Christmas Bark
It doesn't get much easier than this delicious Christmas Bark. Simply melt vanilla candy wafers in the microwave and spread on the sweetness. With pretzels, peanuts, M&M's and holiday sprinkles, this fun, festive confection is eye-catching, tasty and memorable!
Why We Love It
Ready or not, here come the holidays. The hustle and bustle of searching for gifts and sending out those beautiful family photos is here, and in between all of that, my family is expecting Christmas cookies at any minute!
Their request is with good reason, as we make a ton of tasty ones every year--including my grandmother's legendary butter cookies. But cookies take time. I'll eventually get around to them, but I like to squeeze them in toward the end of the holiday baking season. After all, Santa doesn't deserve old, stale cookies!
This tasty Christmas Bark is usually my go-to to temporarily satisfy the cookie requests in my house. It's so unbelievably simple to make! With microwaveable vanilla-flavored melting wafers, M&M's, sprinkles, pretzels and peanuts, it has the perfect balance of salty and sweet. What's not to like about that NICE list?
Because it's made so easily, and with so few ingredients, Christmas Bark is also great for gifting. I've been known to whip up a few batches of this during the holiday season, and some is always given to family and friends (who are always so happy to receive it year after year). You can never go wrong with an M&M and sprinkle-topped confection for any occasion--especially a red and green bedazzled one for Christmas!
Why You'll Love It
| Only 1 base ingredient- At its core, Christmas Bark starts with vanilla-flavored candy wafers that you melt in the microwave (so easy!). From there, it becomes quite customizable (see the next point). Highly customizable- This special treat wouldn't be any fun without the sweet and salty add-ons. In this recipe, I suggest using holiday M&M's and sprinkles for the sweet, and pretzels and peanuts for the salty. Feel free to change this up and use your favorites. Just remember that bark is no fun without some sweet and salty pleasure. No-bake- There's no oven involved in this recipe--just a microwave and a fridge. Great for the holidays- Make several batches of this, serve it at gatherings or package it. It makes such a great gift! |
Looking for more easy confections for the holidays? Check out Creamy Marshmallow Fudge and Candied Mixed Nuts!
Christmas Bark FAQ
| What is Christmas Bark? Christmas Bark is a variety of "bark", which is a confection that typically begins with almond bark, candy wafers, or melting chocolate being melted in the microwave or double boiler. The mixture is then spread onto parchment paper, is sometimes additionally flavored, and then decorated with a variety of candy, nuts, pretzels, cookies, etc. The bark sets in the fridge for 1-2 hours and is then broken into pieces before serving. How long does Christmas Bark last? Provided that it's stored in an airtight container and kept away from heat, Christmas Bark can easily last on the countertop for a week. Can you freeze Christmas Bark? Yes, you can! With proper freezer-safe packaging, it will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. |
Christmas Bark Ingredients
- 2 cups pretzel sticks, broken in half
- 1/2 cup salted peanuts (not pictured)
- 24 ounces vanilla flavored candy melts (can substitute almond bark)
- 10 ounce bag holiday M&M's
- Holiday sprinkles (not pictured)
How to Make Christmas Bark
You'll want to gather the following equipment:
- parchment paper
- large, rimmed baking sheet
- microwaveable bowl
- stirring spoon
- spreading spatula
- measuring cups
Getting Started
Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange pretzel pieces and peanuts in a single layer on the parchment paper.
Place melting wafers in a microwave-safe dish. Melt wafers in the microwave at half power in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. This should take between 2-3 minutes total.
Kitchen Ready Betty tip: Follow the package directions for the product you bought. Make sure your microwave is at half power, otherwise wafers can dry out. It's also best practice to stir out a few lumps that are remaining rather than placing the bowl back in the microwave for another 30-second interval towards the end of the melting process.
Immediately drizzle about half of the melted wafer mixture over the pretzels and nuts. Use a spreading spatula as needed to evenly distribute the mixture.
Spread the remaining melted wafer mixture on top. Then gently press on the M&M's. Add your desired amount of sprinkles.
Chill for 1-2 hours. Once the bark easily lifts up from the parchment paper, it's ready to be broken into pieces. The easiest way to do this is with your hands. You will end up with varying sizes and shapes, which makes the bark look textured and even more appealing.
Storing Christmas Bark
Store in an airtight container and keep on your counter--once set, there's no need to refrigerate. Enjoy within 1 week. You may also freeze the bark in freezer safe packaging for up to 3 months.
It doesn't get much easier than this delicious Christmas Bark. Simply melt vanilla candy wafers in the microwave and spread on the sweetness. With pretzels, peanuts, M&M's and holiday sprinkles, this fun, festive confection is eye-catching, tasty and memorable! It also makes a great gift.
- 2 cups pretzel sticks (broken in half)
- 1/2 cup salted peanuts
- 24 ounces vanilla flavored candy melts (can substitute almond bark)
- 10 ounce bag holiday M&M's
- Holiday sprinkles
Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Arrange pretzel pieces and peanuts in a single layer on the parchment paper.
Place melting wafers in a microwave-safe dish. Melt wafers in the microwave at half power in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. This should take between 2-3 minutes total.
Follow the package directions for the product you bought. Make sure your microwave is at half power, otherwise wafers can dry out. It's also best practice to stir out a few lumps that are remaining rather than placing the bowl back in the microwave for another 30-second interval towards the end of the melting process.Immediately drizzle about half of the melted wafer mixture over the pretzels and nuts. Use a spreading spatula as needed to evenly distribute the mixture.
-
Spread the remaining melted wafer mixture on top. Then gently press on the M&M's. Add your desired amount of sprinkles.
Chill for 1-2 hours. Once the bark easily lifts up from the parchment paper, it's ready to be broken into pieces. The easiest way to do this is with your hands. You will end up with varying sizes and shapes, which makes the bark look textured and even more appealing.
-
Store in an airtight container and keep on your counter--once set, there's no need to refrigerate. Enjoy within 1 week. You may also freeze the bark in freezer safe packaging for up to 3 months.
I cannot stress this enough: once the mixture is fully melted and out of the microwave, start using it immediately. Candy melts, etc. are most malleable right after being melted. If you delay using them in this state--even by 30 seconds, they will start to congeal and stick to the bowl!
This recipe is very customizable! Add your favorite variety of peanuts, baking chips, pretzels, cookies and more! It's also very easy to make this recipe suitable for a variety of holidays. Simply swap out the M&M's colors and the type of sprinkles you use and you'll have a whole new holiday/occasion-themed treat.
Hi, I'm Betty! I live in Pennsylvania with my 2 human sons, 2 furry sons and my wonderful and supportive husband, who is my main cooking muse. When I'm not busy cooking or writing, I'm lifting a barbell, answering presidential trivia, thinking about the ocean, or going on long walks with my pups.
Thank you for checking out this recipe! Enjoy!
~Betty