Chocolate Bark Recipe

Chocolate Caramel Bark is one of my favorite holiday treats to give away this year, even beating out peppery peanut butter cookies. I’ve made three batches all ready and between gifts and all of us, it has disappeared very quickly. This Christmas chocolate bark is not as sweet as some because of the graham cracker base.

While it takes a couple of steps, I’ve given you some tips to make sure it turns out perfect. This recipe for chocolate is very forgiving, so even if you don’t have a candy thermometer, it’ll still be fantastic.

The first time I made this, I cleaned out my pantry and used all the scrapes of chocolate I had. It ended up being mostly dark chocolate. However, I thought it could use a little milk chocolate. The next batches I experimented and found my favorite combination which is 10 ounces of dark chocolate and 6 ounces of milk chocolate.

Any combination of bars of chocolate or chips will work so use what you like. This is the time to splurge and get the best quality chocolate that will fit your budget; you can’t go wrong with Ghirardelli.

Why you’ll love this chocolate bark recipe

• It’s got a perfect balance of sweet
• It’s a forgiving recipe and doesn’t have to be done perfectly to look or taste great!
• The pecan crunch at the end of the sweet caramel flavor along with flaky salt, is fabulous.
• I love making and giving homemade gifts – this one is a wonderful gift in a bag!

What you’ll need

• Chocolate – any type and variety will be delicious. If you are a dark chocolate fan, use all dark. You can even throw in chocolate chips. You want a total of about 16 ounces
• Graham crackers – you’ll need 15
• Butter and brown sugar – for the caramel
• Pecans and salt – for the topping

How do you make Chocolate Caramel Bark

Step 1: Line up graham crackers on a rimmed baking sheet. If, like me, you are making several batches and don’t have enough rimmed sheets, put an empty baking sheet underneath just in case it drips over. Mine did not, but came close. This is one of those recipes that it helps to have everything ready before you start.

Step 2: Make the caramel by cooking brown sugar and butter and pour it over the graham crackers.

Tips for making CARAMEL

• Make sure there is no moisture in the saucepan
• Use a candy thermometer and remove when it reaches 300º or if it starts to smell like it’s burning remove immediately.`
• If no candy thermometer, look for a deep golden color
• You don’t need to stir it, but if you just have to stir, it won’t ruin it
• Pour this over the graham crackers immediately.

Pro tip: If your butter and brown sugar separates, don’t worry, it will still taste awesome. Just pour it over the graham crackers and continue with the recipe.

Step 3: Bake for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Melt chocolate in a microwave at 50% power stirring every 30 seconds until just melted.

Step 5: Pour chocolate mixture over caramel mixture and immediately add nuts and sprinkle with flaky salt.

Step 6: Let cool completely and then refrigerate or freeze to harden before breaking into pieces.

The end result is a heavenly combination of chocolate, salted caramel and pecans on a crunchy graham cracker base. I just put them in a cellophane bag and add some ribbon to tie it shut and then store them in the freezer so that when I need to take a gift around the holidays, I have one ready to go.

Everyone who has received these holiday treats have raved about how rich and delicious Christmas bark is. It’s also great for a hostess gift or just leave a bag in the freezer and grab a piece every time you go by.

What type of chocolate is best for chocolate bark

For the first batch, I used up all the dark chocolate pieces that had been accumulating in the pantry, an ounce here and there and a few dark chocolate chips. It was amazing, especially if you are a dark chocolate fan. Every batch I make is different, just use a total of 16 ounces.

More topping ideas

Try topping your bark with slivered almonds or toasted coconut. To make the bark festive, add some colorful sprinkles or crushed peppermint. To choose a healthier option, add pepitas or chopped pistachio seeds or dried cranberries.

White Chocolate Bark

Halloween Chocolate Bark

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Praline Graham Cracker Bars

Need some more Edible Gift ideas

• If you like white chocolate, then try Peppermint Brownies
• I always love to give cookies away, Peppery Peanut Butter Cookies add the perfect amount of spice in a gift
• Or try Special K Cookies for a buttery cookie with a splash of orange
• Your friends will love Pistachio Cranberry Shortbread
• For a festive gift try cherry crinkle cookies