Holiday baking season is in full swing! I’ve made peppermint bark a few times in the past, and it’s always a huge hit! It’s ridiculously easy to make yet an indulgent luxurious looking treat that’s great for gifting!
This time I decided to try something a little different rather than just breaking up piece of the bark…..I used cookie cutters!
What You Need………
You can use many different variations on this, but here are the basics:
- Cookie Cutters – Any cookie cutters will work. The smaller metal ones work nice because you can clean them up and gift them along with the bark. (snowflakes, stars and gingerbread men would all be cute too)
- Decorator Bag - I melted the chocolate right in the 12″ disposable decorator bag, then squeezed the chocolate into all the nooks and crannies of my cookie cutter. You can find pastry bags at the craft stores, Amazon or Sweet Baking Supply.
- Chocolate – For this project I used the Wilton Candy Cane Color Burst Melts and Ghirardelli Chocolate Baking Bar . But you can use any kind of chocolate you like. I like the Wilton Candy Cane Color Burst Melts because they’re already peppermint flavored, so no need to add peppermint oil. Again most of these can be purchased at the craft stores, Wal-Mart, Amazon or Sweet Baking Supply.
- Crushed Candy Cane – you can buy a package of candy canes and crush them, or I found a bag of crushed candy cane pieces in the baking aisle of my grocery store.
- Parchment or Waxed paper lined sheet pan
- Clear Plastic Bags , Ribbon and tags- Clear cellophane bags, ribbon and a cute tag turn your peppermint bark into the perfect holiday gift!
Instructions… (printable instructions)
- Place the cookie cutters in refrigerator until ready to fill.
- Line your baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper.
- Place Ghirardelli Chocolate pieces in decorator bag (filling about 1/2 way), twist top of bag, place in microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds. Remove bag and “knead” chocolate. Place bag back in microwave and repeat until chocolate is melted.
- Remove cookie cutters from refrigerator and place on lined baking sheet.
- Snip the tip off the end of the decorator bag
- Use the chocolate filled bag to pipe the chocolate into the cookie cutters (*you may need to hold onto the cookie cutter while you do this). Be sure to get into all of the corners.
- Place pan of chocolate filled cookie cutters into freezer for about 10 mins. for chocolate to “set”.
- Place Wilton Candy Cane Burst Melts into decorator bag, and repeat as you did for chocolate.
- Remove pan from freezer, snip the tip of the decorator bag and pipe the Candy Cane Burst Melts on top of the Ghirardelli chocolate.
- Sprinkle with Crushed Candy Cane pieces.
- Place in freezer for about 10 mins. to set.
- Once the chocolate has hardened, remove from the cookie cutters by gently pressing with your thumbs.
- Wrap a few pieces of bark in a clear cellophane bag tie with ribbon, attach clean cookie cutter and a cute tag!
- If you’re using a decorative box or tin, put a piece of wax paper in that covers the bottom and sticks over the sides. Once you’ve filled the container, flip the wax paper over the top and cover. If you’re using a plate, or cute dish, like I found at Michaels, arrange the bark and cover with plastic wrap.
- Will keep in fridge for 5-6 weeks.
*if you can’t find the Wilton Candy Cane Burst melts, you can follow my other recipe for Peppermint Bark using peppermint oil.
Wilton has a great video if you would like more “visual help” making these.
Amy of Living Locurto has some adorable Cardinal Holiday Printable Gift Pack in her shop. Or you can download the Season’s Greeting Bag Topper for FREE at Living Locurto
I’ve linked this post up at - Tatertots and Jello and Homemade Christmas Holly Bloggy Christmas , Family Fresh Cooking
About TidyMom
These are darling! Want some!
These are super cute! I love them
This post could keep me occupied for hours. Seriously… SO MANY great links!!! LOVE that bark!
Super cute! I made chocolate gingerbread men over the weekend
will have to make more, they are already gone….they must have run away!
Oh my gosh I LOVE this! Peppermint Bark is my faaaaavorite, and my husband just mentioned the other day that I should pick up some the next time I’m at Costco, but this is soooo much more fun! Especially with the cookie cutters! Thanks for the fabulous idea & tutorial… you’re awesome!!
