Simple Chocolate Christmas Bark
This chocolate bark recipe is so simple to make! Mine uses pumpkin seeds, dried cherries, and freeze-dried strawberries which make for a lovely red and green holiday look.
This Christmas Bark makes for a wonderful homemade holiday gift. Who wouldn’t love the gift of chocolate for Christmas or the New Year?!
Ingredients
To make this Christmas bark, you’ll need:
- Tempered dark chocolate – Working with tempered chocolate is one of the most important parts of this recipe. In fact, using chocolate that is out of temper is about the only way you can mess this up – the bark won’t be shiny and will crumble instead of having a crisp break. The easiest way to temper chocolate is in the microwave (see all of the details in my post on tempering chocolate).
- White chocolate – Because you are using the white chocolate to drizzle on top of the bark, tempering is less important. However, there is no reason not to temper it as well if you can.
- Dried cherries – If you can’t find these, use dried cranberries for another red option.
- Freeze dried strawberries – These are my favorite part of the bark. I don’t recommend any substitutes.
- Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) – I like to use salted pumpkin seeds. The salty bites perfectly complement the chocolate.
How It’s Made
Pour out the tempered chocolate onto a silicone mat or a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread it out with a spatula to any thickness you like.
Working quickly, before the melted chocolate hardens, evenly distribute the toppings.
When it has completely cooled at room temperature (about 15 minutes), drizzle the white chocolate over the candy bark.
Tip: The easiest way to drizzle the white chocolate is to put it in a sandwich bag, cut off the corner, and pipe it in thin lines.
When the white chocolate has hardened, break the bark into pieces and enjoy or wrap up to give as a gift!
Expert Tips and FAQs
Variations
There are so many options for candy bark toppings. Customize this easy chocolate holiday treat however you like!
- Use crushed peppermints or candy canes to make chocolate peppermint bark
- Any nuts – pecans, cashews, and walnuts are favorites
- Drizzle with melted peanut butter
- For a sweet and salty treat, use crushed potato chips, crackers, or popcorn
- Pretzels
- Toffee chips
- Graham crackers
- M&M’s
- Coconut flakes
- Candied fruit
FAQs
Yes, you can double it, triple it, quadruple it, whatever you want!
Store it in a cool, dry place for up to three weeks. Do not refrigerate it.
I suggest small cellophane treat bags [paid link].
This is because the treat is thin and broken into somewhat uneven pieces and often comes out looking like tree bark!
Related Recipes
Simple Chocolate Christmas Bark
Ingredients
- 12 ounces tempered melted dark chocolate See my post on tempering for any easy way to do this in the microwave if tempering is new to you.
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 1/4 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup tempered melted white chocolate
Instructions
- Use a spatula to thinly spread the chocolate on a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Working quickly, top the chocolate with dried cherries, freeze-dried strawberries, and pumpkin seeds.
- When the chocolate hardens, pour the melted white chocolate into a sandwich bag and make a tiny cut in the corner. Pipe thin lines of white chocolate all over the bark.
- Once cool, break the bark into pieces.
- Eat immediately or store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Do not refrigerate it.
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