Sorry for my absence last week — I was under the weather and everything sounded unappealing. I’m back now with three delicious recipes coming this week, and I couldn’t wait to share one of my favorites: Peppermint Bark Christmas Crunch.
Christmas forever.
Right now I’m listening to Christmas music and thinking about all the cozy traditions that come with the season. Baking is a big part of that for many people, but I’m still learning and usually end up with a messy kitchen and so-so results. That’s why this Christmas Crunch is perfect: no baking required. The only “cooking” involved is popping popcorn, which I’ve gotten pretty good at over the years — butter, salt, and a generous appetite.
What makes this treat so Christmas-y? For starters, the colors: red and green M&Ms plus festive sprinkles make it visually perfect for the season. Then there’s peppermint — peppermint bark is a classic holiday flavor and gives this salty-sweet mix a bright, minty finish.
Here’s what goes into the Christmas Crunch:
- Popcorn (popped at home)
- Pretzels
- Red and green M&Ms
- Festive sprinkles
- White chocolate
- Peppermint extract
- Happiness
Just enough melted white chocolate lightly coats the mix and binds it together while the peppermint extract adds that unmistakable holiday flavor. The combination of salty pretzels and sweet chocolate and candy is what makes this snack irresistible. The popcorn adds crunch and volume, tying everything together.
Speaking of the holidays, have you decorated yet? We put up our tree and added garland to the kitchen cabinets. My dream is to be the over-the-top house on the block — lights everywhere and a proudly ridiculous power bill. We aren’t quite there, but our indoor decorations make the house feel festive.
Our decorating day was a bit chaotic. We returned from a Thanksgiving trip and immediately unpacked all the ornaments. We started with the garland, which took a while since it includes lights, ornaments, and decorative picks. When it was time to pick out a tree, we visited a few places until we found one at a local spot that felt truly Christmas-y. They also supported local youth with proceeds, which made it feel even better. We bought a great tree, drove home, and then ran back into a store racing the closing announcement to grab a few more items. Of course, as we walked in the door back home, the new tree topper slipped and broke, but everything worked out in the end and the house feels warm and festive.
This Christmas Crunch is easy, festive, and perfect for gifting or snacking while you decorate. Enjoy — see you Wednesday!
Peppermint Bark Christmas Crunch
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- Author: Annie Chesson
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 20 cups 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
- 3 cups mini pretzels
- 1 1/2 cups green and red M&Ms
- 10 oz meltable white chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/4 cup Christmas sprinkles (plus more for topping)
Instructions
- Pop your popcorn and add to a LARGE bowl (if you don’t have a really big bowl, split into a few bowls so you can stir well)
- Add the pretzels and M&Ms to the popcorn
- Melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth
- Stir peppermint extract into the melted chocolate
- Pour the chocolate over the popcorn mixture and toss until evenly coated
- Add sprinkles and toss again until combined (adding sprinkles after tossing with chocolate helps them distribute evenly)
- Spread the mixture evenly across two baking sheets and top with more sprinkles if desired
- Let sit at room temperature for a few hours to harden, then break into pieces
Nutrition information is for 1/2 cup servings of Christmas Crunch.
If you make this or any of my other recipes, tag your photo on Instagram with #thegarlicdiaries — I love seeing your creations!
In the mood for more holiday treats? Try these:
Single Serving Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
Peppermint Bark Oreo Pops
Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffle Balls