Christmas bark is the easiest candy you can make in December. You melt chocolate, spread it on a pan, scatter toppings over the top, and let it set. There is no mixer, no thermometer, and no fussy shaping. Break it into pieces and it looks like you spent hours on it.
This list covers the whole range of Christmas bark recipes. There are peppermint barks in three different styles, a cranberry pistachio bark that takes three ingredients, saltine toffee bark, a gingerbread house bark the kids can decorate, a reindeer bark with pretzel antlers, and a dark chocolate orange bark that tastes like it came from a chocolate shop. Most take under 30 minutes of hands-on time, and almost all pack neatly into tins and gift bags.
Pick one for the cookie tray and one for gifting.
1. Classic Peppermint Bark
Sally’s version is the classic for a reason. It has three layers: white chocolate on the bottom, semi-sweet chocolate in the middle, and white chocolate on top, with peppermint extract stirred into the first two layers and crushed candy canes scattered over the finish. Five ingredients, about 30 minutes of prep, and an hour in the fridge to set. It keeps for a few days at room temperature and up to three weeks in the fridge.
Recipe by Sally McKenney of Sally’s Baking Addiction: Classic Peppermint Bark
2. Cranberry Pistachio Bark
Aubrey’s bark uses only three ingredients: white chocolate, shelled pistachios, and dried cranberries. Half the chocolate melts in a double boiler, then the rest stirs in off the heat, which gives the finished bark a smooth, glossy surface. Whole pistachios and cranberries fold into the chocolate, and chopped ones go on top for a finished look. It chills in about 30 minutes and keeps up to a week in a cool, airtight container. It contains pistachios, so note that on any gift tag.
Recipe by Aubrey of Real Housemoms: Cranberry Pistachio Bark
3. Easy Peppermint Bark with Oreos
Rebecca built this bark to use up leftover candy canes, and it shows in the best way. Dark chocolate forms the base, then a white chocolate layer goes on top with crushed Oreos and crushed candy canes stirred right in. Peppermint oil gives it the mint flavor, and she warns to use it sparingly, since a little goes a long way. The bark keeps for up to two weeks at room temperature.
Recipe by Rebecca Frey of Baste Cut Fold: Easy Peppermint Bark with Oreos
4. Salted Caramel Chocolate Bark
Melissa calls this her shortcut to turtle candies, and the idea holds up. Dark chocolate, at least 60 percent cacao, spreads into a thin layer, then melted caramels drizzle over the top with chopped pecans and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. A second drizzle of chocolate holds it together. It takes about 15 minutes, and her microwave tempering method helps it set glossy with a clean snap. It keeps for several weeks in a cool, dry place. It contains pecans.
Recipe by Melissa of Mama Gourmand: Salted Caramel Chocolate Bark
5. Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Bark
Risa’s bark is the sweet and salty one to make when you want crunch in every bite. Semi-sweet and milk chocolate melt together and spread into a thin layer, then mini pretzels and salted roasted peanuts press into the surface. Melted caramels pour over the top, a little reserved chocolate drizzles over that, and coarse sea salt finishes it. It sets in about two hours and keeps one to two weeks at room temperature. It contains peanuts.
Recipe by Risa’s Family Kitchen: Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Bark
6. Vegan Peppermint Bark
Katie’s vegan peppermint bark needs only three ingredients: dairy-free dark chocolate chips, dairy-free white chocolate chips, and crushed candy canes, with optional peppermint extract. The dark layer spreads first and chills while the white layer melts, then the candy goes on top and the whole slab freezes for ten minutes to set. It takes about 15 minutes start to finish and keeps a week on the counter or a month in the fridge.
Recipe by Katie of Chocolate Covered Katie: Vegan Peppermint Bark
7. Gingerbread House White Chocolate Bark
Becky’s bark packs every flavor of a gingerbread house into one slab, with none of the building. Melted vanilla almond bark spreads on a baking sheet, then the toppings go on while it is still wet: Christmas M&Ms, multicolored gumdrops, soft peppermint puffs, crumbled gingerbread cookies, and pastel mini marshmallows. It keeps two weeks at room temperature and freezes for up to six months. It contains mini marshmallows, so it is not gelatin-free.
