Rich, easy, and just 3 ingredients, this vegan peppermint bark is the perfect holiday treat or homemade gift!
I love making peppermint bark this time of year. It's so simple, with just 3 ingredients, and it doesn't require any cooking or baking. I love finishing my dinner with a piece of this chocolaty, minty treat.
Not only is this recipe allergy-free (dairy-free/nut-free/gluten-free), but it makes a beautiful and festive gift with the chocolate swirls and crushed peppermint candies. And for more homemade holiday gift ideas, try these Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies, this Pecan Rosemary Chocolate Bark, these Chocolate Covered Pecans, or these Spicy Candied Mixed Nuts!
👩🏻🍳 Why This Recipe Works
Super easy with just 3 ingredients
Fun activity with kids
Festive and healthy snack
Makes a beautiful homemade gift
No special equipment needed
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💭 Pro Tips
Add ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract (a little bit goes a long way) for an extra boost of peppermint flavor.
To crush candy canes/peppermint candies, place them in a sealed plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.
Use an offset spatula or knife to easily spread chocolate into swirls.
Since this bark only contains 3 ingredients, be sure to use high quality chocolate.
Makes an excellent gift: Place bark in a holiday tin or cellophane bag with a ribbon, and give it to your friends and family as a homemade holiday gift.
How to store: This bark can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
🍫 What You'll Need
- Vegan dark chocolate chips - One of my favorite brands for dairy-free dark chocolate is Guittard. They make 60% dark chocolate chips that are delicious and also melt well for recipes like this.
- Vegan white chocolate - Vegan white chocolate can be harder to find, but most whole food stores carry at least one brand, and Amazon carries several brands as well.
- Candy canes - Use your favorite brand of candy canes or peppermint candies.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2. Place dark chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second increments in the microwave, stirring with a rubber spatula after each increment. Repeat this process until chocolate is almost completely melted. When it's at this stage, continue to stir until all of the chocolate is completely melted. Set aside.
Step 3. Repeat the same process with the white chocolate, placing white chocolate in a bowl and heating it in the microwave, stirring frequently. When white chocolate is completely melted and smooth, set it aside.
Step 4. Pour dark chocolate onto baking sheet and spread evenly with an offset spatula or back of a large spoon. Drizzle white chocolate all over dark chocolate. Working quickly, use a knife to make pretty swirls throughout chocolate.
Step 5. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and press lightly with a spatula or back of spoon to adhere.
Step 6. Freeze until hardened, about 5-10 minutes. Break into pieces (customize this to your preferred size) and serve.
⏲️ Variations
- Crush your peppermint candies until you get what is essentially candy dust, and sprinkle that on top of your melted chocolate.
- Use milk chocolate in place of one of the chocolates (if you aren't a strict vegan).
- All white chocolate
- Layered bark - when the dark chocolate is almost set up (but still wet), add white chocolate and spread with a spoon or spatula.
- All dark chocolate
📋 Frequently Asked Questions
The short answer is: it doesn't have to be! The Williams-Sonoma bark (and other store-bought versions) are not made vegan. And you can easily make this recipe using non-vegan dark and white chocolate.
Yes, completely gluten-free.
Store your bark in an airtight container at room temperature and it will last up to 3 weeks. It does not need to be refrigerated.
Yes! Wrap your bark in foil and place it into a freezer bag. You can store it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
White chocolate and almond bark are two different products, but can be interchangeable.
Almond bark is made with vegetable fats, sugar, flavors, and coloring. It contains no chocolate, and is more of a confectionary coating. It melts very easily because it was made specifically for melting.
White chocolate is technically not chocolate because it doesn't contain cocoa solids. It is made from cocoa butter, milk solids, and sugar. It has a creamier taste compared to almond bark because of the cocoa butter.
Enjoy your week, and feel free to drop me a line in the comments – I would love to hear if you try this recipe! Or tag me on Instagram @maryannehoekstra to let me know how it turned out! Also, if you are enjoying my blog, please consider recommending it to your friends. They can subscribe here.
📖 Vegan Peppermint Bark Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces vegan dark chocolate chips
- 4 ounces vegan white chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 4 candy canes, coarsely crushed
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place dark chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second increments in the microwave, stirring with a rubber spatula after each increment. Repeat this process until chocolate is almost completely melted. When it's at this stage, continue to stir until all of the chocolate is completely melted. Set aside.
- Repeat the same process with the white chocolate, placing white chocolate in a bowl and heating it in the microwave, stirring frequently. When white chocolate is completely melted and smooth, set it aside.
- Pour dark chocolate onto baking sheet and spread evenly with an offset spatula or back of a large spoon. Drizzle white chocolate all over dark chocolate. Working quickly, use a knife to make pretty swirls throughout chocolate.
- Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and press lightly with a spatula or back of spoon to adhere.
- Freeze until hardened, about 5-10 minutes. Break into pieces (customize this to your preferred size) and serve.
Jessica
This was so easy, and was a huge hit with my daughter's holiday party at school. Definitely making more for holiday gifts!
Gastronotherapy
So happy to hear that it was a hit, Jessica! I love giving this bark for holiday gifts!