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National Peppermint Bark Day

Food · December 1

A day for peppermint bark, the layered chocolate candy topped with crushed peppermint, and the easy ways people make, share and snack on it.

National Peppermint Bark Day falls on Tuesday, December 1, 2026. That is 35 days away.

Peppermint bark is a flat slab of chocolate broken into rough, uneven pieces. The usual version stacks a layer of white chocolate over dark or semisweet chocolate, then scatters crushed peppermint candy across the top. The broken edges look a little like tree bark, which is where the name comes from.

The first bite is crisp, then creamy. The dark layer is bittersweet, the white layer is sweet and soft, and the candy pieces crunch and add a cool mint finish. Some cooks stir peppermint extract into one of the layers for extra mint. Others keep it simple and let the crushed candy do the work.

It is one of the easier homemade candies. You melt the chocolate, spread it thin on a lined baking sheet, let it set, add the second layer, sprinkle the candy and chill it until firm. Then you break it by hand, so no two pieces match. Gentle melting matters, since chocolate can scorch or turn grainy with too much heat.

Because it travels well and keeps for a while in a cool, dry spot, people often pack it into tins or small bags to give away. Crushing the candy canes in a sealed bag with a rolling pin is the loudest part of the whole process.

Ways to celebrate

• Make a small batch of peppermint bark on a lined baking sheet.
• Try a version with milk chocolate or a swirled top.
• Share a tin of homemade pieces with a neighbor.
• Crush leftover candy canes in a sealed bag for the topping.
• Compare a store bought bark with a homemade one.

Dates

All national days on December 1

Also on December 1

• National Cookie Cutter Day
• Eat a Red Apple Day
• Giving Tuesday
• Bifocals at the Monitor Liberation Day

Categories: Food days