Recipe by Becky Hardin of The Cookie Rookie: Gingerbread House White Chocolate Bark
8. Hot Cocoa Almond Bark
Kristina’s bark tastes like a mug of hot cocoa in solid form. Dark chocolate spreads into a thin layer, white chocolate swirls through it with a spatula for a marbled look, then chopped almonds and mini marshmallows press into the top. A dusting of instant hot cocoa mix goes over everything through a fine sieve. It contains almonds and mini marshmallows, so it is not nut-free or gelatin-free.
Recipe by Kristina LaRue of Love & Zest: Hot Cocoa Almond Bark
9. Saltine Cracker Candy
Andi’s saltine cracker candy, better known as Christmas crack, starts with about 40 saltine crackers laid out on a rimmed baking sheet. Butter and dark brown sugar boil together for exactly three minutes without stirring, pour over the crackers, and bake for five minutes until bubbling. Milk chocolate chips melt on top from the residual heat and spread into a smooth layer. It keeps a week at room temperature or in the fridge, and up to three or four months in the freezer.
Recipe by Andi of Andi Anne: Saltine Cracker Candy
10. Christmas S’mores Graham Cracker Bark
Carly’s s’mores bark is built in layers on a graham cracker base. Twelve graham crackers line the pan, then a melted marshmallow and butter mixture spreads over them, then melted semi-sweet chocolate, then Christmas M&Ms and red, green, and white nonpareils. It chills for about an hour and cuts into 16 pieces. It keeps up to four days at room temperature or a week in the fridge. It contains mini marshmallows.
Recipe by Carly Campbell of Bite Sized Bash: Christmas S’mores Graham Cracker Bark
11. Reindeer Bark
Jaclyn’s reindeer bark is the most fun-looking bark on this list, and it takes about 15 minutes of prep. Melted chocolate spreads into a thin layer, then each reindeer face gets built right on the slab: a halved mini pretzel on each side for antlers, two candy eyes, and a red M&M for the nose. Holiday sprinkles fill the gaps. It chills 30 to 45 minutes, then breaks into pieces, one reindeer per piece if the cuts land right. It keeps up to a week in an airtight container.
Recipe by Jaclyn of Crayons and Cravings: Reindeer Bark
12. Eggnog Cookie Bark
This one starts with a cookie instead of plain chocolate. A Betty Crocker eggnog cookie mix, one egg, and softened butter press into a pan and bake for 10 to 14 minutes until golden. Once the cookie layer cools, melted white chocolate spreads over the top and gets a sprinkle of holiday funfetti or ground cloves. It chills about 15 minutes, then cuts or breaks into 20 pieces. It contains egg and wheat.
Recipe by Crunchy Creamy Sweet: Eggnog Cookie Bark
13. Peanut Butter Chocolate Pretzel Bark
Becky Striepe’s bark uses just three ingredients: vegan chocolate chips, peanut butter, and pretzels. The chocolate melts and spreads on a lined baking sheet, the peanut butter melts separately and drizzles over the top, then a toothpick swirls the two together and pretzel pieces press into the surface. It chills in the freezer for at least 30 minutes and keeps up to a week in a closed container in the fridge. It contains peanuts.
Recipe by Becky Striepe of Glue and Glitter: Peanut Butter Chocolate Pretzel Bark
14. White Chocolate Christmas Bark
Delicious Little Bites makes the prettiest simple bark on this list. White chocolate spreads about a quarter inch thick, then spoonfuls of melted red and green candy melts drop over the top and get swirled with toothpicks. Christmas M&Ms and festive sprinkles go on last. It sets in about 30 minutes in the fridge, or two hours at room temperature, and cuts into about 16 pieces. It keeps two to three weeks in an airtight container below 70 degrees.
Recipe by Delicious Little Bites: White Chocolate Christmas Bark
15. Biscoff White Chocolate Saltine Toffee
Kickass Baker’s version of Christmas crack swaps the usual peanut butter layer for Biscoff cookie butter, which makes it nut-free. Saltine crackers line the tray, butter and brown sugar boil for three minutes and bake briefly, then melted Biscoff spreads over the hot toffee and melted white chocolate bars go on top. Holiday sprinkles finish it, and the tray goes into the freezer for about an hour to set. It keeps up to two weeks at room temperature or in the fridge.
Recipe by Kickass Baker: Biscoff White Chocolate Saltine Toffee
16. Dark Chocolate Orange Bark with Almonds
Gwen’s bark uses three ingredients and takes about ten minutes of prep. Dark chocolate, at least 60 percent cacao, melts in the microwave, then fresh orange zest and toasted almonds stir in. It spreads on a lined sheet pan, gets more zest and almonds on top, and chills for at least ten minutes. It keeps two weeks at room temperature and freezes for up to three months. It contains almonds.
