All of the flavors of peppermint bark are in this easy, festive popcorn mix: white and dark chocolates and crushed peppermint candy. You can assemble this in a matter of minutes. It's fun to have on hand for snacking at home and sharing at parties or work. I like to bag it up for gifts or party favors, too.

Here's how to make this fun, festive popcorn mix.

Step-by-step photos for making
Peppermint Bark Popcorn Mix

Step 1. Assembly the ingredients:

• Air- or microwave-popped popcorn without oil/butter/salt (I microwave mine)
• Chocolate chips -- I use semi-sweet, but you can use whatever you prefer--dark or milk chocolate are good, too
• White vanilla chocolate chips
• Candy canes or peppermint candies
• Coarse salt -- this gives it a pleasing sweet and salty flavor--you can omit the salt if you want to keep it just sweet
• Red sprinkles -- these add color and crunch to the mix--also optional
• Red or red & white M&Ms -- During the holiday season, look for white chocolate peppermint M&Ms. Or, you can use regular chocolate M&Ms--pick the red ones out of a multicolored bag.

view on Amazon:  my favorite microwave popcorn popper--make a perfect batch of popcorn in 2-3 minutes!

Step 2. Crush the candy canes or peppermint candies in a Ziploc bag using a meat pounder, rolling pin, or bottom of a heavy skillet. 

Step 3. Melt chocolate and white chips in the microwave using the method described here:

Put semi-sweet chocolate chips in a small bowl with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Cook on full power, checking at 20 second intervals, stirring each time. Stop heating when most, but not all, of the chips are melted--there should be a few chunks left. Stir until it is smooth and chips are completely melted. (Approx. 60 seconds total cooking time. Microwave power and exact times can vary.)  Be careful not to overcook. 

Step 4. Follow the same procedure to melt the white chocolate chips in a separate bowl.

Step 5. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Spread ingredients evenly in pan in this order in order to help everything stick together. The melted chocolate serves as the glue.

• popcorn
• M&Ms
• melted dark chocolate-- drizzle it on in a thin stream with a spoon
• half of crushed candy, sprinkles, and salt
• melted white chocolate -- drizzled
• remaining crushed candy, sprinkles, and salt

view on Amazon: 13x18 half sheet baking pan

Step 6. Allow the chocolate to harden completely--approx. 1 hour.

Done! So easy. Break off pieces of the popcorn mix and serve!

Gift it! Fill small bags with this popcorn mix to give as gifts for:

• party favors
• classroom treats
• teachers
• co-workers
• neighbors
• anyone -- a fun and tasty way to say "Thanks!"

view on Amazon:  cellophane treat bags

The combinations of flavors and textures are so yummy, and it looks festive, too!

Make it a Yummy day!

Monica

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Peppermint Bark Popcorn Mix

By Monica              Servings: makes 9 cups

Ingredients

• 8 cups popped corn (air- or microwave-popped without oil or salt); approx. 1/3 cup kernels makes 8 cups of popped popcorn
• 1/2 cup M&Ms (if using 2 colors--1/4 cup of each); use all regular red or red & white, OR peppermint flavored red or red & white
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white baking chips
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (canola, vegetable, etc.); divided
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies*
• red sprinkles (optional)

Directions

*To crush candy canes or peppermint candies, place in plastic Ziploc bag and pound with meat pounder, rolling pin, or bottom of heavy skillet until evenly crushed.

Spread popcorn on a large baking sheet that has been lined with parchment or silicone mat. Sprinkle M&Ms evenly over top.

Melt chocolate and white chips in two separate bowls in microwave. Put semi-sweet chocolate chips in bowl with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Cook on full power, checking at 20 second intervals, stirring each time. Stop heating when most, but not all, of the chips are melted--there should be a few chunks left. Stir until it is smooth and chips are completely melted. (Approx. 60 seconds total cooking time. Microwave power and exact times can vary.)  Be careful not to overcook. Repeat with white chips in separate bowl.

Use a spoon to evenly drizzle melted semi-sweet chocolate chips over popcorn, holding the spoon high, moving in a back and forth motion to drizzle in a thin stream onto popcorn. Sprinkle with half of coarse sea salt, crushed candy canes, and sprinkles. Drizzle melted white chips evenly over top. Sprinkle on remaining salt, crushed candy canes, and sprinkles. After melted chips harden completely (about 1 hour), break into pieces and store in airtight container or sealed plastic bags.

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