Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Ginny McMeans

Published:

November 17, 2023

Last Modified:

May 20, 2026

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Chocolate Peppermint Bark is made with deep rich chocolate that has hints of a minty flavor and little bits of peppermint candy cane. So easy to make!

a piece of chocolate peppermint bark is lifted from the serving bowl

Candy Canes only come out at Christmas. They come in a multitude of colors and flavors now, but the traditional red and white peppermint candy cane is dear (and delicious) to all of us. Not only on the Christmas tree, but in our special treats too.

We all want to have lots of treats over the holidays. They should taste delicious, but why not make them easy, too? This is a treat that is not only a special indulgence, but it is pretty too. Imagine a pretty bowl filled with this lovely bark alongside smaller bowls of assorted nuts and cookies. What a perfect treat table.

It would also make a nice present. After they have cooled, just pack them in a cellophane bag and tie them with a beautiful ribbon. Nice gift for the party giver, too!

Ingredient Notes

ingredients needed to make vegan chocolate peppermint bark

Solid vegan chocolate – Use any type of vegan chocolate that you like best! Some people love the strong flavor of that high percent dark chocolate, while I’ve found that the semi-sweet chocolate tends to be favored by most. Check out my Best Vegan Chocolate taste test and review for a few of my favorite recommendations!
Crushed candy canes – I see vegan candy canes in most stores around the holidays. Whatever brand you choose, just double check the ingredients label; there’s a good chance if it’s organic, it’s vegan. If you’re having trouble finding candy canes, you could also use crushed peppermint candies.
Peppermint extract – While the crushed peppermint candy gives flavor to the top of your vegan chocolate bark, using peppermint extract to infuse a bit of flavor into the chocolate itself gives a rich, festive taste in every bite!

Note: This chocolate bark recipe is extremely flexible! Feel free to mix and match different toppings like: dried cranberries, pistachios, vegan sprinkles, chopped peanuts, dried cherries, chopped cashews, and crushed pretzels.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Melt. Place your chopped vegan chocolate, chunks, or chips in a double boiler over low-medium heat. Allow it to warm gently, stirring often, until completely melted and smooth. When working with chocolate in a double boiler, be very careful to not accidentally splash any water into the chocolate, as even just a drop could cause it to seize up.
Add candy canes. Add the crushed candy canes to the melted chocolate, making sure to reserve ¼ cup for topping later.
Add extract. Pour peppermint extract into the pot with chocolate mixture.
Stir. Stir the chocolate, candy, and extract together until well-combined and cohesive.
Transfer. Turn the chocolate mixture out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Spread. Use a rubber spatula to spread the mixture as evenly as possible across the surface of the baking sheet.

Sprinkle. Sprinkle the surface of the melted chocolate mixture with additional crushed candy canes.
Chill. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill for about 1 hour until the chocolate is hard.
Break. Once firm, remove the baking sheet from the fridge and break your chocolate bark into irregular, pointy pieces.
Serve. Stack your chocolate peppermint bark into a bowl, on a plate, or however you’d like to serve it and enjoy!

Tips From Ligia

To get rustic wedges of chocolate peppermint bark:
Use a tool like a bench scraper or metal spatula to crack and cut the bark into shards. Part of the appeal of this treat is those rustic, sharp corners and unevenly shaped pieces. They’re like snowflakes, each one is different!

If your chocolate seizes:
Don’t worry, it happens to all of us at some point! Unfortunately, seized chocolate is very difficult to bring back once it goes all clumpy and grainy. My best advice: start your peppermint bark again with fresh chocolate and double check that your bowl and utensils are super dry to start. Don’t toss the seized batch just yet though! Let it harden, then chop it up and use as chocolate bits in your next batch of Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies or Vegan Blondies.

How To Store

At Room Temperature Pack your peppermint bark in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.

Refrigerating If the ambient temperature is warm though, you’ll want to keep your bark in the fridge to keep it from melting. Pack it between layers of parchment paper and store in the fridge. The bark may get a bit of condensation on the surface when it comes back up to room temperature, so just gently pat it dry with a paper towel before serving.