This Holiday bark is made with luscious dark chocolate, juicy and tart dried cranberries, and salty and crunchy peanuts. It’s an easy and festive holiday treat and makes the perfect homemade gift!

Holiday Fruit & Nut Bark

Fun fact about me: I studied abroad in Bristol, England for 6 months during my sophomore year of college. It was an incredible experience and I made lifelong friends that are still in my life today.

Admittedly, I wasn’t a huge fan of most of the food, but I was obsessed with their sweets selection. My all-time favorite was the fruit and nut bars from Cadbury. It was a decadent milk chocolate bar with tangy dried cranberries and salty peanuts. It was a magical, addicting combination. I never would have thought to put in a chocolate bar but it totally works!

Every time my best friend from England comes to visit, I request that she bring me multiple bars because they are hard to find here in the U.S.

I decided it was finally time I recreate this chocolate bar because it’s not fair I only get to eat it once every couple of years! I decided a holiday bark was the perfect vessel for this delicious flavor combo. I love a good holiday bark. It’s super simple to prepare and makes for a perfect holiday gift (my holiday peppermint bark is a perfect holiday treat too!)

Holiday bark made with luscious dark chocolate, juicy and tart dried cranberries, and salty and crunchy peanuts.

Ingredients

The best part about this treat is it only take 3 ingredients to create:

Dark chocolate chips (or milk and or semi-sweet, depending on your preference)
dried cranberries
salted peanuts

That’s it! Couldn’t be simpler. But it’s such an interesting and fantastic flavor combo, so it tastes like a sophisticated, fancy holiday treat that your friends and family will love!

Equipment Needed

Microwave safe bowl
Baking sheet
parchment paper
offset spatula or knife

Is it really that easy?

Yes! It just takes a few simple steps!

First, add the dark chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl. I used Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips. I love this brand because they use all natural ingredients and are allergy sensitive (so great for most of your friends/guest!). I prefer dark chocolate because it’s less sweet (and contains less sugar) and is full of antioxidants. But I totally get that it’s acquired taste, so if you aren’t a dark chocolate fan, you can use milk chocolate or semi-sweet as well.

Microwave the chocolate at 50% power in increments of 30 seconds until the chips are fully melted. It’s very important you microwave them at 50% power because at full power they can scorch and not properly melt.

Once the chocolate is fully melted, use an offset spatula or knife to spread it out onto a large parchment lined baking sheet. It should be about a 1/2 in thick and should almost cover the entire sheet without touching the sides of the pan.

Next, sprinkle the dried cranberries and salty peanuts all over the bark. A good tip when buying dried cranberries is to find ones without added sugar. Some brands add a ton of extra sugar which, in my opinion, makes them too sweet and not as tangy. Also, I highly recommend using salty peanuts because salty things pairs well with chocolate.

Finally, pop the bark into the fridge for at least 2 hours. Once it is hardened, break it into chunks. That’s it! Your holiday treat is done!

If you want to get extra fancy, sprinkle on some flaky sea salt to help boost the saltiness from the peanuts. They also look like little snow crystals, which seems festive for there holidays!

How to store the holiday bark?

You can either store these at room temperature (in a cool dry place) or in the fridge. They will last for as long as the dark chocolate chips are good (just check the expiration).

How to gift the holiday bark?

Like I said, these makes a wonderful, special holiday gift. Perfect for neighbors, co-workers, friends, and family. What better way to show you care than through chocolate!

To make them pretty and festive, I like to put them in pretty Christmas decorated treat bags, which you can find on amazon, at hobby lobby, or at target. Then tie them with a little festive ribbon to make them sparkle and feel complete.

Enjoy!

I hope you and your friends/family love this treat! They are rich a luscious from the dark chocolate, tangy and fruity from the dried cranberries, and salty and crunchy from the peanuts. Each bite takes me right back to England! It’s nostalgic and delicious!

If you make this holiday bark, please leave a comment below. I absolutely love to hear from you guys and your thoughts on my recipes. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or pin it on pinterest, cuz sharing is caring!