Our Best Bark Recipes for the Holidays (2024)

Table of Contents

Oreos and Candy Cane Chocolate Bark How to Make Williams Sonoma Copycat Peppermint Bark Buddy the Elf Bark Matcha Bark Chocolate Pomegranate Candies Homemade Almond Roca Malted Milk Bark Chocolate Bacon Bark Coffee Bean Bark Lime-in-the-Coconut Almond Bark Pistachio Cranberry Bark Spicy Chocolate Seed Bark White Candy Bark Coconut-Almond Cookie Bark Saltine Toffee Bark Cranberry Butter Crunch Bark Tiger Butter Bark Candy Pecan Cherry Bark Lemon Bark Nut Fruit Bark FAQs References

Home Recipes Candy Barks

ByGrace Mannon

Taste of Home's Editorial Process

Updated: 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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13/24

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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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Spicy Chocolate Seed Bark

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15/24

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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

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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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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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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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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 Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey

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Originally Published: October 29, 2021

Author

Grace Mannon

Grace is a full-time mom with a master’s degree in food science. She has worked for clients like a bakery, a baby food company and a snack food company. Now a Taste of Home contributor, she curates recipe collections and shares baking techniques. She loves to experiment in the kitchen and writes about her hits (and misses) on her blog, A Southern...

Our Best Bark Recipes for the Holidays (2024)

FAQs

How long can you keep Christmas bark? ›

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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What is a substitute for chocolate almond bark? ›

A: Yes, candy melts can be used as a substitute for almond bark or white chocolate in certain recipes.

Do you need to temper chocolate for bark? ›

Most chocolatiers and candymakers recommend tempering chocolate for bark because it gives chocolate a beautifully glossy finish and a satisfying, clean snap when broken. It also sets up more quickly and keeps longer at room temperature.

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Can I use almond bark instead of chocolate chips? ›

It doesn't have a lot of flavor but it can easily be added to other melts or chocolate chips to get a good coating. But- on its own it still does a great job.

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Does bark go in the fridge or freezer? ›

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

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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How to store Christmas bark? ›

Storage temperature

Our chefs recommend storing chocolate bark at a cool room temperature of around 12 to 20 degrees Celsius. In addition, make sure to keep your chocolate bark tightly closed in an airtight container, separated from other foodstuffs that contain strong odors such as meat and cheese.