This White Chocolate Peppermint Bark is an easy, festive treat perfect for Christmas and Valentine's Day. Sweet, minty, and crowd-pleasing, it also makes a lovely homemade gift for a simple holiday candy box everyone will love.
Why You'll Love This White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Recipe
This microwave peppermint bark recipe is the perfect combination of chocolate and sweet, with a nice crunch from the peppermint candies. It's so easy to make, and it would make a great gift for your friends and family.
Ingredients Overview
This delicious copycat Ghirardelli peppermint bark takes just a few minutes using your microwave. All you need is some white and chocolate chips or candy melts, peppermint extract, and candy canes. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Making White Chocolate Peppermint Bark
Line a rimmed baking or cookie tray with parchment paper. I don't recommend wax paper, the wax melts into the chocolate, making the candy stick to the paper.
- Start with a microwave safe bowl and a spatula. Measure the chocolate into the bowl.
- Crush the peppermint candy canes between two Silpat mats, or using a food processor on short pulses. Set the broken candy bits aside, divided in half.
- Add the cocoa wafers (6 wafers per lb of chocolate) and microwave for 1 minute. Microwave for 1 minute, remove and stir.
- Continue to microwave with 20 second bursts, stirring after each zap until smooth.
- Pour melted chocolate onto a parchment lined tray. Spread the melted chocolate to cover the bottom of the cookie tray.
- Place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to firm up partially.
- Remove the tray of dark chocolate from the refrigerator and set aside while preparing the white chocolate layer.
You want the chocolate layer to still be a bit soft when you spread the white chocolate layer on top of it. If the chocolate layer is completely set, the two chocolates can separate when snapped into chunks.
- You can measure and start preparing the white chocolate while waiting for the dark chocolate to set up partially.
- Repeat the candy melting process like you did with the chocolate, using the microwave with the white chocolate.
- Stir the peppermint extract and ½ the crushed candy canes into the melted chocolate.
PRO TIP: Use a few cocoa butter wafers or coconut oil to prevent seizing.
- Spread the melted white chocolate with the crushed candy cane bits over the top of the partially firm dark chocolate.
- Sprinkle the remaining crushed candy cane all over the top of the still soft white chocolate layer.
- Sprinkle a few of the red jimmies on the peppermint bark.
- Let the microwave peppermint bark firm up a few hours. Or, place in the refrigerator to harden faster. Once hard, snap into pieces.
Serving Suggestions
White chocolate peppermint bark is the perfect treat to leave out for guests during the holiday season. It's also a fabulous gift for special people like your children's school teachers, the UPS guy, or the neighbors.
For more giftable treats, see our Sea Salt Chocolate Almond Clusters, Valentine's Chocolate Covered Pretzels, and Peanut Butter Fudge.
Substitutions and Variations
This recipe replicates the Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark that is so wonderful. However, there are several other variations you can try:
- I used dark chocolate candy wafers, and vanilla candy wafers. You can use regular chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.
- You can also substitute coconut oil for the cocoa butter wafers also.
- Chocolate Peppermint Bark - Make one layer dark chocolate, the second layer Milk Chocolate. Follow the instructions otherwise.
- White Peppermint Bark - This version uses only white chocolate. No dark chocolate at all. Just use double the amount of the white chocolate.
Tips for Success
- Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Don't use wax paper, the candy will melt the wax and stick.
- Crush the candy canes with a rolling pin, with the candies between two Silpat mats. The pieces are will cut through parchment paper and plastic baggies.
- Microwave in short bursts. You can use the defrost setting if your microwave seems to be heating too hot.
Storage Options
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight plastic or metal container.
- I save old butter cookie tins for my Christmas candy batches!
Related Recipes
- Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bark
- Homemade Peppermint Patties
- Dark Chocolate Almond Clusters with Sea Salt
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Valentine's Day Strawberry Fudge
Frequently Asked Questions
This Ghirardelli style white chocolate peppermint bark will take 2-3 hours to set up at room temperature. You can speed this up by placing the tray of bark in the freezer for about an hour.
You can freeze this White Chocolate Peppermint Bark for up to 3 months. Place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight so that it does not condensate with moisture.
Christmas Recipes
Get The Recipe!
White Chocolate Peppermint Bark
Equipment
- Large Rimmed Cookie sheet with cooling racks
- Cocoa Butter wafers or shortening
Ingredients
- 16 oz semi sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate candy wafers
- 16 oz white chocolate chips or vanilla or white chocolate candy wafers
- 2 oz cocoa butter wafers (or coconut oil)
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 cup candy canes crushed, about 6 large, divided in 2 portions
- 2 tablespoon red decorative jimmies
Instructions
- Prepare a metal, rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper. Fit it so that the parchment comes up the sides. Crush the candy canes between two Silpat mats with a rolling pin, or use a food processor to pulse them.
- Place the semi sweet chocolate chips in a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, and then repeat in 20 second increments until melted. Stir until smooth. If the chocolate starts to thicken or get stiff, add a few cocoa butter wafers to thin it down, stirring it in well.16 oz semi sweet chocolate chips, 2 oz cocoa butter
- Spread the melted chocolate into the prepared parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to partially set up.
- Repeat the process with the white chocolate chips in another medium microwave safe bowl. Add the peppermint extract and stir until smooth. Again, if the white chocolate seems too thick, or is seizing, add a few of the cocoa butter wafers to melt into it. You can also use coconut oil.16 oz white chocolate chips, ½ teaspoon peppermint extract, 2 oz cocoa butter
- Mix ½ of the crushed candy canes into the melted white chocolate, then spread out evenly over the dark chocolate.1 cup candy canes
- Scatter the remaining crushed candy canes and the red decorative jimmies on the top of the white chocolate. Let harden for 2-3 hours on the counter, or refrigerate for an hour. Remove and snap into chunks.2 tablespoon red decorative jimmies
Notes
- Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Don't use wax paper, the candy will melt the wax and stick.
- Crush the candy canes with a rolling pin, with the candies between two Silpat mats.
- Cocoa butter wafers work better than coconut oil because they are harder after set up. But, coconut oil is a perfect substitute.
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