Easy, Homemade Gift Idea: Peppermint Bark Recipe and Free Printable Labels

We’re just a week away from the big day!  If you’re like me, you’re still running around like a maniac, trying to make sure that you have a gift for everyone.  Today I want to share with you an easy–and delicious–homemade Christmas gift:  Peppermint Bark.  I make it in very large quantities every year.

I love showing my appreciation to all the people in my life, but I can’t always afford to give them exactly what they’re worth.  Am I the only one who’s ever listened to those “tipping guides” on TV and sighed inwardly?  I’d need thousands of dollars to tip everyone according to those guidelines!  Sunday school teachers, mailmen, babysitters, hairdressers, ballet teachers, coworkers, handymen, coaches, neighbors…the list goes on and on.  Fortunately, I can make dozens of bags of bark with just  a few hours of work.  Here’s the recipe:

Boom!  That’s all there is to it!  I’ve been using the Wilton Candy Melts for years; they’re usually $2-$2.50 a bag (DO NOT pay more!).  However, I have noticed that they must have changed their recipe in recent years, because it does get a big “gloppy” when I add the peppermint extract as I noted in the recipe.  Or maybe it’s my Trader Joe’s peppermint extract?  It’s nothing I can’t deal with, but I’m searching for a different candy that doesn’t do that.  Any recommendations?

It takes me two batches of bark to cover one jelly roll pan, and I break that into pieces and fill four gift bags with it.  I make a habit of picking up peppermint-themed treat bags (Hobby Lobby usually has them) and other red-and-white striped ribbons and tags to package them up nicely.

This year, I made a printable with some cute tags for you to download and use:

If you stop by and visit me at Christmas, I can pretty much guarantee you’ll be going home with a bag of this!

Thanks for stopping by, and Merry-Almost-Christmas!