Recipe by Gwen Wolken of A Sweet Thyme: Dark Chocolate Orange Bark with Almonds
17. Oreo Bark
April’s Oreo bark needs only two ingredients: white chocolate and Oreo cookies. Half the melted white chocolate spreads on a lined baking sheet, half the crushed Oreos press into it, then the second half of the chocolate and the rest of the cookies repeat the layers. It sets at room temperature or in the fridge and breaks into pieces. It keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, and the recipe notes say not to freeze it.
Recipe by April Woods of Mama Loves Food: Oreo Bark
18. Christmas Tree White Chocolate Bark
The Decorated Cookie’s bark is the craft project of this list. White chocolate spreads on a wax-paper-lined tray, then pretzel stick halves lay out in rows as tree trunks. Green candy melts go into a piping bag and get piped over each pretzel in zigzags that get shorter toward the top, forming little trees. Crushed candy canes scatter over the white chocolate around them. It sets in about 15 minutes in the fridge, then you cut pieces around each tree and chill until fully firm.
Recipe by The Decorated Cookie: Christmas Tree White Chocolate Bark
How to store and package Christmas bark for gifting
Most of the barks on this list keep for one to two weeks in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, and the tempered chocolate ones last longest. The exceptions are the bark with a cookie or graham cracker base, which goes soft after a few days, so make those close to when you plan to serve them. Always let bark set fully before you break it, and layer pieces between sheets of parchment paper so they do not stick together in the tin.
For gifting, small tins lined with parchment paper are the easiest option, and a cellophane bag tied with ribbon works well for a single flavor. Add a small tag with the bark name and any allergy notes: nuts, peanuts, and marshmallows are the ones that matter most here.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Christmas bark last?
Most barks keep one to two weeks in an airtight container at room temperature, in a cool spot below 70 degrees. The peppermint bark from Sally’s Baking Addiction keeps up to three weeks in the fridge, and the saltine cracker candy freezes for three to four months.
Can I make Christmas bark ahead of time?
Yes, and most of these recipes are built for it. Make the plain chocolate barks up to two weeks ahead and store them in tins with parchment between the layers. Save the s’mores bark and the eggnog cookie bark for the day before, since the graham crackers and cookie base soften over time. Freeze anything you make more than two weeks early, and thaw it sealed so condensation forms on the container instead of the chocolate.
Why did my chocolate bark turn white?
That pale coating is called bloom, and it is harmless. It happens when chocolate gets too warm and then cools again, or when moisture reaches the surface. The bark still tastes the same. To avoid it, keep finished bark in a cool, dry place, skip the fridge unless the recipe calls for it, and let refrigerated bark come back to room temperature before you open the container.
Can I use chocolate chips instead of chocolate bars for bark?
You can, but bars melt smoother. Chocolate chips contain stabilizers that help them hold their shape in cookies, which works against you in bark. Several creators on this list say the same thing: use chopped chocolate bars or melting wafers for the smoothest result.
Which Christmas bark is best for gifting?
The peppermint barks, the cranberry pistachio bark, and the dark chocolate orange bark travel best, because they set firm and do not crumble. Pack them in tins or cellophane bags with a ribbon and a tag. Skip the s’mores bark and the eggnog cookie bark for mailing, since the cracker and cookie layers soften, and always note peanuts and tree nuts on the tag.
Is Christmas bark gluten-free?
Some of these barks are, and some are not. The plain chocolate barks, like the classic peppermint bark and the dark chocolate orange bark, are gluten-free as long as every ingredient you use is certified gluten-free. The saltine cracker candy, the s’mores bark, the Biscoff toffee, and the eggnog cookie bark all contain wheat, so they are not. Check the labels on your chocolate, candy melts, and cookies before you start.
Conclusion
Eighteen barks, and there is one for every kind of December: the five-minute gingerbread house bark for a night with the kids, the three-ingredient cranberry pistachio bark for a last-minute gift, the saltine cracker candy for the cookie exchange, and the dark chocolate orange bark for the people who skip the sweet stuff. Start with one batch, see how fast it disappears, and make a double batch next time.
If you are turning a batch into gifts, look at these 20 edible Christmas gifts worth making this year for more ideas that pack and ship well. And if the dessert table needs something soft to go with all this chocolate, these 18 Christmas fudge recipes to make and gift pair with just about everything on this list.
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