Our Best Bark Recipes for the Holidays (2024)

Home Recipes Candy Barks

Grace MannonUpdated: Feb. 19, 2024

Christmas bark is the perfect holiday treat—easy to make and endlessly versatile. Take a look at our best bark recipe ideas that feature all sorts of fun flavors.

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Oreos and Candy Cane Chocolate Bark

There are incredible surprises in this festive bark, including dark chocolate, candy canes and cream-filled cookies. We keep a big supply ready for gift-giving. —Robin Turner, Lake Elsinore, California

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2/24

Molly Allen for Taste of Home

How to Make Williams Sonoma Copycat Peppermint Bark

A huge fan of Williams Sonoma peppermint bark? Learn how to make this coveted holiday treat at home with just four ingredients.

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3/24

Buddy the Elf Bark

Drawing inspiration from one of our favorite holiday movies, this Buddy the Elf dessert incorporates ramen noodles with chocolate, candy and everyone's favorite—marshmallows. —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor

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4/24

Matcha Bark

How could you not love the brilliant green color of this matcha bark? The flavor is a little earthy and it pairs well with lemon. —James Schend, Dairy Freed

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5/24

Taste of Home

Chocolate Pomegranate Candies

This recipe pairs white and dark chocolate with whole, natural ingredients for an unbelievably delicious treat! These candies are perfect to give as a gift for Christmas. —Kelly Zdrowak, Orchard Park, New York

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Homemade Almond Roca

My easy almond roca recipe is an old favorite that we keep in steady use from mid-November until the New Year. Homemade gifts are still a Christmas tradition at our house.

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7/24

Malted Milk Bark

An old-time candy gets a fresh makeover. This is one of our favorite malted milk ball dessert recipes. The malted milk powder adds such a unique flavor to this bark so don’t be tempted to skip it. —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor

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10/24

Chocolate Bacon Bark

Sweet, salty, crunchy, smooth—bacon and chocolate is a match made in heaven in this chocolate bacon bark. —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Culinary Editor

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11/24

Coffee Bean Bark

Chopped coffee beans add a yummy crunch to this pretty two-toned bark. Coffee lovers won’t be able to resist pieces of the chocolaty candy treat. —Anne Addesso, Sheboygan, Wisconsin

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12/24

Lime-in-the-Coconut Almond Bark

I love the combination of flavors in this tropical treat, and it takes mere minutes to make. If you need something for a school or church bake sale, this will get you out of the kitchen in a flash. —Julie Beckwith, Crete, Illinois

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Pistachio Cranberry Bark

I picked up this bark recipe at a Christmas sweets swap hosted by a woman in my Bible study group. My family, friends and I think it's just divine. Even my dad, who's not big on candy, loves it. —Susan Wacek, Pleasanton, California

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14/24

Spicy Chocolate Seed Bark

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15/24

Taste of Home

White Candy Bark

This speedy candy recipe can be varied depending on the type of fruit or nuts you have on hand. Since we have a walnut tree, I use walnuts, but pecans could also be substituted, as well as dried cherries in place of the cranberries. —Marcia Snyder, Grand Junction, Colorado

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16/24

Coconut-Almond Cookie Bark

As kids, my friends and I sandwiched Almond Joys between cookies. For our high school reunion, I re-created the idea with a tasty baked version that breaks apart like chocolate bark.—Faith Cromwell, San Francisco, California

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Saltine Toffee Bark

Everyone loves these salty-sweet treasures—their flavor is simply irresistible. The bark is like brittle, but better. Get ready for a new family favorite! —Laura Cox, Brewster, Massachusetts

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19/24

Taste of Home

Cranberry Butter Crunch Bark

One Christmas I dreamed this recipe up when making butter crunch toffee. It is an addictive treat that disappears fast.—Heather Ferris, Vanderhoof, British Columbia

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20/24

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Taste of Home

Tiger Butter Bark Candy

Fans of tiger butter fudge will revel in this version that's very similar to bark candy. The chocolate swirls are pleasing to the eye, and the creamy peanut flavor is a treat for the taste buds.—Philip Jones, Lubbock, Texas

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22/24

Pecan Cherry Bark

I just love to make chocolates at Christmastime. This popular candy combines pecans, chocolate and cherries. It’s crunchy, sweet and just plain yummy. —Sue Kauffman, Columbia City, Indiana

