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Five-Ingredient Fridays: Peppermint Bark Popcorn with Toasted Coconut

This peppermint bark popcorn with toasted coconut is filled with holiday flavors. Perfect snack for your holiday parties! There are many things that I wonder about in life. How many stars are there in the galaxy? When will Chinese Muslim...
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This peppermint bark popcorn with toasted coconut is filled with holiday flavors. Perfect snack for your holiday parties!

Addictive Peppermint Bark Popcorn with Toasted Coconut | healthynibblesandbits.com #glutenfree

There are many things that I wonder about in life.

How many stars are there in the galaxy?

When will Chinese Muslim food every make it over here in the U.S.?

How many brownies are “too many”? (I recently figured this out. The answer is there aren’t too many, but I do need to take a 2 day break between feedings.)

Which genius melted milk and white chocolate together, topped it with bits of candy cane, and called it peppermint bark?

Addictive Peppermint Bark Popcorn with Toasted Coconut | healthynibblesandbits.com #glutenfree

I remember tasting a square of Ghirardelli peppermint bark for the first time, and it felt like a tiny piece of heaven gradually melting away in my mouth. Of course, one square was not enough. It never is. Ever since I discovered how easy it was to make peppermint bark at home, I’ve whipped up a batch at least once every year. It is always a crowd pleaser. This year, I wanted to do something different, something with that funny popping corn.

Addictive Peppermint Bark Popcorn with Toasted Coconut | healthynibblesandbits.com #glutenfree

Initially, I was thinking about making a decadent caramel popcorn. But after a long visit to the dentist, I figured that I should probably lay off things that are overly sweet. I don’t want my dentist to be wagging her finger the next time she sees me. Then, I decided to drizzle tiny streams of chocolate on top of the popcorn. The dentist will approve of my decision.

One of the benefits of making peppermint bark at home is that you can let out your day’s frustration as you crush the peppermint. And if you don’t have any frustration to let out, it’s just plain fun.

Peppermint Candy Cane

To make this yummy Christmas party snack, here’s what you’ll need:

Peppermint Bark Popcorn Ingredients

What do you like to put in your peppermint bark?

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Peppermint Bark Popcorn with Toasted Coconut

Addictive Peppermint Bark Popcorn with Toasted Coconut | healthynibblesandbits.com #glutenfree

★★★★★

4.8 from 5 reviews

Makes about 10 cups.

  • Author: Lisa Lin
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: snack, dessert

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bag of unsalted, butter-free popcorn
  • 5 peppermint candy canes
  • 1 and 1/4 cup (300g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (use vegan chips if vegan)
  • 1 cup (50g) flaked unsweetened coconut
  • pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  1. Pop the popcorn in your microwave according to the directions on the package. When the popcorn is done, pour it out onto a big bowl and let it cool for a few minutes. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and scoop out the popcorn onto the paper. Leave out the unpopped kernels.
  2. Unwrap 5 candy canes, and place it into a sandwich bag. Crush the candy cane by using a hard object. I used a meat pounder. Be careful, some of the peppermint powder may spray out of the bag.
  3. Heat a small sauté pan over medium-high heat and spread the coconut on top. Stir frequently until about half of the coconut is browned. Remove from heat. The coconut will continue browning as it sets. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
  4. Microwave the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for a minute. Continue microwaving at 15-second intervals until nearly all the chocolate chips are glossy. Stir the chips until you get a smooth chocolate mixture. Using a spoon, drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn. The chocolate may get a bit out of control and a huge dollop may land on one spot. That’s okay.
  5. Sprinkle the crushed peppermint, toasted coconut, and sea salt over the popcorn. I like to crush the coconut in my hand before sprinkling it on the popcorn.
  6. Let the chocolate set by freezing the popcorn for 10 minutes, or leave it in room temperature for one to two hours.
  7. Serve immediately or store in a sealed bag for a day or two. The popcorn may get stale after 2 days.

Notes

Adapted from Cookie + Kate.

 Addictive Peppermint Bark Popcorn with Toasted Coconut | healthynibblesandbits.com #glutenfreeLooking for more holiday recipes?

These adorable Rudolph Brownie Pops are delicious and gluten-free!

Gluten-Free Rudolph Brownie Pops

Coconut Chocolate Thumbprints

Coconut Chocolate Thumbprints

Mint Chocolate Bites | Healthy Nibbles and Bits

Mint Chocolate Snack Bites

Lisa Lin Head Shot

Hey, there! I’m Lisa Lin

Here, you’ll find well-tested Asian recipes, pantry guides, and recipes from my sassy mother, Mama Lin. Through my recipes and cooking videos, I hope to honor the food and traditions that surrounded my Chinese American upbringing.

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    • Lisa says

      Thanks, Liz! I had to give most of it away because it was getting very dangerous having the whole batch around the house!

      Reply

    • Lisa says

      Thanks, Melanie! As I started smashing the candy cane, a heart shape started to form, so I thought I’d just clean it up!

      Reply

  3. Alanna says

    You make the cutest stuff!! This peppermint bark looks amazing and much better than buying Ghirardelli. This is just the right amount of bark on the popcorn.

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      Going to one of these Ghirardelli shops is soo dangerous for me because I always buy so much chocolate from those mix-and-match bins! Plus, I love that they always sample the caramel squares.

      Reply

    • Lisa says

      Thanks, Alice!! Yes! I try to do a 5-ingredient recipe every Friday. I may skip it once in a blue moon, but I usually have a 5-ingredient recipe going!

      Reply

  11. Eileen says

    Wait, Chinese Muslim food? Well, now I can’t wait for that to make it here either! More cuisines! MORE! 🙂 This popcorn sounds so fantastically over the top! You have to love the mix of textures.

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      Yes! Chinese Muslim food is amazing, but I only know of one restaurant in New York that cooks that style of food. One day…

      Reply

  14. Arman @ thebigmansworld says

    “When will Chinese Muslim food every make it over here in the U.S.?”

    This is why I like you. (besides Seinfeld, Harry Potter and all that jazz).

    YES. YES. YES. My dad’s Chinese Malaysian and the food there is…insanity. Now this recipe- Peppermint and popcorn AND coconut? No words.

    Reply

  15. Julia says

    Peppermint bark is one of my faaaavorites, and I’m all about a crunchy, salty, sweet treat! Love this fabulous popcorn recipe, m’dear! Perfect for holiday gift baskets, fo sho’!

    Reply

  18. Maggie says

    When will Chinese Muslim food every make it over here in the U.S.?
    Very good question and I hope it will be the year 2015!
    Love the peppermint bark popcorn! I’m not so crazy about popcorn, but I want to stuff my pockets with these now! Genius idea! It’s really fancy for a party, but I bet everyone will love it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  19. Alex Caspero MA,RD (@delishknowledge) says

    I LIVE for white chocolate bark this time of year… seriously!! It’s one of my favorite treats. Mine is so unhealthy though- pretty much melted white chocolate + dark chocolate + candy canes! Your version looks so much better and I won’t feel as bad when I grab handful after handful 🙂

    Reply
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