Pistachio cranberry bark is made with dark chocolate, sweet dried cranberries, and crunchy salted pistachios. It's an easy no-bake treat for the holidays and perfect for gift giving.
Recipe summary
Flavor/Texture: Rich, crunchy, and chewy, with balanced sweet and savory flavor.
Three ingredients. Made with dark chocolate, pistachios, and dried cranberries.
No-bake and easy. Make a batch in 20 minutes or less, no oven needed!
Great for: Christmas, holiday candy trays, gift giving.
Similar to: Turtle Bark and Oreo Peppermint Bark
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Dark chocolate melting wafers - Dark chocolate wafers can be substituted with milk chocolate wafers or white chocolate wafers. Melting wafers are ideal because they've already been tempered and are intended for making candy at home. I don't recommend chocolate chips because they don't melt as easily and have a dull, soft finish when solidified.
- Pistachios - Can be substituted with chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans (like in my turtle bark).
- Cranberries - Dried cranberries are sometimes labeled as craisins. Raisins or other dried fruits, like chopped dried apricot, also work as a substitute.
How to make pistachio cranberry bark
- Melt wafers in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments. Stir until completely melted.
- Add pistachios and cranberries, stirring until coated.
- Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet into a large oval.
- Refrigerate until solid, then cut into squares and serve.
Tips and tricks
Melt wafers in the microwave - Using a microwave can be tricky if you're not watching carefully. Your wafers can easily overheat and become grainy or scorched. To prevent this, microwave your chocolate in 30 second increments. Stir and repeat until melted.
Melt wafers on the stovetop - Place your melting wafers in a metal bowl. Fill a saucepan with about an inch of water and bring to a simmer on the stovetop. Place your bowl on top of the saucepan, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. The steam from the simmering water slowly warms the bowl, melting your wafers evenly and safely.
Line your tray with parchment - Solidified chocolate bark will stick to an unlined baking sheet, so be sure to line with parchment paper (or foil if you don't have parchment).
Storage
Chocolate bark can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Make sure it's stored in a tightly sealed container for best results.
You can also freeze chocolate bark for up to six months in a tightly sealed, freezer safe container.
Frequently asked questions
This recipe will technically work with chocolate chips, but you won't get the same end result. Melting wafers are made to be melted and solidified to make candy confections at home. Chocolate chips are made to hold their shape when heated. Did you ever notice when making chocolate chip cookies that the chocolate chips hold their shape? That's because they're manufactured this way.
Melting wafers are the ideal choice for home candy making. When melted and solidified, your candy has a shiny finish and a candy bar "snap" when broken in half.
Chocolate chips, when melted and solidified, have a dull finish and soft texture. Your candy will likely taste just as good, but will not have that candy bar "snap" or shiny finish.
I like to buy Ghirardelli chocolate melting wafers at my local grocer. I've found them at Kroger, Publix, and Walmart. They're consistent and easy to find.
If I plan ahead and shop online, I prefer Merkens. The flavor of their melting wafers is superior and they melt beautifully every time. I've purchased from and recommend Dyane's Sweet Tooth when shopping online. Merckens is also available on Amazon for a hefty markup. You may also find Merkens at a cake supply store local to you.
Yes, chocolate bark is easy to customize to create your own personalized treat. Chopped nuts, dried fruits, crushed cookies, or pretzels can be added to candy bark.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Pistachio Cranberry Bark
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dark chocolate melting wafers
- ¾ cup salted pistachios
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Choose a baking sheet that will fit into your refrigerator and line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add chocolate melting wafers and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring until melted. Alternatively, melt using a double boiler on the stove top.
- Add pistachios and cranberries to melted chocolate. Stir gently until incorporated.
- Pour chocolate mixture onto your parchment lined baking sheet. Using a spatula, spread to about ¼ inch thickness to create a 10 to 12 inch oval.
- Transfer baking sheet to the refrigerator or freezer to harden for about 10-15 minutes. Slice into pieces and store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Storage: Candy bark will keep at room temperature for about 2 weeks in a tightly sealed container.
- Can I use chocolate chips?: I do not recommend substituting melting wafers with chocolate chips. Candy bark is tempered chocolate that's meant for melting and at-home candy making. Chocolate chips are meant to hold their shape and solidify with a dull, soft texture instead of the candy "snap" you achieve with melting wafers.
- Variations: Pistachios can be substituted with any nuts you have on hand, like pecans, walnuts, or almonds. Cranberries can be substituted with raisins, diced dried apricot, or other dried fruits. This recipe used to include toffee bits, but due to lower availability of this ingredient, the recipe was updated.
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