Allow me to introduce you to Peppermint Bark Popcorn, your new favorite holiday treat. Let me tell you why this is my go-to for holiday parties and neighbor gifts! Take a peek!
Why you should make this peppermint bark popcorn
- You can make one huge batch and have TONS to share and pack up. I hate slaving over beautiful cookies and only having enough for a couple plates.
- It’s super quick and easy to make and also inexpensive and requires minimal ingredients.
- It lasts for several days, so you can make it early and not be rushed to pass it out if you need some time.
- It packs well, so you can put it in bags or cups or a big bowl or any cute container for sharing.
- Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, goes crazy for this stuff.
Ingredient Notes
- Almond Bark – Also called vanilla candy coating, this smooth melting coating is similar to white chocolate but much easier to work with. It does not contain any almonds.
- Candy Canes – I’m a bit of a candy cane snob. While any candy canes will work, I prefer the nicer brands, like Bob’s. They are sold in packs of 12 or individually in the buckets by the register at grocery stores. If you aren’t making this around the holidays, starlight mints from the candy aisle will also work.
- Peppermint Flavoring – You will need a little bit of either peppermint extract or peppermint flavoring oil.
- Popcorn – Before I show you how to make this, I’m going to tell you about one of my best kept secrets! You know how when you buy a gourmet popcorn mix the popcorn itself is huge and puffy and doesn’t look anything like the regular popcorn you use? It’s called mushroom popcorn! It has nothing to do with mushrooms other than the shape. Check this out:
See how perfectly round and HUGE it is?? It is THE best for making caramel corn or popcorn mixes like this one and will make it look super gourmet! I buy mine from Amazon, this has been my favorite brand so far with the highest ratio of mushroom kernels. Seriously it’s amazing!
You can also use a bag of microwave popcorn. If you’re doing that I suggest looking for one that’s “natural” or just lightly salted so you don’t get a weird yellow color.
How To Make Peppermint Bark Popcorn
- Once your popcorn is popped and ready, melt some almond bark according to the package directions.
- While that’s melting, you can smash up some candy canes. Unwrapping the candy canes to crush them is the most labor intensive step of this easy treat, so you can do that ahead of time if you want to. I put my candy canes in a large zip-lock bag and have a whack with a heavy marble rolling pin or my meat mallet. Put your bag on top of a kitchen towel to make it easier. Either dump them in with your popcorn, or I toss them right on top of my melted almond bark.
You’ll also add in some peppermint extract, or peppermint oil. Extract can sometimes seize up the almond bark just a little, but it shouldn’t be a problem. Just stir it around quick and pour it over the popcorn and start tossing.
- Stir everything until it’s well coated and then pour it out onto a piece of waxed paper, parchment, or foil. Spread it out into an even layer. If it’s cold outside, I set this out on my porch to harden up while I mix up the last step.
- While the popcorn is setting, place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. I really like dark chocolate to counter-balance the sweetness of the almond bark, but I know there’s a lot of dark haters, so do what you want! Drizzle the melted chocolate over the popcorn. You can use a fork, or put it in a zip-lock bag with the corner cut off.
Leave it until the almond bark and the chocolate is hardened. If you need to hurry it up, do this whole process on lined cookie sheets you can pop in the fridge.When chocolate is hardened, use your hands to break up popcorn into chunks. Toss in a bowl, a jar, a cute package, or in your mouth, and done!
FAQs
- Can I just use white chocolate instead of candy coating? This recipe is written for candy coating. White chocolate can be temperamental (not to mention pricey!), so I don’t recommend it for this particular recipe.
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Peppermint Bark Popcorn
- Yield: 16+ cups
Description
Makes a deliciously huge batch — perfect to give around the holidays!
Ingredients
- 16 C popped popcorn* (fresh, or about 2 bags microwave popcorn)
- 1 lb almond bark
- 1 6 ounce box candy canes, crushed (about 1 generous cups, Bob’s brand are best!)
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil or 2 teaspoons peppermint extract**
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place popcorn in a very large mixing bowl.
- Melt almond bark according to package instructions. When completely melted, add extract or peppermint oil. If using extract, it’s normal for the almond bark to seize (get lumpy) which is okay, just stir very quickly, the more you wait the more it will seize.
- Pour melted almond bark mixture over popcorn and pour crushed candy canes on top. Stir to evenly coat. Pour popcorn out onto waxed paper, parchment, or foil and spread out.
- Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over popcorn mixture. Let mixture dry completely until chocolate and almond bark are hardened. You may place in the fridge to speed process along.
- When chocolate is hardened, use your hands to break up popcorn into chunks. Toss in a bowl, a jar, a cute package, or in your mouth!
Notes
Notes
- If you’re using microwave popcorn, try to find an unbuttered or “natural” kind because this looks much prettier if the popcorn isn’t bright yellow! Lightly salted is fine, I actually like a little salt in there, but avoid heavy buttered.
- Also, if you can find flavored oils, like you would use for candy making, use them as they will best combine with the almond bark. If using extract, it’s not unusual for it to cause the almond bark to seize, but just stir quickly and pour immediately on popcorn. Once distributed it will be just fine.
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Questions & Reviews
I just found your recipe, and headed to the store. I bought chocolate flavored almond bark that’s brown, and then came home to double-check the recipe. Oops. Do you think that will taste bad? Should I drizzle with white chocolate to get the contrast? Thanks!
Unfortunately my local grocery store doesn’t carry almond bark. I need to stock up when I find it! Going to try white chocolate chips! Someone else also asked recently, but I didn’t see an answer, can I use doTerra peppermint essential oil?
I’ve been looking around for almond bark. Bought some white chocolate and after reading that they use different oil bases, went out again to look, because I definitely want it to coat well. My question: I found CandiQuik Vanilla candy coating. Nowhere on it does it actually say almond bark, but it seems like the thing. Am I off again?
