Marbled Peppermint Bark
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With swirls of semi-sweet and white chocolate sprinkled with crushed candy canes, peppermint bark makes a festive holiday treat.
If you’re looking for a homemade Christmas gift that’s super quick and easy, look no further than the marbled peppermint bark from America’s Test Kitchen. With swirls of semi-sweet and white chocolate sprinkled with crushed peppermint candies, it makes a festive treat. And when I say the recipe is super quick and easy, I’m not exaggerating. It was created for the America’s Test Kitchen kids website for children ages 5 to 8, has just three ingredients, and is made entirely in the microwave. Marbling the chocolate not only looks pretty but also prevents the layers of semi-sweet and white chocolate from separating when cut (a common pitfall when making homemade peppermint bark).
“I love, love, love this easy peppermint bark. Not only is it super easy to make, my grandchildren couldn’t get enough of it.”
What You’ll Need To Make Marbled Peppermint Bark
- Candy Canes or Peppermint Candies: Provide the peppermint flavor and festive color and crunch.
- Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips: Form the base layer of rich chocolate in the bark. Use best quality such as Ghiradelli.
- White Chocolate Chips: Create the bark’s contrasting layer and beautiful marbled effect. Use best quality such as Ghiradelli.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Crush the Candy
Place candy canes or candies in a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag, making sure to press out all the air. Use a rolling pin to gently pound the candy into small pieces. Do your best not to pulverize the candy, as small pieces look prettier on the bark (you should have just shy of ½ cup pieces).
Step 2: Melt the Chocolates
In a medium bowl, heat the semi-sweet chocolate chips in microwave at 50 percent power until mostly melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Note that the chips may not appear melted after the full cooking time in the microwave, but when you stir them, you’ll find that they’re very soft and will melt quickly once stirred.
Stir until smooth.
In a second medium bowl, melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave as directed above.
Stir until smooth.
Step 3: Layer and Swirl the Chocolates
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the melted semi-sweet chocolate into a foil-lined baking dish and smooth the top, making sure to get all the way to the corners of the dish.
Drizzle the melted white chocolate in ribbons over the entire semi-sweet chocolate layer.
Drag the tip of a butter knife through the chocolate to create swirls, lifting the semi-sweet chocolate over the white chocolate to create nice marbling. Be careful not to swirl too much – less is more here! Don’t worry if the surface doesn’t appear flat.
Sprinkle the pounded candy evenly over the chocolate. Tap the pan firmly against the counter three or four times to level the chocolate (this also helps the candy sink into the chocolate and adhere).
Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes, and then remove the pan from the refrigerator. Use the foil overhang to lift the bark out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board.
Peel off the foil.
Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut the bark into pieces.
Store the bark in a covered container at cool room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Do not freeze.
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Marbled Peppermint Bark
With swirls of semi-sweet and white chocolate sprinkled with crushed candy canes, peppermint bark makes a festive holiday treat.
Ingredients
- 6 large candy canes, 18 mini candy canes, or 20 peppermint candies
- 1 bag (about 2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips, best quality such as Ghiradelli
- 1 bag (about 2 cups) white chocolate chips, best quality such as Ghiradelli
Instructions
- Line a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with wide heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing a slight overhang on each side.
- Place candy canes or candies in a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag, making sure to press out all the air. Use a rolling pin to gently pound the candy into small pieces. Do your best not to pulverize the candy; small pieces look prettier on the bark (you should have just shy of ½ cup pieces).
- In a medium bowl, heat the semi-sweet chocolate chips in microwave at 50 percent power until mostly melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir until smooth. In a second medium bowl, repeat with white chocolate chips. Note that the chips may not appear melted after the full cooking time in the microwave, but when you stir them, you'll find that they're very soft and will melt quickly once stirred. (Pro Tip: When working with chocolate, be sure your bowls and utensils are completely dry. Water is the enemy of melted chocolate and will cause it to seize up.)
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape the melted semi-sweet chocolate into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top, making sure to get all the way to the corners of the dish.
- Drizzle the melted white chocolate in ribbons over the entire semi-sweet chocolate layer.
- Drag the tip of a butter knife through the chocolate to create swirls, lifting the semi-sweet chocolate over the white chocolate to create nice marbling. Be careful not to swirl too much – less is more here! Don't worry if the surface doesn't appear flat.
- Sprinkle the pounded candy evenly over the chocolate. Tap the pan firmly against the counter three or four times to level the chocolate (this also helps the candy sink into the chocolate and adhere). Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the refrigerator. Use the foil overhang to lift the bark out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Peel off the foil. Using a sharp chef's knife, cut the bark into pieces.
- Store the bark in a covered container at cool room temperature, or in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week. If refrigerated, let the bark come to room temperature before serving. Do not freeze.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 piece bark
- Calories: 186
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Sugar: 21 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 15 mg
- Cholesterol: 3 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn, how about chopped nuts instead of peppermint? Would that work? Merry Christmas/ Happy Hanukkah!
Sure, Sue, that should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
My husband purchased milk chocolate chips instead of semi sweet. Will this still work?
Thanks.
Hi Sharen, It should still work. Enjoy!
Thanks so much Jenn. Merry Christmas!
Is there another brand of chocolate you recommend? It’s been impossible to find Ghirardelli. Thanks!
Hi Catherine, either Bakers or Nestle would be fine. Enjoy!
Jenn! I hope this get this message in time! Can I mail this in a tin? Will it melt? I want to get it in the mail today if possible!
Hi Colleen, It should be fine assuming you’re not sending it to a hot climate. 🙂
Hi Jenn – a quick question…..for a dark chocolate person, can the Ghiraradelli bittersweet chips be used instead of the semi-sweet ones? You are the best – my family and I love all of your recipes! Italian Meatloaf and Parmesan smashed potatoes will be made tomorrow for Sunday dinner.
Hi Joan, Yes bittersweet chocolate chips will work perfectly. So happy you enjoy the recipes! 🙂
Hi, Jen, I don’t have a microwave Can I melt the chocolate on the stove over simmering water?
Sure!
love making this for Christmas each year, but I never tried the swirling before. Thanks so much for the idea. I do add peppermint extract to the chocolate and white parts to give it a bit more peppermint taste, though. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
I love, love, love this easy peppermint bark. Not only is it super easy to make, my grandchildren couldn’t get enough of it.
Thanks Jenn, you’ve done it again!
Merry Christmas, Fran
Easy peasy and addictive. I crush the peppermint quite a bit to avoid large chucks of candy cane but I definitely use the whole amount (6 candy canes). Super delicious and so pretty on a Christmas goodie platter.
delicious! Fast and Easy…being from central PA we are Hershey fans, but Ghiradelli – wow what a difference in taste! Will be purchasing Ghiradelli from now on. Unfortunately the supple chain was broken with no candy canes! Used pre-crushed which worked well just no big chunks.
Thanks for recipe! a