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.

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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. Alisia says

    Love the idea. Hate watching videos in order to get a recipe. Is there a written version?

    Reply

  2. 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

  3. Debbie Lalonde says

    Hi, do you think this would work with any kind of chips, ? I only have a cup of milk and 2/3 bag of semi sweet chips, My sister likes dark chocolate so may try them with that too…

    Reply

  4. Connie says

    Just made two batches and it was easy and fast. Purchased candy eyes in the baking section of my local grocery. Scored the chocolate & broke into pieces. Fun project.

    Reply

  5. Sally Ann says

    Love love love this idea!! Using same concept on homemade almond toffee. Used nestle white chocolate chips for eyes turned upside down than a dab of black tubed cake gel for eyes. Will also be decorating my famous fudge this way this year.

    Reply

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peppermint reindeer bark {super easy recipe} (2024)

FAQs

What is peppermint bark made from? ›

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 keep peppermint bark layers from separating? ›

Tips for Making the Best Peppermint Bark

You can also pick up the baking pan and tip it to help the chocolate slide around. Why are my layers separating? You may have chilled the layers for too long. Only refrigerate the bottom and middle layer for 10–15 minutes before spreading the next layer on top.

How do you crush candy canes for peppermint bark? ›

You can use crushed candy canes or crushed peppermint candies, whichever you prefer. I find that the easiest way to crush the candy is to place it in a resealable bag, then use a meat mallet or rolling pin to break it into small pieces.

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.

What happens if my dog eats peppermint bark? ›

Can dogs eat peppermint candy? If your dog eats peppermint candy such a candy canes, peppermint bark, or peppermints, it might just cause an upset stomach. But it could also be life-threatening.

What can I use instead of parchment paper for peppermint bark? ›

You'll need parchment paper to make the recipe work properly; don't try to replace it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. The bark looks attractive either cut or broken into ragged pieces. I pllace in cookie boxes lined with red cellophane.

How long is peppermint bark good for? ›

Frequently Asked Questions. How long is peppermint bark good for? Peppermint bark will last at room temperature for 2 weeks or in the refrigerator for 3 weeks.

How long does store bought peppermint bark last? ›

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

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 it called 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.

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.

Is peppermint bark a good gift? ›

The best peppermint bark is an absolutely essential holiday treat. It doesn't really feel like the holidays until you're in possession of a tin of chocolate covered in peppermint candy someone pulverized with a hammer.

How do you crush peppermints easily? ›

Look to this quick, mess-free tip for crushing peppermint candies. Coarsely crush the peppermint candies in a resealable plastic bag using the smooth side of a meat mallet. Since the candies are so hard, the heftiness of the mallet is the best thing for breaking them up quickly.

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.

Why is peppermint bark so good? ›

The cooling, refreshing taste pairs perfectly in nearly every wintertime treat: cookies, co*cktails, and even cheesecake. Most of us can agree, however, that peppermint bark is the best minty dessert of all time. What's not to like? It's chocolatey, crisp, crunchy, and super festive.

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.

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