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23/24

Lemon Bark

I wasn’t a fan of white chocolate until I made this candy. It’s tangy, sweet and creamy all at the same time. The bark was a lovely treat during a springtime shower but would be nice year-round. —Diana Wing, Bountiful, Utah

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Nut Fruit Bark

Here's a sophisticated version of fruit bark. Dark chocolate turns into a rich mocha flavor with the espresso powder. If you're a fan of sweet-salty tidbits, make sure to use the sea salt. —Thomas fa*glon, Somerset, New Jersey

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Originally Published: October 29, 2021

Grace Mannon

Grace learned a ton about the nitty-gritty of food and nutrition while earning her master’s degree in food science. She worked for a well-known baby food company and a company responsible for many favorite snack foods before transitioning to being a stay-at-home mom. She loves writing about complicated food science concepts in an understandable way and as a Taste of Home contributor, Grace covers a little bit of everything, from vintage recipes to must-have holiday foods and treats.

Our Best Bark Recipes for the Holidays (2024)

FAQs

How long can you keep Christmas bark? ›

this is a great do-ahead treat!

It just gets better, too – because you can make this marbled chocolate bark in advance and keep it in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature or in the fridge or freezer for easily a month, till you're ready to gift or serve.

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Do you need to temper chocolate for bark? ›

The bark doesn't involve any molds or dipping techniques—and it's delicious! Whenever working with chocolate it must be tempered; we're about to simplify the science and make it easy for you. Just keep an instant-read thermometer handy for spot checking temperatures.

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What is bark candy made of? ›

Like other forms of sheet candy, such as brittle, peppermint bark is generally made by pouring tempered chocolate over the top of crushed hard peppermint. Once the chocolate has cooled, it's then cut up or broken into smaller pieces.

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Does bark chocolate go bad? ›

If you've made your own chocolate bark at home, try to eat it within 3 weeks. If stored in a freezer, Chocolate Bark can last for up to 6 months without its texture or flavor being altered. How do you tell if Chocolate Bark is bad? If your chocolate bark has a grayish or white 'bloom' on the surface, don't worry.

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Do bark thins go bad? ›

What's the shelf life of barkTHINS? If they remain sealed, barkTHINS will stay fresh for 12 months from the time they're produced. For your convenience, the 'best by' date can be found on the back of the bag.

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What brand chocolate is best for bark? ›

I recommend Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Baker's brand bars of chocolate when making bark.

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Why won't my chocolate bark harden? ›

That's because your chocolate wasn't tempered. Tempered chocolate sets at room temperature and has a snap just like a chocolate bar you buy from the store.

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Why isn't my chocolate bark hardening? ›

It could be that your room temperature is too high. If the temperature is over 68 F, this can cause problems. The ideal setting temperature is between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. It could also be that the chocolate wasn't tempered, because untempered chocolate takes quite a bit longer to set.

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Why is chocolate bark so good? ›

So not only is this bark delicious, it is nutritious, too! (Dark chocolate is also a great source of antioxidants along with nutrients like magnesium and iron. OK I'll stop with the nutrition facts for now). The salty-sweet taste and crunchy and smooth textures make for a super satisfying dessert.

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Where did Christmas bark come from? ›

Williams Sonoma introduced its version and popularized it in 1998, though the confection existed as early as 1966 in the United States. Peppermint bark is a variation on chocolate bark, which is thought to be derived from traditional French mendiants, though the true origins of this connection have been lost.

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Is almond bark the same as chocolate bark? ›

Almond bark (also known as vanilla flavored candy coating) is a chocolate-like confection made with vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter and with coloring and flavors added. It can be bought in packages, blocks, or round discs where candy and baking supplies are sold.

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How do you keep chocolate bark hard? ›

To prevent this from happening, let your chocolate bark set in a cool but room-temperature spot in the house — don't stick it in the fridge or the freezer to try and speed things up. Similarly, you should store the chocolate bark in a cool room-temperature place like the pantry.

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How do you cut chocolate bark without cracking it? ›

To cut set chocolate without cracking, I would recommend heating your knife with hot water, drying excess water off of the knife, and then *carefully* cutting into the chocolate.