Simple white chocolate and dark chocolate layered bark flavored with peppermint and crushed candy canes. Made with lower sugar and dairy-free chocolate making it a healthier version of traditional Peppermint Bark!
It’s that time of year, friends! Christmas baking season is finally here. December is one of my favorite months between the snow-covered ground, the coziness of our Christmas tree illuminating our living room, and the many festive treats!
I start making a list of all the goodies I want to make for Christmas, starting in November. I take my holiday baking very seriously. One of my top baking priorities this year was to make a healthier peppermint bark because Jonah absolutely loves peppermint bark! It doesn’t get any more festive than chocolate and peppermint, right? You can’t go wrong with that combination.
I want to know what your favorite Christmas treats are! I’m a big cookie fan and love the traditional coookies like Peanut Butter Blossoms (keep your eyes peeled for that recipe!), Molasses, and Frosted Sugar Cookies. This year, I’m going to make a few new recipes that I can’t wait to share!
Now, just because this is a “healthier” version, does not mean it tastes any different than the good old bark that you grew up with. Trust me when I say that this is the real deal.
To make it healthier…
I used dairy-free Dark Chocolate chips for the base and Lily’s White Chocolate chips which are sweetened with Stevia. I was even able to find organic Candy Canes that used natural food coloring from sources like beets!
This recipe is so simple to make and stores really well. This is great to keep on hand for what my mom likes to call “Elf Food” (just a cute way of describing Christmas treats) or to share with family and friends at a Christmas party!
If you try this recipe, leave a comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter for recipes sent straight to your inbox or follow along on Instagram!
Healthier Peppermint Bark
Ingredients
- 1 cup Dark Chocolate Chips I used Daory-Free Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup White Chocolate I used Lily's White Chocolate
- 1 Tbs Coconut Oil
- ⅛ tsp Peppermint Extract
- 2 Candy Canes
Instructions
- Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch or 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. I like to use clips on the sides of the pan to make the parchment paper as flush to the sides as possible. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, add 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil and dark chocolate chips.
- Melt chocolate on low heat, stirring frequently to prevent it from burning.
- Once the dark chocolate is melted, pour it inot the prepared baking pan. Place the baking pan in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes or the freezer for about 8 minutes; or until almost completely set. If it sets completely, the bark layers could separate.
- Repeat the same melting process with the white chocolate.
- Once the chocolate is melted, add the peppermint extract and stir until combined.
- Pour the white chocolate on the dark chocolate layer. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes– to crush, stick the candy canes in a sealed ziplock bag and roll with a rolling pin until crushed.
- Freeze the bark until completely hardened – about 30 minutes. Once hardened, remove from the pan and peel off the parchment. Cut into pieces as large or as small as you want.
