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

Does Christmas bark need to be refrigerated? ›

Does bark need to be refrigerated? Of course the chocolate will melt if it's kept in a spot that gets too warm, but it doesn't need to be refrigerated. Room temperature, or a cool, dry place (like your pantry), is fine.

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How long can you store chocolate bark? ›

Homemade chocolate bark will last in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks. I recommend storing it in the fridge to ensure that the chocolate doesn't melt! Storing for longer? Wrap the chocolate bark tightly in a couple layers of plastic wrap and keep it in the freezer for up to 6 months.

How do you make chocolate bark that doesn't melt? ›

To keep your chocolate bark from melting, a proper tempering process is necessary. Tempering is a process where the chocolate is brought to certain temperatures, which essentially optimizes the form of the cocoa butter fat crystals and keeps it stable.

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How do you store bark candy? ›

Break the bark into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, in the fridge or in the freezer.

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How long does bark last in the fridge? ›

Storing peppermint bark: You can store this homemade candy for a few days at room temperature, or up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

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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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What chocolate has the longest shelf life? ›

Generally, dark chocolate tends to last longer than milk or white chocolate due to its lower moisture content and higher cocoa content. Dark chocolate usually will retain its full flavor for about 1.5 to two years at room temperature, and milk chocolate and white chocolate for about one year.

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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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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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What's the hardest chocolate to melt? ›

Dark chocolate typically contains the highest cocoa content of the chocolate types, with around 86% or more cocoa solids. This makes it more resistant to melting. It has a melting point ranging from 113 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (45 to 48 degrees Celsius).

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How do you thin chocolate bark for dipping? ›

Cocoa butter is the best option as it's the natural fat present in chocolate. Alternatively, you can use a bit of vegetable oil or shortening. Start by adding just a small amount (a teaspoon for every 100 grams of chocolate should suffice), stir it in, and see if the chocolate is thin enough for your needs.

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How do you store holiday bark? ›

How To Store Peppermint Bark. Peppermint bark will keep for weeks if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. This makes it a great gift idea around the holidays—make a big batch at the beginning of December and grab what you need for easy gifts for teachers, neighbors, and friends.

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Do you need to temper chocolate for bark? ›

Chocolate bark is a simple application for a first-time chocolate project that is a great way to get your feet wet. 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.

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How do you store homemade bark? ›

How to Store Chocolate Bark. Once the chocolate is set completely and broke into pieces, store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, ideally less than 70ºF. Properly tempered chocolate will keep for several weeks and doesn't need to be refrigerated.

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Does chocolate bark need to be refrigerated? ›

Just make sure it cannot melt, no need to store it in the fridge, at room temperatur (20 degrees Celsius) is fine (unless you live in a very warm place, 30 degrees Celsius is too warm). However, when storing chocolate bark the time limiting factor is generally what's in the bark.

Does almond bark need to be refrigerated? ›

Refrigeration is not suggested.

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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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