Happy holidays!! Are you looking for any last minute thoughtful gifts for loved ones? A sweet treat is always an awesome option, whether that means yummy cranberry loaf, tasty cookies, or this veganized peppermint bark. This bark is my personal fav because it packs up so well, looks super cute, and is easy to make.
On a personal note, I made this bark is for my mom. For as long as I can remember, she’s been crazy about peppermint bark (typically a combination of white chocolate, milk chocolate, and candy canes). I recreated her classic holiday favorite with more wholesome ingredients (white chocolate usually contains a high amount of sugar, soy lecithin, and artificial flavors). Enter coconut butter for the Vegan Peppermint Bark win!
Coconut butter
Coconut butter has more of a dense texture compared to coconut oil, because it actually contains the fibrous meat from the coconut (coconut oil contains no fiber and has been separated from the meat of the coconut). Be sure to use coconut butter for this recipe, as coconut oil won’t work.
Let’s talk candy canes. I used natural candy canes for this recipe to avoid preservatives, corn syrup, and artificial coloring. You can find them at some grocery stores (like Wegman’s), Home Goods, or on Amazon.
This recipe in total takes about 30 minutes and is a perfect last minute gift for any of your loved ones. Grab a mason jar, fill it with bark and tie a bow on it. It’s an awesome gift for any health-conscious foodies. Or for your loved ones who are crazy about peppermint bark (they’ll thank you for the healthier version).
I hope you have a wonderful, healthy, and happy holiday. And, if you’re looking for some more holiday recipe inspiration, check out a few of these recipes:
Holiday meal ideas:
Gluten-Free Vegan Zucchini Lasagna
How to Prepare a Gluten-Free Holiday Meal
Vegan Shepard’s Pie with Protein Mashed Cauliflower
Holiday sweets:
Chocolate Peppermint Bark Donuts
Gluten-Free Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes with Cinnamon Frosting
Gluten-Free Vegan Oatmeal Cream Pie Cookies
Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Roll
- 10oz vegan chocolate (I use Enjoy Life vegan chocolate chips)
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 1 cup coconut butter (see above for directions on making your own coconut butter)
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (start with only a 1/2 tsp, taste and add more if you would like a more pronounced peppermint flavor)
- 2 tablespoons agave or pure maple syrup
- crushed candy canes (I used about 5)
- Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bring about 2 inches of water to a rolling boil in a medium sauce pan. Place small saucepan into boiling water (being sure no water is getting into small saucepan). (See video for how-to.)
- Add chocolate and 2 teaspoons coconut oil to small saucepan. Stir until melted. (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and coconut oil in 30 second increments in microwave. Stir between each increment.)
- Spread chocolate on parchment-lined baking sheet. Smooth out with spatula or knife to create an even layer. Place in freezer for 10 minutes to firm.
- While chocolate is firming up, clean small saucepan. Add small saucepan back over medium saucepan with boiling water (see video for how to). Add coconut butter to small saucepan, stir to melt. Add peppermint extract and agave to coconut butter, mix to combine. Remove from heat.
- Remove chocolate from freezer. Spread coconut butter mixture carefully on top of chocolate, smoothing out evenly. (Work quickly, as the chocolate will get warm.) Sprinkle crushed candy canes over top of coconut butter mixture, gently pressing candy canes into butter.
- Place bark back into freezer to firm up for 20 minutes.
- Remove and slice bark into serving pieces.
Hi,
I’m trying this recipe for the first time and it did not go as planned. I watched your video and could not re-create what you did! The coconut butter is a solid mass and the instructions on the jar say to heat it in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes and then stir it. So that’s what I did. I put a cup of the coconut butter (already melted) into the pot. Then I added the peppermint extract and agave syrup. As soon as I did, it solidified into a paste consistency and I was unable to pour it and spread it evenly on top of the chocolate layer. What went wrong!?
Hi Mara, that is so frustrating! I’ve had this happen before too. If the coconut starts to solidify on you, you can add some more heat on the stove until you’re ready to pour it over the cooled chocolate. As soon as coconut cools, it will begin to harden. To avoid this, just make sure you’re heating the coconut butter right before you’re ready to use. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any more questions. ????