Adorable! love the idea of using cookie cutters for these
LOVE the use of the cutters! So much fun!
I love that you made them Christmas trees.
These are adorable and can you say, “yum” ?
Okay!
I just passed out!
I honestly think I hurt myself…no kidding!
This is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen!
How on EARTH did you think to do this!
OMG!
And your pics…are lovely!
I know I’ve said it before…but I will say it again!
Girl…YOU HAVE GOT IT GOING ON OVER HERE!
I’m amazed!
xo
I’m doing this too.
I wonder if I can use just a regular zip lock bag though instead?? I’m going to make mine with crushed M&M’s since it’s what I have on hand. 
Such a cute idea with the cutters!!!
These are so cute! I can’t wait to make some for our neighbors.
Those look delicious and I love the tree shapes.
This is SO clever, Cheryl!!! I want some Christmas Tree Bark! No seriously, you have my address!
These are so pretty!
Cheryl-
So pretty! I used snowflake cookie cutters this year for my bark! I love how festive these look!
Cheryl this is a wonderful idea and so much more pleasing to the eye than chunks of broken bark. Bagged and tied with a bow is a great little item to include on top of a Christmas gift.
So loving the cookie cutter idea! Think I may call you…. “Clever Mom” in addition to Tidy Mom!
How clever! Great idea!
Those look so good, Cheryl!
What fonts are you using in that top image? They are darling!
Those are the cutest little things, ever. So festive!
What a great idea… to put them into cookie cutters! This is an idea I might have to try. My daughter would absolutely LOVE doing this with me! Thanks! ?
Wow! Great idea! I think I’ll use stars because I have tons of those cutters but I really like the trees. Have a terrific day.
So darn cute and they would make such great gifts.
Oh my! These look amazing! Not surprised though!! You are amazing!
Awww how pretty
I wish I had more time to bake Christmas gifts, but that’s quite complicated with a 2-month old 
Beautiful pictures, they really caught my eye on Foodgawker!
What a fabulous idea!!!! I love the you molded the chocolate right in the butters rather than cutting out…kind of tricky that way! Thanks for the inspiration!
LOVE what you have done here with this bark. Making a festive treat into something even more fabulous! xo
Yummy! I want to try to make peppermint bark this year for sure! Would love for you to visit me at Sew Chatty and link up to Made with Love Monday! The party will be open until Friday if you want to link up multiple projects. Hope you have a great day!
These look fantastic, Cheryl! Such an easy recipe, and they look so cute! I that you used different cookie cutter shapes. Thank you for linking this up to Homemade Christmas!!
These look wonderful – I would love it if you linked them to my blog cookie exchange!
Susan,
Such a cute gift idea! Thank you for sharing
so so awesome!
I love these!!!! They are adorable and definitely on next Christmas’s To Do List!
Thanks for the great idea.
Hi! I made these for Christmas Eve dessert and posted about it, linking back to here for instructions
Thanks!
I add a can of great northern beans to my saurkraut and sausage one pot meal.
YUM and I love love the shapes! How clever!
We’d love for you to come link it up to our 12 Days of Christmas Goodies! Today we are featuring…. BARK (and I think this is perfect)!
i love the shapes!!! looks awesome!
Cheryl,
I just saw your posting and was wondering if you would let me post it to my blog, giving you complete credit. I S-O-O-O-O-O-O-O love the way you make your bark that I want to have the recipe handy to make next year and the best place to put it is on my blog . . . no way it will get thrown away that way.
Oh I love this! I was proud of myself for making plain old chunks of bark last year. I can’t wait to make these this year! Can I use a ziploc if I don’t have a decorator bag ?
I make peppermint bark every year, breaking it into pieces. Messy and sticky, I am thinking that I am going to have to try this easier version for sure. It is so much cuter than the mess I usually gift!!! Thanks for the great idea!!
What a great idea! I was this floating around on Pinterest yesterday, and knew I had to get the recipe!
I was wondering how much of the candy cane melts and chocolate bars you need to buy to make this recipe? Thanks!