. Indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, the plant is now widely spread and cultivated in many regions of the world. It is occasionally found in the wild with its parent species.

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