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A cross between a classic peppermint bark and a crisp, crunchy brittle, this fabulous Peppermint Bark Brittle is addictingly delicious, easy to make and perfect for gifting!
What is Peppermint Bark Brittle? It may look and sound a little fancy but it's a super easy, super delicious confection that's almost impossible to stop eating. The base is made with melted chocolate that's combined with crisp chocolate cookie crumbs and bits of crunchy peppermint candy cane. It's topped with a drizzle of white chocolate and then more of the festive red and white peppermint.
Similar, but uniquely different
The result? A uniquely different treat than the beloved, super popular peppermint bark, but equally delicious. I actually enjoy this Peppermint Bark Brittle more than peppermint bark because it's not as dense and hard to bite into. Unless peppermint bark is made super thin (a little tricky), two layers of pure chocolate can be difficult on the teeth. This brittle on the other hand has the same flavor profile, but the cookie and peppermint bits keep the chocolate tender, crispy and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
How to make this festive treat
The hands-on time for this recipe is less than 30 minutes, although it does need to chill before it's ready to enjoy or give away. This is how it works: line a sheet pan with foil and spray it with cooking spray. Crush some candy canes (or buy them already crushed) and some chocolate wafer cookies in zippered bags. I just put each of them in their own zippered bag and use the back of a soup spoon to crush everything into small bits. Not too fine as you want a bit of texture.
Next, a bowlful of chocolate chips is given several stints in the microwave with a good stir in between each session. Once the chocolate chips are melty and smooth, add the cookie and peppermint bits, give the mixture a good stir and pour it into the prepared pan. Smooth it out and you're ready to garnish with a drizzle of melted white chocolate and more crushed candy cane. That's it!
What kind of chocolate should I use for this Peppermint Bark Brittle?
You'll need both dark chocolate and a small amount of white chocolate for this recipe. For the dark chocolate, I tried different types and combinations from bittersweet (60% cacao) down to milk chocolate. Our favorite is a combination of half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate.
Since there are just a few ingredients in this Peppermint Bark Brittle, use good quality chocolate. You can use either bars of chocolate for this recipe or chocolate chips. I use Ghiradelli brand chocolate chips in both the semisweet and the milk chocolate varieties. They melt nicely and are easy to measure without needing a scale.
White chocolate, on the other hand, is a little trickier to melt and tends to seize and/or burn much easier than dark chocolate. While you can use white chocolate chips or white chocolate from a bar for this recipe, I found that white chocolate melting wafers or white chocolate bark (almond bark) make the job much easier. I really like Ghiradelli White Melting Wafers.
If you decide to use white chocolate chips, be sure to melt them on a lower power (50%) and stir frequently. If you don't have a microwave with a turntable (I don't), you'll need to rotate the bowl or glass several times during the melting process.
The perfect gift!
This Peppermint Bark Brittle makes a wonderful gift. It's pretty, packs well and the flavor combination is universally popular.
We've created a free printable label for gifting. If you'd like to use these festive labels, just leave us a comment in the comment section below this post. We'll email a PDF for the labels as well as instructions on how to use them and links for the boxes and ribbons shown in the pictures.
Put chocolate chips, chocolate wafer cookies and candy canes on your shopping list then whip up a batch or two of this DELICIOUS Peppermint Bark Brittle. You'll be all set for holiday gifting and all of the friends, neighbors, hairdressers, teachers, etc. on your list will be thrilled!
Cafe Tips for making this Peppermint Bark Brittle
- Although there's no baking in this recipe, I like to preheat the oven to 250˚F to keep my foil-lined sheet pan nice and warm while I'm preparing the brittle. The warm pan makes it easy to spread the melted chocolate evenly over the pan.
- This recipe calls for chocolate wafers. What are chocolate wafers? They're thin chocolate cookies that are often used for baking. At my local grocery they're not stocked in the cookie aisle but rather on the shelves with pre-made graham cracker and Oreo crusts. There are several brands of chocolate wafers available, the most popular here in the U.S. being Nabisco's Famous Chocolate Wafers and Dewey's Chocolate Wafers. You may find other brands of chocolate wafer cookies but if all else fails, just purchase chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos) and scrape off the white filling.
- Don't crush the cookies too fine. You want some texture for a nice crunch.
