Peppermint Bark Recipe (small batch) - Dessert for Two (2024)

Homemade small batch peppermint bark recipe is for the times you need this epic holiday candy, but can't be trusted with a large batch, haha! Or, for the times you want just a little taste of it--plus, it's great use for leftover candy canes. Grab a loaf pan and make this in just 30 minutes!

The amount of peppermint bark that I consume around the holidays is a bit insane. It all starts with the first box my parents gift me the day after Thanksgiving (the one from Williams-Sonoma is what we buy most commonly!), and it continues long into the new year. I view this homemade peppermint bark as not only the best candy of the holiday season, but the best way to use leftover candy canes and peppermints in January!

While I try not to play favorites and give equal love to my Oreo balls and my easy fudge recipe during the holidays, it's two layers of melted chocolate topped with crushed candy canes that wins my heart every time. Let's not forget the time I made Chocolate Tiramisu and layered pieces of peppermint bark under the chocolate ladyfingers and white chocolate mascarpone cream. (It's exactly as delicious as it sounds!)

Ingredients to make this

• semisweet chocolate:You can use your favorite semisweet chocolate chips, or chop up a semisweet chocolate bar. The chocolate bar is a little more forgiving (and melts easier than chocolate chips, so I recommend that the most. We're using semisweet chocolate here because this recipe is quite sweet, and the slight bitterness of this chocolate is so good here.
• white chocolate:You'll need 6 ounces of white chocolate here. Be sure to use real white chocolate, not the white baking chips commonly found next to the chocolate chips. Look above the chocolate chips: baking bars are in the same place in the grocery store.
• peppermint extract:We're going to infuse the semisweet chocolate with peppermint extract to amp up the minty flavor of this bark. If you want to use food safe peppermint oil, you can--just limit it to 2-3 drops.
• neutral oil: When I say neutral oil, I mean an oil that has zero flavor. This is canola oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, or avocado oil. Do not use oils with strong flavors, like olive or coconut! It will alter the final flavor of your dish.
• candy canes: If you can spare 2 leftover candy canes from your stocking, use them! If not, you'll need an ounce of peppermint candies (seen in the photos), about 5-6 peppermints.

Step by step photos

This recipe is so easy and doesn't have many steps, but I'll show you the layering process in a loaf pan.

1. Line a standard 8 or 9" bread loaf pan with parchment paper to ensure the peppermint bark doesn't stick.
2. Next, use a double boiler (or create one by placing a metal bowl over a small pot of simmering water) to melt the semisweet chocolate with ½ teaspoon of the oil. Once it's melted, stir in the peppermint extract.
   
   3. Spread the semisweet chocolate mixture into the bread loaf pan, and place it in the fridge to set. The only reason we're making sure the semisweet chocolate layer sets first is appearance--you'll get two distinct layers in the final product (see photos). But if this isn't important to you, you can layer the white chocolate right on top and skip the setting step.
   
   4. Once the first layer is set, it's time to melt the white chocolate with the remaining ½ teaspoon of oil and pour it on top. After you pour the white chocolate on top of the semisweet chocolate, sprinkle on the crushed candy canes or peppermint candies.
   
   5. Place this mixture back into the fridge to set before breaking it into 6 large pieces. Be sure to keep this peppermint bark in a cool, dry place so the chocolate doesn't melt or become sticky. I like mine cold in the fridge!

Peppermint bark recipe FAQ:

Can you double this recipe to make more peppermint bark candy?

Absolutely. Double the recipe ingredients and method exactly, but use an 8x8" brownie pan to make more bark.

Does this taste like the Williams Sonoma peppermint bark?

As an avid consumer of their bark, I can say YES. I've seen other recipes for peppermint bark on the internet, and they're all too thin. To really mimic the Williams Sonoma, the chocolate needs to be contained in a pan to dry at the proper thickness. Making this recipe in a bread loaf pan for a small batch or a brownie pan for a larger batch is what makes this recipe so great.

Any other ideas for using leftover peppermints and candy canes?

I'm so glad you asked! You should make my candy cane sugar cookiesor my hot cocoa cookies. If you didn't make them for Santa on Christmas Eve, make them for yourself now! I also have a skinny chocolate peppermint mousse recipe that uses crushed candy canes for garnish. If you have any extra chocolate cake mix in your pantry, you can make my small batch chocolate cake mix cupcakes, dip them in ganache and garnish with candy canes. I also happen to think that a peppermint mocha affogato is the world's most perfect dessert drink.