December 17, 2018

Oreo Peppermint Bark

Oreo Peppermint Bark. Semi-sweet chocolate topped with Oreos, peppermint white chocolate, and crushed candy canes. Easy to make and addictively tasty!

Grasshoppers

When I was in optometry school I had a rotation at a VA Hospital in New Hampshire. A few things about that rotation stand out in my memory: First, New Hampshire in the summer is beautiful and everyone should go there at some point in their life. Second, there is a lot of unusual ocular pathology in New Hampshire. And finally, everyone needs to try ‘grasshopper bars’.

Toward the beginning of my rotation, one of my attendings made and brought in what he called ‘grasshoppers’. They’re basically bars that are a combination of mint fudge and brownie. I LOVED them. I tend to get really excited about food that I like. It works out well because people are so happy that I like their food so much, that they make it again. My attending made the grasshoppers a few more times, which made me super pumped.

Mint Extract

As I was finishing the rotation, my attending gave me his recipe for the bars. I was then heading to South Carolina to see my family for a few days, so I took the recipe with me to make for them.

The recipe called for creme de’ menthe. I planned to go to the liquor store to purchase some, but my mom had some concern about me going to their local liquor store, and suggested that I use mint extract instead….. I know my mom is reading this right now and thinking to herself, “I was right – it’s not safe there!”

Friends, it was NOT the same. The bars were TERRIBLE. Really terrible. It was like eating toothpaste. Please learn a lesson here: never substitute mint extract for creme de’ menthe.

Peppermint Desserts

Those toothpaste bars turned me off to mint for a long time. I’m talking about a solid year I cringed when I brushed my teeth and said no to candy canes. Or at least a few months.

At whatever point I wanted peppermint again, I wanted peppermint bark, but I wanted the flavor to be subtle. I tweaked and tried multiple times until I got it just how I wanted.

Oreo Peppermint Bark

This Oreo peppermint bark recipe is the one that I have been tweaking for many years to get it exactly how I want. I’ve included Oreos to give it a bit of a crunch, and used peppermint white chocolate with just a few crushed candy canes to ensure that the peppermint taste isn’t overwhelming.

This recipe is easy to make, meaning even my three year old could do a lot of it, and it’s super tasty! For the white chocolate layer I go back and forth between spreading it evenly over the top with a spatula, or drizzling it. I think that when I spread it, it sticks together a bit better, but I like something about the look and texture and of having it drizzled. You do you on that one.

Oreo Peppermint Bark

Oreo Peppermint Bark. Semi-sweet chocolate topped with Oreos, peppermint white chocolate, and crushed candy canes. Easy to make and addictively tasty!

5 from 1 vote

Course: Dessert

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Servings: servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
6 Oreos crushed
1 1/2 cups peppermint white chocolate I use Ghiradelli peppermint chunks
1 large candy cane crushed

Instructions

Use parchment paper to line a 9×13 baking sheet that has sides.
In a microwave safe bowl, heat dark chocolate on 50% power, in 30 second increments. After each 30 second increment, stir will. Continue heating/stirring until smooth. Use a spatula to spread dark chocolate evenly over parchment paper. It will be a very thin layer but will be able to cover the entire lined bottom of the pan. Place in refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.
Next, heat semi-sweet chocolate in the same manor; 50% power in 30 second increment, stirring after each increment, until smooth. Spread the smooth chocolate over the dark chocolate in the pan. Immediately sprinkle crushed Oreos even over the chocolate and gentle press them down. Return baking sheet to refrigerator for at least 10 more minutes.
Heat peppermint white chocolate in same major as the dark and semi-sweet chocolates. Once smooth, either drizzle the chocolate over the Oreo layer, or use a spatula to spread it over. Immediately top with the crushed candy cane. Gently press down candy cane bits.
Return pan to refrigerator at least 20 minutes. After this, break into small pieces, about 2″x2″, and store in airtight container or bag.

Disclaimer: All nutritional information provided on this website is an estimate only and is not guaranteed.

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