Every year for Christmas, peppermint bark is an absolute must-have for me. Back when I was working my first job out of college, my boss gave me a tin of Williams Sonoma peppermint bark (she was feeding the foodie monster and didn’t even know it), and I fell in love. The next year, I started making my own and I haven’t looked back. In addition to my regular peppermint bark, I wanted to experiment this year with some other types of festive barks, especially after making Toffee Pretzel Bark this summer and being totally enamored by it as well.
One of my favorite biscotti variations to make during the holidays is a simple, vanilla-flavored dough with dried cranberries, pistachios and white chocolate chips. Voilà! I had my first bark variation for this year figured out!
I love how festive the red cranberries and green pistachios are, and against the creamy white backdrop, this bark is a gorgeous addition to a cookie tray or even to put into individual tins or goodie bags for giving as gifts.
I’m admittedly a little (okay, a lot) finicky about my white chocolate, because sometimes the cheaper brands can taste chalky and/or too sickeningly sweet to me. If you’re just throwing white chocolate chips into a cookie it’s not such a big deal, but with the white chocolate playing such a prominent role in a recipe like this, I’m a big advocate of using good quality white chocolate. My personal favorite is Lindt – it’s smooth and creamy, not too sweet, and you can find it pretty much everywhere.
Do you have a favorite type of chocolate bark?
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One year ago: Homemade Oreo Cookies
Pistachio & Cranberry White Chocolate Bark
Yield: About 1 lb. of bark
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Set Time: 30 minutes
1 lb. white chocolate
½ cup shelled pistachios
½ cup dried cranberries1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler (or in 30-second intervals in the microwave on 50% power, stirring after each). Once the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and let sit for a few minutes to cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Add the pistachios and cranberries and stir to combine.
3. Spread the chocolate mixture onto the prepared pan in an even layer (depending on the size of the pan and how thick you’d like your bark, you may not need the entire surface of the pan).
4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until set.
5. Using a sharp knife, cut the bark into pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Tags: Candy, Christmas
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For the holidays, my favourite kind of bark is anything with peppermint in it. White chocolate and peppermint perhaps? Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
These look so beautiful! I am going to make them with my gandchilden this afternoon! Looks easy enough for pre-schoolers to “play” with! Thanks for the reipe and the photos!
Dianne
I love chocolate bark, but I’m a traditionalist – milk chocolate and almonds is my fave.
I have to tell you your blog is AWESOME! I have been reading it for about a year and all the changes you’ve made are amazing – plus, you’ve basically added 2 additional blogs within the main blog – where do you find the time? I think you’re my new hero! Congrats on the shout out on Pioneer Woman too – well deserved
Thank you so much for the comment and kind words Dimitra! I’m so glad you enjoy the site!
white chocolate bark is so pretty! the cranberry and pistachio colors are so perfect for the holidays. it looks super yummy too
oh. my. greatness. drool!
Ive never done my Christmas bark like this but I love it already!! The green and red make a perfect contrast too
I love the pistachio and cranberry combo! This looks delicious
I’m loving all these different kinds of bark that you’re making!! They all look so tasty.
I make my bark with dark chocolate, pistachio and cranberries. Delightful!
I pretty much love ALL white chocolate barks! I agree that it’s worth getting nice white chocolate, when it’s the main ingredient it’s gotta be good. I love wc bark with pretzels and peanuts (thanks Paula Deen)!
Michelle,
Which form of Lindt white chocolate do you use? Is it the bar? Please let me know
) Looks delightful!
Hi Eileen, Yes, it’s in a bar. I find it in the candy aisle of the grocery store. Just their bar of regular white chocolate (in a blue and white wrapper). I think it’s 4.4 ounces.
YUMMMM!!! Never really been a fan of white chocolate, this just changed my mind.
Your bark is so pretty and festive and I bet it tastes just heavenly.
Oh my goodness, what such great flavors all packed into one little piece of bark! I love it, the colors are just sensational too!
Cranberries, pistachios…I think I could convince myself that this qualifies as health food. What a perfect alternative to peppermint bark!
gorgeous! I want to make this for Christmas. Thanks for sharing!!!!
My favorite white chocolate is also by Lindt! So amazing! Great job with the recipe, I lovee your blog
Ghirardelli white chocolate with fresh lemon zest, dried blueberries and toasted almond slivers-that combo disappears rapidly in my house!
Wow! That one sounds great, Anita! I think I may just make a collection of barks this Christmas instead of cookies. One of my favorites is dark chocolate with toasted macadamia nuts and big coconut flakes, but the pistachio/cranberry is calling my name, and I’m adding your lemon/blueberry/almond to the list, too. And that pretzel bark. Yum.
Anita, That sounds amazing! I will definitely be trying that! Thank you for sharing!
I also had an epiphany when seeing Williams-Sonoma Peppermint Bark, this was probably 8-10 years ago. I went home and asked around for a recipe. I came up with my own version and it has been a hit for years. People actually give me empty tins for me to fill.
I already made 2 batches, last year I also made Ina Garten’s chocolate bark that had pistachios and dried fruit in it and that was great.
I find it the easiest candy to make.
Ok this chocolate bark is so colorful and pretty, I love it! I have never made chocolate bark for some reason, although I do always buy the tin at William Sonoma every year. I think this pic makes me want to go home tonight and make some!
The colors of this are particularly stunning, I love the green and the red with the creamy white chocolate – beautiful!
I love the combination of white chocolate, pistachio and cranberries. I make biscotti with the same combination where I dip half of biscotti in white chocolate. By the way where do you get your pistachios, the ones in my grocery doesn’t look fresh and it’s salted. What brand of white chocolate do you use? I’ll be making this for giveaways, would it melt in the mail?