That’s it! CandiQuick is a brand of almond bark.
I made this last Christmas and it is absolutely delicious! I got SO many compliments on it–which is really funny because it’s so easy to make! Try it!! Your family and friends will love you for it!
I wanted a more subtle mint flavor and left out the extract. It turned out perfectly and I am having a hard time giving it away as planned 🙂 I used the round starlight mints instead of candy canes (since it is February) and it turned out a gorgeous almost pink color perfect for Valentine’s day.
what a dirty trick! the popcorn was made for me and I wanted the recipe. My friend sent it and I tried to print it off and this site would print nothing but the comments. That’s pretty poor. I wasted 17 pages and all that ink for NOTHING!
I love this recipe
I love this recipe good job
I have made this peppermint bark popcorn from your recipe for the last 3 years for my annual cookie exchange. It’s a huge hit!! I separate it out in little Christmas treat bags and the girls take one (or five!) for their cookie platter. I love your recipes!!
Made this for a Christmas gift & it was amazing!! The way to alleviate the seizing is to add a small amount of vegetable oil before you add the peppermint extract. I used white chocolate, added the oil and had no seizing at all! If you do use a bag of white chocolate chips though, you probably don’t need as much popcorn. I had a problem getting mine to coat because there was way more popcorn to chocolate, so I would recommend one and a half bags of popcorn.
Wonderful recipe! I will definitely use it again & again!
Amazing! So easy and yummy, my family loved it!! It makes such a great gift! I had no trouble with seizing using peppermint extract. We’ve also made the rice krispie treats several times. Maybe you should have a section devoted to peppermint…I’m loving these recipes!
Wow! Loved it! I didn’t use the microwave but melted the chocolate and almond bark stove top. I did use Spangler (all we had) and it was still incredible. Dark Chocolate was the perfect choice. We also did a small batch with a few turns of a Sea Salt grinder added to the popcorn mix and it was supper yummy!
So Yummy! Thanks for the recipe.
Again amazing treats. My son said I should start selling my goodies. Haha
I actually used the Bob’s mini candy canes, guesstimated about 6 oz, and unwrapping was a snap. Simply cut the wrapper and drop the candy cane out. So much easier than peeling the wrappers off the big candy canes.
Everyone who has tried this loves it. Thank you for such delicious recipes. 🙂
I made this over the weekend for my neighbor/work gifts. AMAZING!! My husband was sad when I put the last of it in gifts bags to hand out. This may be my new favorite holiday treat. Thanks for the great idea.
I was asked several times if this popcorn was store bought. Or sent from a big client. I will be making this every year.
Hi, Sara!
Thank you for wonderful recipe!
Just made it and it rocks. However, when I followed original measurements, it did seem too sweet for me, so I popped an emergency batch of popcorn and mixed with the first. (So glad you increased amount of popcorn) It still worked ok, and brought sweetness down. Also, despite of checking the recipe before I went shopping, I, somehow, missed mint extract. Luckily, I had green mint chocolate chips, which I used instead of dark chocolate. Next time, I think, I will just drizzle popcorn with green mint and dark chocolate and sprinkle with candy canes.
Just made 1 1/2 batches to give to coworkers. It tastes fantastic!! The kids loved it too! Thanks for such a great recipe.
Babysitting for 7 kids tonight. I have everything but the peppermint extract. I live too far out of town to go pick any up, so we’ll see how it goes with out it.
OK, I’ll admit this tastes delicious, and looks lovely. But I had a terrible time making it. I’m hoping that 90% of my problems stem from my attempts to use white chips (both stores in town were sold out of almond bark!). I will try this again…after I recover from this debacle.
Weird question from someone who doesn’t cook much–I have some peppermint oil from doTerra and I was wondering if that kind of peppermint oil would work or if there is a different kind that is used for cooking? I can’t wait to try this!
Just made this for neighbor gifts–wow. So good! Keep ’em coming, ladies, and THANKS!
I know I’m late to the party here, but I made this last night. First? TOTALLY DELICIOUS. WOW. Second? I did not have very much almond bark, but I did have most of a bag of red candy melts. I used the candy melts plus two squares of almond bark (so together it was a pound). I used extract and had no problems with seizing up at all, plus the popcorn ended up all festive and red. I assume candy melts are more expensive (I just used what I had on hand), but I’d still spring for them if I (when!) I make this again. Thanks for another great recipe!
Silly question: Is popcorn gluten free?
Yes!! This is a great treat for your gluten intolerant friends.
Thanks!
I agree, Bob’s brand is the best!
I bought all the ingredients last week and plan to give them out to 20 neighbors and friends who are going to LOVE getting this. Hope I get it right!
I agree with an earlier comment; if you use oil instead of an extract, the coating shouldn’t sieze up. Crikey! Last year I gave out your Cinnabon popcorn, if I do the peppermint bark this year, people are going to start thinking I am a great cook!
Are the round hard peppermint candies the same as candy canes? I have those or a box of Target brand candy canes and I’m wondering which would be better.
It really doesn’t matter, either one will work!
This looks fabulous! Can’t wait to give it a try!
Did I miss something or did you say where the crushed candy canes play their part? I guess I just mix them in with the finished project? Or does the almond bark need to be poured on them along with the popcorn so it sticks together?
Also, since almond bark is similar to white chocolate, can I substitute white chocolate?
Ej- Within the post it says “Once they’re crushed, dump them in a big bowl with some popcorn. ”
On the printable recipe it says “Pour melted almond bark mixture over popcorn and pour crushed candy canes on top.”
Yep, it doesn’t really matter when, it all just gets mixed together 🙂 And yes, you could sub chocolate- almond bark is just much easier to work with and coats better.