This fun Christmas Chocolate Bark (also known as Reindeer Bark) is a quick and inexpensive dessert for your next holiday party. Made with just a few simple ingredients, this fun candy dessert will make everyone smile!
Be sure to try my Gingerbread Reindeer cookies too!
Why This Recipe
Set out a tray of Christmas bark for your next holiday party and your guests will be blown away by this simple Christmas treat. It looks amazing and tastes great too!
Making Christmas chocolate bark is so easy. Nothing complicated here! In fact, you can give this recipe to your kids to make because it's that easy.
A fantastic jarcuterie ingredient for holiday parties. Drop these little reindeer faces in your next dessert jarcuterie for an adorable touch.
How to Make Reindeer Bark
The basic steps of this recipe are to melt chocolate, mix in candy and pretzels, chill and serve. That's why I describe it as simple, easy, and fast! The most complicated step is adding the eyeballs, noses, and antlers of your reindeer, which is not complicated at all.
Ingredients for Christmas Chocolate Bark
Milk Chocolate Chips. You can also use semi-sweet chips or chocolate bark.
Paramount Crystals. Coconut oil or Vegetable Oil will also work but please read the recipe notes.
Small Candy Eyeballs. These will make the face of your reindeer bark!
Small Red Chocolate M&Ms. You could also use red hots. These form the noses of your reindeer.
Mini Pretzels. These have a tendency to break. Pretzels add the perfect salty crunch and form the reindeer antlers.
Snowflakes Sprinkles. You can use the holiday sprinkles of your choice. Sprinkles will give your reindeer bark a finished look.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Reindeer Bark
- Place chocolate chips and paramount crystals in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on HIGH for one minute.
- Stir and return to microwave heating in 15 second increments until smooth. Be careful not to burn it.
- Pour chocolate onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Smooth chocolate over the parchment to ⅛" thickness.
- Place red candy sporadically on the chocolate, these will be the noses. Next, add two candy eyeballs about the red candy.
- Break pretzels in half and place them above the eyes.
- Add sprinkles all around fill in the chocolate areas.
- Chill in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.
- The bark is done when it easily peels off the parchment paper.
- Break into pieces and enjoy.
How to Store Christmas Chocolate Bark
Keep your leftovers in an airtight container in a cool dry area at room temperature. Putting it in the refrigerator might cause it to soften or turn weepy. It will last for at least one week stored properly.
FAQ
How long will it take the chocolate to harden?
The thickness of the bottom layer of chocolate will determine how long it takes for the bark to harden. I recommend 30-40 minutes in the refrigerator to get your Christmas chocolate bark ready fast.
Why does chocolate bark need the added paramount crystals or oil?
To have perfectly smooth Christmas chocolate bark, you need to add a little oil to the chocolate. However, adding too much oil can change the consistency and taste of the bark which is why I highly recommend using paramount crystals.
What are Paramount Crystals?
Paramount crystals are primarily made with hydrogenated palm kernel oil and are used professionally in the chocolate and candy-making process to help smooth it out. It is especially important to use this incredient if your chocolate chips are more than two months old. Fresh chocolate may not need it.
Can I flavor the chocolate bark?
You can add flavoring such as peppermint to chocolate, but you must use an oil-based candy flavoring. Adding extracts will immediately seize up the chocolate because of the alcohol/water content. You can also add food coloring to white chocolate, but only if you used the powdered form of food coloring for the same reason.
Can I freeze chocolate bark?
Yes, technically you can freeze chocolate bark in an airtight container, but it will still dry the chocolate out over time and is not necessarily the best result. It does make a quick and easy after-school snack, but won't necessarily be party-ready when thawed.
More Christmas Party Foods
Use these recipes to make a variety of adorable and delicious desserts for your next holiday party. The best part is, these sweets are all easy to make handheld treats that are designed to impress.
Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods
📖 Recipe
Reindeer Chocolate Bark
Ingredients
- 1 11.5 oz bag milk chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoon vegetable or coconut oil
- 20 Small Candy Eyeballs
- 10 Small Red Chocolate M&Ms
- 20-30 Mini Pretzels they have a tendency to break
- Snowflakes or holiday sprinkles of choice
Instructions
- Place chocolate chips and paramount crystals in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on HIGH for one minute.
- Stir and return to microwave heating in 15-sec increments until smooth. Be careful not to burn it.
- Pour chocolate onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Smooth chocolate over the parchment to ⅛" thickness.
- Place red candy sporadically on the chocolate, these will be the noses.
- Next, add two candy eyeballs about the red candy.
- Break pretzels in half and place them above the eyes.
- Add sprinkles all around fill in the chocolate areas.
- Chill in the fridge for 30-45 mins
- The bark is done when it easily peels off the parchment paper
- Break into pieces and enjoy
Notes
Adding too much oil can change the consistency and taste of the bark which is why I highly recommend using paramount crystals.
Paramount crystals are primarily made with hydrogenated palm kernel oil and are used
professionally in the chocolate and candy-making process to help smooth it out.
Nutrition
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