- This Peppermint Bark Brittle also calls for crushed candy canes. Candy canes are generally wrapped tight in a clear covering to keep them fresh. What's the best way to remove the wrapper? Just cut a small slit on the bottom end of the wrapper. You can then easily pull up and remove the wrapper.
- Look for candy canes with a bright red color for a pretty presentation. I like Brach's candy canes.
- To crush candy canes, I put them in a gallon-size zippered bag and use the bottom of a soup spoon to smash them. This is optional, but I like to put the crushed candy cane in a small sieve with a bowl underneath to separate the finer crushed bits from the bigger pieces. I reserve some of the larger, pretty pieces for the top of the brittle.
- If you don't have a microwave to melt the chocolate, this can also be done on the stovetop with a double boiler setup. Just place a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water.
- This Peppermint Bark Brittle keeps well at room temperature for 5-7 days but can also be refrigerated or frozen for longer storage.
Thought for the day:
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son,
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
- 8 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate chips
- 8 ounces good quality milk chocolate chips
- 5-6 ounces individually wrapped candy canes (You want 1 cup of crushed candy cane bits)
- 3½ ounces chocolate wafer cookies such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers, (You want 1 cup of lightly crushed crumbs.)
- 2 ounces good-quality white chocolate from a bar, chips, melting wafers or bark
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Preheat the oven to 250˚F. Line a half sheet pan with foil and place it in the oven while preparing the rest of the recipe.
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Unwrap the candy canes and place them in a gallon-size zip lock bag. Whack them with the back of a table or soup spoon until they’re all in small bits. Don’t crush too fine, you want a bit of texture.
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Optional - place the crushed candy canes in a sieve (not a fine mesh strainer) set over a bowl. Shake the sieve a little to separate the larger pieces from the finely crushed candy cane. Reserve ¼ cup of the larger pieces for the top of the brittle. Set aside
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Place the chocolate wafer cookies in a gallon size zip-lock bag (you can use the same bag) and crush them by whacking with the back of a table or soup spoon. Again, don’t crush too fine. Leave a bit of texture. Set aside.
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Place semisweet and milk chocolate chips in a medium-size, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power for one minute. Stir to redistribute the microwave again for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat one or two more times until the chips look shiny then remove them from the microwave and stir until smooth and the chips are completely melted. Add the cookie crumbs and ¾ cup of the crushed candy canes to the bowl with the melted chocolate. Stir well to combine.
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Remove the prepared sheet pan from the oven. Spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the melted chocolate mixture onto the sheet pan and spread to an even layer to the edges of the pan with an offset knife.
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Place the white chocolate wafers, bark or melting chips in a small microwave-safe bowl or cup. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds. Remove and stir to redistribute. Return to the microwave and heat again for 15-second intervals stirring well in between each microwave stint until the chips look shiny. Then stir until melted and smooth.
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Drizzle the melted white chocolate over the chocolate mixture on the sheet pan then sprinkle with the reserved crushed candy cane. Chill in the refrigerator until set, about 45-60 minutes. completely before breaking into pieces. Store in an airtight container.
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
To prepare chocolate on the stovetop, place it in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and stir frequently until melted.
Millicent Law says
Chris, I look forward to making and gifting this! It’s been several years since I have made any bark and I love your addition of chocolate wafers. I would love the label pdf!
Many thanks,
Millie
Chris Scheuer says
The chocolate wafers are a fun and delicious addition. Sending the labels now, Millicent!
Janice T Boyer says
This brittle looks and sounds amazing.
I plan on making some for gift giving
and my own goodie plate.
Please send me the PDF file for
the brittle.
I have quite a collection of your labels
from jam to pepper jelly, shortbread etc.
Thank you for your wonderful recipes,
I make a lot of them and they are all
amazing.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for your kind words, Janice. We'll be happy to send the labels.
Rhonda says
Please send me the pdf for the label. I plan on making these for our breakfast with Santa school fundraiser.
Chris Scheuer says
Great idea! Just sent the labels, Rhonda!
Mary says
Would love to make this as a Christmas gift. I'd appreciate receiving the label for this Peppermint Bark Brittle.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Mary, hope you enjoy it! The labels are coming your way!
