This five minute Peppermint Bark is smooth, sweet chocolate layered with cool peppermint, and my boys can’t get enough of it. Make a batch for a party, or package it up as a gift for a friend.

Similar to the Christmas batches of peppermint marshmallow fudge that I like gifting to friends, peppermint bark is a cinch to make and requires just a few ingredients you may already have in your pantry. It’s perfect for packing into pretty tins or bags, or for serving on dessert trays at holiday parties. Once you see how easy this is to make this peppermint bark recipe, you’ll likely never be tempted to buy it again.

Peppermint Bark

I’ve been making this recipe as a holiday treat for friends and family for many, many years now. It’s even been a requested stocking stuffer for my boys over the years, and I’m looking forward to making it again this fall.

Sometimes, you’ll see a recipe for peppermint bark call for a full layer of white chocolate on top of milk or dark chocolate. But, I choose to swirl the chocolates together for a couple of reasons.

First, the two different colored chocolates all swirled and spiraled together simply looks prettier. And more practically, that swirl helps hold the dark and white chocolate together. There’s less chance of the two chocolates separating when you slice the chocolate into individual pieces. This way you get all three main flavors–white chocolate, dark chocolate, and peppermint–in each and every bite of peppermint bark.

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Generously swirled with finely chopped pecans and turtle candies, this caramel vanilla Turtle Ice Cream is the kind of dessert that leans old-fashioned, but never loses its pull. Each scoop highlights the classic candy that’s been sparking smiles for the last century.

Homemade ice cream has a way of slowing things down and pulling people closer together. And, this classic turtle ice cream with it’s rich chocolate, caramel and nuts never fails to make our conversations linger a little longer while the spoons clink in their bowls. It reminds me of my pralines and cream ice cream, that way.

Turtle ice cream does not need elaborate toppings or accompaniments. A simple bowl and a spoon are enough. But, if you love caramel like I do, then you know it never hurts to add a little more! A drizzle of homemade salted caramel sauce fits perfectly with those classic turtle flavors, and takes each serving right over the top.

Turtle Ice Cream

You know how some treats just feel old fashioned? This ice cream feels that way to me. Chocolate covered nuts with caramel is a pairing that has stood the test of time. And, as an ice cream flavor, it takes me right back to standing on my tiptoes, peering into the glass case at Thrifty’s after church. As kids we could choose whichever scoop we wanted, and I just knew any ice cream with a caramel swirl would be irresistible.

This turtle ice cream recipe uses the same process as a lot of my favorite ice cream flavors with add-in candies, chocolates, etc. I’ve found that churning add-ins into the base often results in an almost homogenous flavor. And, that makes each bite a little less interesting. So, adding the nuts, candy and caramel as layers at the end instead keeps those flavors distinct in each bite.

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Blending Oreos with cream and milk makes for a rich, smooth Oreo Ice Cream that tastes exactly like our favorite store-bought cookies. This is most definitely not your everyday cookies and cream ice cream.

After making my longtime favorite cookies and cream ice cream a while back, I had an idea for an Oreo ice cream and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I picked up more Oreos at the store and as soon as I got home I dumped a dozen of them into the blender and went to work. (It’s a hard life, but someone has to live it.)

Oreo Ice Cream

Oreos are a weakness of mine and I have to admit that they are very rarely allowed into my house, because I have to exercise so much self-control when they are near me. And, while I really love making things from scratch, I also know that there are some things that you just can’t recreate at home.

For me, Oreos are one of those things. So, for the sake of having the best chocolate cookies, swirled together into this Oreo ice cream, keeping them in the pantry is a hardship that I’m willing to bear.

Ingredients and Substitutions

With just enough nut crunch to keep the chocolate forever interesting, these chewy Walnut Brownies have been on heavy rotation in our house lately. Sometimes, they disappear faster than I can pull the next pan out of the oven.

After several rounds of our homemade cosmic brownies, I was craving a chewy, nutty brownie. Walnuts won out. They hold their crunch against the fudgy base in a way that makes the second bite just as interesting as the first.

Walnut Brownies

Brownies are easily the most-requested baked good in our house. A quick scroll through the recipe index will turn up at least a dozen variations we’ve made over the years, and we keep finding new ones to try. What can I say? Chocolate has staying power!

The walnuts soften ever so slightly, giving the chocolate wonderful texture. Whether I’m eating these warm from the oven or slicing slivers off each time I pass the pan on the counter, I am one happy camper. But, I must warn you, these brownies are very susceptible to sliver theft. Walking past the pan without cutting off a teensy piece? Not in my house.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Walnuts – I use walnuts in this recipe because I like the bold, slightly bitter flavor with the sweet chocolate. You can swap for pecans, if you want.

Chocolate Chips – Semi-sweet is the right fit for these brownies. I like dark and bittersweet chocolate too, but semi-sweet is my preference when pairing brownies with walnuts.

Vanilla – Ever wonder why we put vanilla in chocolate baked goods? It sounds odd,

I am so beyond thrilled with how this ultra fluffy, creamy Peanut Butter Frosting turned out! With just six ingredients and about ten minutes of work you will find yourself piping this onto cakes, swiping it over brownies, and (let’s be honest) eating it straight off the spoon.

Fluffy, creamy, not too sweet, and peanut buttery without being pushy about it. Every photo you see here, I piled it on my Hershey’s chocolate cake. Is there any better match for this frosting? I think not!

This is the peanut butter frosting I put on everything chocolate in my kitchen. It spreads easily, but it also pipes up into proper pillowy piles for a cake. And it all comes together in about ten minutes with a mixer and a bowl.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Good peanut butter frosting is a balancing act. Too sweet and it stops tasting like peanut butter. Too heavy and it overpowers the cake.

I’ve been making this Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting for years now and I’ll admit that it’s pretty awesome. But what I have really been wanting lately is a fluffy, creamy, light peanut butter frosting and I’ve nailed that with this peanut butter frosting recipe. I’m giddy over this, my friends!

This recipe makes enough frosting for a two-layer cake. For a pan of brownies or a 9×13 cake, you will want to halve the recipe. Or, if you’re like my family, you’ll happily make the full recipe and then top graham crackers, cookies, and everything else with the leftover frosting.

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