Name: Peppermint Bark Brownies
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes (plus 1½–2 hours chilling)
Yield: Makes 16
Ingredients: Nonstick vegetable oil spray; ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour; ⅓ cup (35 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder (such as Hershey’s Special Dark); 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt; ¼ tsp. baking soda; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces; 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar; ¼ cup (packed; 50 g) dark brown sugar; 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup; such as Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate); 1 tsp. instant espresso powder (such as Medaglia); 8 oz. white chocolate chips (about 1⅓ cups; such as Guittard Choc-au-Lait); ¼ cup heavy cream; ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt; ½ tsp. pure peppermint extract; 3 candy canes, coarsely crushed into irregular pieces

Brownies topped with white chocolate ganache and crushed peppermint candy in a baking dish.

Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht

Every holiday season the one gift I buy for myself is a tin of original peppermint bark from Williams-Sonoma. With defined layers of dark chocolate, white chocolate, and craggy bits of crushed peppermint, this luxe peppermint bark—which costs $30 a tin—is infinitely superior to any convenience store version (trust me, I’ve tried them all). It’s definitely a splurge, but it’s so, so worth it.

This year I’m channeling that holy trinity of flavors—deep, rich dark chocolate, milky white chocolate, and sharp peppermint—into a dessert I can give to friends and family (because let’s face it, I can only afford so many $30 tins of peppermint bark). I swapped the solid dark chocolate base for a super-fudgy, rich, and chocolaty brownie. It’s made with both Dutch-process cocoa powder (Hershey’s Special Dark is my personal favorite) and melted dark chocolate, plus a teaspoon of instant espresso powder to heighten the chocolate flavor (you can skip it if you don’t have any on hand, but I love how it deepens the flavor of the chocolate). As for the white chocolate layer, I’ve opted for a silky white chocolate ganache—make it on the same double-boiler you used for the brownie batter or zap it in the microwave. Either way, go for a high-quality white chocolate, such as the Choc-au-Lait from Guittard (which also happens to be the brand Williams-Sonoma uses in its signature bark). A bit of peppermint extract balances the sweetness of the white chocolate and gives the ganache that requisite holiday flavor. And for a final touch, crushed candy canes finish the brownies with a dazzling, festive look.

I’ll still be buying my requisite tin of peppermint bark, but I’ll happily bake batch after batch of these party-ready brownies too.

Planning a holiday baking marathon? Fill out the tin with festive cookies and make yourself a cup of hot cocoa while you’re at it.