Mary Parke says
This Peppermint Bark Brittle looks delicious. Please send me the PDF label. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Mary Parke! Just sent the labels.
BRENDA says
can't wait to make this! Please send me the labels. Thanks a lot
Chris Scheuer says
You're welcome, Brenda! Sending the labels now.
Sylvia says
Question: Is this 'break-your-teeth' brittle? Or is it more like the texture of a Hershey Bar?
Chris Scheuer says
This is definitely not a hard brittle. It's actually perfect to me. It breaks easily into pieces but keeps its shape. When you bite into it's firm but not hard at all, more like a Hersey bar with crisp bits of cookie and candy cane.
ANDREA H WHEELER says
Love this idea, please send labels Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, they should be in your email shortly, Andrea.
Carol says
LOVE your recipes!!!!
Would love to try this and if you could send me the PDF for the recipe tags that would be fantastic!!!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Carol! Just sent the labels your way.
Martha Collins says
The great recipes just keep on coming. How do you not weigh a thousand pounds? Can't wait to try this one. Please send labels. Thank you so much for all you do.
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! I do weigh a little more than I would like but we do try to swim most mornings and do lots of walking to keep things in balance. We also give a lot away!
Maureen E McCroskey says
Oh this looks like a perfect gift for my book club friends. Please send the labels.
Chris Scheuer says
They will love it! We're happy to send the labels, Maureen!
Lara says
Would love the labels for gift giving.
Making this soon!
Thank you!!
Chris Scheuer says
Hope you enjoy it as much as we have, Lara! Just sent you the labels.
Dawn Simonides says
Wow, this is the perfect addition to my Christmas trays!!
Please share your PDF for the gift tags. Thanks for sharing your delicious recipes.
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, sending the labels now, Dawn!
Denette says
The Peppermint Bark Brittle looks so festive and beautiful! What a beautiful gift this will make! Thank you for all the wonderful, doable recipes. I’m really looking forward to making this.☺️
Please send the labels.
Merry Christmas!❤️
Chris Scheuer says
You're welcome, Denette! Merry Christmas to you as well. The labels should me in your inbox.
Helene M. says
They look so good. I know already who I would like to give them to. Please send the pdf for labels. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Great, sending the labels now, Helene!
Alice says
This looks so pretty! I can’t wait to make a batch, or two, for gifts. Please send the pdf. Keep up the awesome work!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Alice! I have lots more ideas... that's my problem sometimes! 😂 Just sent the labels.
Sue Mellado says
Will add this to my other fantastic Christmas gifts recipes from you.
Would love the labels etc.
Chris Scheuer says
We'll be happy to send the labels, Sue!
Dlevy says
Hi Chris
I wonder if chocolate Teddy Grahams would work? My local grocery store doesn’t have the wafers.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Dlevy, I was going to test this recipe with chocolate teddy grahams but my store didn't have them. I think it should work fine!
Peggy says
Can’t wait to try these. Would love to have the labels!
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, just sent them, Peggy.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Peggy, we just tried to send you the labels but they were returned. Perhaps you typed a wrong letter for your email. If you let us know your correct email we'll be happy to send them again.
Judith says
Thank you! Would you please send me the labels. Will be making for neighbors this year! HappyHolidays!
Chris Scheuer says
This will make a great neighbor gift. Just sent the labels.
Suzanne says
Making this tomorrow as part of my Christmas gift-giving. Yummm. Looks delish. Please send label PDF. Thanks.
Chris Scheuer says
The labels are on the way, Suzanne!
Karyn says
P.S. Please send me the PDF. Thank you.
Karyn Brelloch says
I'm looking forward to enjoying these! They are perfect for the cookie exchange at my work!
Chris Scheuer says
That's awesome, Karyn. I think everyone will love them. The labels are in your email.
Sue L. says
Dear Chris,
Mmmmm! Can’t wait to try this version of peppermint bark brittle! Please send the labels for gift giving - they are perfectly designed.
Chris Scheuer says
Hope you enjoy it, Sue. The labels should be in your email.
Donna L Dwulet says
Started Christmas cookie and gift giving baking. Please send me the PDF as this will certainly be in my assortment. Thanks Chris.
Chris Scheuer says
Just sent you the labels, Donna! Enjoy!