Hi Ram, I buy my pistachios (as well as all the nuts I use for baking including walnuts, pecans, almonds and peanuts) in bulk at Sam’s Club. I use Lindt white chocolate. And finally, chipping of chocolate bark might be dicey. I think it keeps best in the fridge until a little before you want to serve it so it doesn’t get too soft. And white chocolate especially will melt a little quicker than a dark chocolate.
How festive and gorgeous!!
I had to link your recipe off my blog too! http://bit.ly/f5VXo9
Simple, delicious and festive – I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks so much for the recipe!
Wow, that does look festive! I love the pistachio/cranberry combo. I don’t have a favorite bark…probably because I enjoy just about every version.
This is absolutely gorgeous! Beats peppermint bark in my book any day!
Lovely bark! I love how colorful and festive it is!
Ok, between reading this and your Peppermint Bark recipes, I’m now on a mission to make some bark myself. I’m glad to know it’s so easy to make!
Wow, I love making holiday bark but this one looks so much better than any I’ve seen before! White chocolate, cranberries, and pistachios?? Heaven!
These are gorgeous. I am a huge white chocolate fan and with cranberries. Sounds fantastic. Now can you figure one out for me with coconut
I’m pretty sure that this would be very dangerous for me. I think I could eat a whole batch myself!!
These look absolutely delicious! Wouldn’t mind to have some right now
What a striking photograph!
So pretty and perfect for the holidays with the red and green – love it! Thanks for the link love to my recipe the other weekend too
You’re welcome, Kerstin!
So pretty! I love the combination of pistachios and cranberries in Christmas goodies… not only for the color combo!
Fruit and nut – that’s me – looks good and totally agree with you on the white chocolate quality, in fact all chocolate quality – now I know where to look in the USA. I like the colours this has – great photo.
What a beautiful candy! Love the combo of pistachios and cranberries in anything.
This has to be the first white chocolate bark candy I’ve ever seen but you know, it makes wonderful and beautiful sense for this season in the Northern Hemisphere.
I’ve been seeing a lot of bark recipes lately. I can’t believe I’ve never made it myself beings that it is so darn easy! Great recipe!
I love the simplicity of this recipe. Melt, mix, cool
Sounds perfect for a crazy holiday season, pretty too.
Oh I am definitely saving this recipe – it looks incredible!
Surprisingly, I’ve never made chocolate bark! But it’s definitely on my list of to-do’s this holiday season! Yours look fabulous by the way!
I have not yet attempted to make chocolate bark but you may have just inspired me to try. This looks amazing, and perfect combination for the holidays.
So pretty and festive!
What a Christmasy looking treat! Thanks for sharing.
This is so unique but sounds amazing. I may have to give these a try!
That looks really christmasy. Haven’t heard of chocolate bark before but I think I might want to give it a try! Especially since I’ve some valrhona white chocs feves in the fridge!
Pistachios and cranberries are one of my favorite combinations all year long, but at the holidays, they are even better. I love the festive colors in your bark! What a great idea
This looks delicious. I am not fond of white chocolate but this looks really appetising.
Wow! This looks beautiful!
It is definitely festive! Candy bark is something I always look forward to around the holidays!
This is one of the prettiest barks I have seen. This would be perfect to give to friends and neighbors – after keeping a little for ourselves.
This bark is so good! I love the use of white chocolate; it’s a lot less sweet than milk chocolate and I love any kind of sweet/salty combo. Thanks for sharing.
What a delicious flavor combo!
You have soooo encouraged me to make candy bark this holiday season! I love all the recipes you have offered here on your blog for candy bark….goodness I will just have to make ALL of them!
I make candy bark all the time but this looks like its much healthier and holiday appropriate.
Hi Michelle,
)
You said you use Lindt white chocolate. How does that compare to Baker’s white chocolate (the one in blocks)? Do you prefer the way Lindt tastes over Baker’s?
Thank you!
Irma.
P.S: I’ve never made bark before, but my mom loves white chocolate and she has a great surprise headed her way (thanks to you
Hi Irma, I don’t like Baker’s chocolate at all. I don’t like Nestle white chocolate either. Ghiradelli isn’t bad, but I do think that Lindt is the best.
I use Ghiradelli white chocolate. Shop Rite has it for $1.99 bar right now. I had 6 bars in the cupboard and I bought 4 more at that price. It went down 30 cents in the last week. I stock up when it gets this cheap so I have it for Zvalentine’s Day.
BTW, I made dark chocolate bark last week wiith pistachios and crystallized Ginger. amazing. I find it funny how impressed people are when you give them homemade bark and yet it is the easiest candy to make.
These look sooooo amazing! We’re totally making these this year. We featured you over on our cookie link up! Thanks for the recipe.
http://threesisterz.blogspot.com/2010/12/cookie-link-up-party.html
Hi Michelle!
This recipe caught my eye on the Tasty Kitchen forum and hence, I found your website–which I absolutely love, by the way.
I made this bark recipe last night and it’s a new favorite, for sure! It was so easy to make, looks so festive and is absolutely delicious. I’m giving some to my friends and I just know they’re going to love it as well. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Merry Christmas!
Love it!!!
This looks so delicious. Thanks for this Christmas treat. I am sure my kids will love this!!
I’ve never tasted Pistachio Bark and I love Cranberries and White Chocolate. I am sure this is delish!
We’d love for you to come link it up to our 12 Days of Christmas Goodies! Today we are featuring…. BARK (and I think this is perfect)!
http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/2011/12/12-days-of-christmas-pretzel-bark.html
I cannot wait to make this. IT sounds delicious but
different and festive!!! Thanks for the recipe!!!
I made this over the holidays. And it was a total hit! I added apricots to mine.