An easy vegan peppermint bark made with semi-sweet dairy-free chocolate and topped with crushed candy canes, vegan white chocolate chips, vegan marshmallows, and shredded coconut.
This festive bark has put me in the holiday spirit and I hope it does the same for you! It's an easy and quick dessert, perfect for anyone who loves peppermint and chocolate. Serve with espresso martinis or eggnog martinis for a jolly good time.
Love chocolate bark? Be sure to check out this vegan peanut butter bark too!
Jump to:
What is peppermint bark made of?
Traditionally peppermint bark consists of two types of chocolate (semi-sweet or dark and white) and crushed candy canes. Sometimes peppermint extract is also used to add additional peppermint flavors.
Are candy canes vegan?
Short answer; yes. However, if the ingredient list contains food dyes (like Red 40), they are not cruelty-free as food dyes are tested on animals. Read more about it here.
Food dyes are not made from animals, they are made from petroleum byproducts. This classifies them as vegan, but it's certainly not an ingredient I'm craving or excited to put into my body. I love Yum Earth and Thrive Market candy canes; they are made with simple ingredients and do not contain any food dyes.
Easy vegan peppermint bark ingredients
In this recipe we are sticking to some of the usual ingredients within peppermint bark, but putting a fun vegan spin on it!
- Vegan semi-sweet chocolate: I used Enjoy Life mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, use your favorite chocolate chips.
- Coconut oil: such a small amount is being used that refined or unrefined both work, use refined coconut oil if you want to ensure a milder coconut flavor.
- Coconut shreds: adds additional creamy and slightly nutty flavors to the bark.
- Vegan white chocolate chips: to keep the bark simple we are sprinkling on a few handfuls instead of layering or doing a chocolate swirl.
- Vegan mini marshmallows: optional, but a fun twist. Available at Whole Foods, Thrive Market, and on Amazon. Dandies also has a peppermint flavor that would be so fun on this bark!
- Chopped candy canes: peppermint bark just wouldn't be the same without them. Added for mint flavors as well as a fun and festive holiday look (see section above for my favorite dye-free candy canes).
How to make vegan peppermint bark
- Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips with coconut oil.
- Pour onto parchment lined baking sheet and smooth.
- Top with coconut shreds, vegan white chocolate chips, vegan marshmallows, and chopped candy canes.
- Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden. Remove, break apart and enjoy!
Substitutions
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: substitue with dark chocolate if desired.
Coconut shreds: alternatively use coconut flakes or finely chopped macadamia nuts.
Vegan marshmallows: I love topping the bark with marshmallows as it adds a different texture to the bark that mellows out the crunch of the candy canes and chocolate chips, but feel free to omit if you don't have any on hand!
Vegan white chocolate chips: I used Enjoy Life mini white chocolate chips, however Pascha also makes vegan white chocolate chips. Alternatively, use a chocolate bar from Laugusta's Luscious, Evolved or Sjaak's and shred the white chocolate over the bark instead.
Variations
For a classic peppermint bark: melt the semi-sweet chocolate and pour onto a parchment lined baking tray. Smooth with a spatula & place in the freezer to harden for 15 minutes. Once hard, remove from freezer pour melted vegan white chocolate over the harden semi-sweet chocolate. Use a spatula to smooth and add desired toppings, then place back in the freezer to harden.
For a swirled peppermint bark: melt the semi-sweet chocolate and pour onto a parchment lined baking tray. Smooth with a spatula, then melt vegan white chocolate. Top tip: You do not need to add coconut oil to the vegan white chocolate for it to melt, it's a pretty thin consistency and melts faster than the semi sweet. Pour melted white chocolate in 3-4 lines over the semi-sweet chocolate and then use a chopstick or knife and swirl gently. Add desired toppings, then place in the freezer to harden.
Other vegan peppermint bark topping ideas;
- Dried strawberries
- Dried cranberries
- Hemp hearts/seeds
- Chia seeds
- Toasted quinoa
- Crushed cookies
- Simple Mills double chocolate almond flour cookies
- Homefree Treats vanilla mini cookies
Storage
Store the bark in the fridge for a month or in the freezer for 2-3 months. I do not recommend storing at room temperature as the chocolate becomes too soft.
📋 Recipe
Easy Vegan Peppermint Bark
Equipment
- microwave safe glass or bowl
- spatula
- baking sheet (10x15) + parchment paper
Ingredients
Chocolate
- 1¼ cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil*
Toppings
- 2 candy canes, crushed
- ¼ cup Dandies mini vegan marshmallows
- ¼ cup coconut shreds
- ¼ cup vegan mini white chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life, see blog post for other recommendations)
Instructions
- Crush candy canes: unwrap and place candy canes in a reusable silicone bag or something similar. Use a mason jar and gently press to crush the candy canes, leaving some larger pieces. Prepare other toppings + baking sheet: grab marshmallows, coconut shreds, and vegan white chocolate chips so they are easily accessible and can quickly be added to the melted chocolate. Additionally, line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
- Melt chocolate: melt the vegan chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe glass or bowl (for about 1 min 30 seconds), checking in on it and stirring occasionally to ensure it evenly melts and to prevent the chocolate from burning.
- Pour & top: pour melted chocolate onto the lined baking sheet and spread with a spatula. I also like to shake the baking tray back and forth to ensure the chocolate lays flat. Top with coconut, vegan white chocolate chips, marshmallows, and crushed candy canes.Note on topping: it's a form of art . Do whatever feels and looks right to you, the measurements provided are just to use as a guide. Grab a handful and start sprinkling.
- Freeze: place bark in the freezer for 30 minutes or until hard. Cut or break apart as desired and enjoy!
Comments
No Comments