Bring a little holiday magic to your snack game with Chocolate Peppermint Protein Bark—a festive, plant-powered treat that’s crunchy, chocolatey, and packed with protein. This bark is perfect for anyone looking to enjoy seasonal flavors without the sugar overload. It’s rich in healthy fats, fiber, and clean protein, making it a better-for-you holiday indulgence that satisfies cravings and keeps you energized.
Featuring Growing Naturals Original Rice Protein (or swap for Original Pea Protein), this bark delivers a plant-based protein boost in every bite. Hemp seeds, unsweetened coconut, and a touch of peppermint make it a nutrient-dense snack ideal for busy adults navigating the holiday season, gift-giving chaos, or long workdays.
Whether you’re gifting it, snacking during holiday prep, or enjoying a quiet moment by the fire, this protein bark offers sustained energy, festive flavor, and a cleaner alternative to traditional chocolate treats.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Plant-powered protein: Choose rice or pea protein for a clean, complete protein boost.
Festive flavor: Chocolate and peppermint create a classic holiday pairing everyone loves.
Better-for-you sweetening: Naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and optional stevia—less sugar than store-bought bark.
Crunchy & satisfying: Hemp seeds and coconut add fiber, healthy fats, and texture.
No-bake simplicity: Ready in minutes and easy to store or gift.
1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut sugar or your choice sweetener
2 ounces (60 g) good quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4-1/2 tsp (1-2.5 ml) 100% stevia powder, to your taste (or substitute with additional sweetener of choice)
pinch fine sea salt
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2. 5 ml) pure peppermint extract
Bark Toppings
1/4 cup (60 ml) goji berries, dried cranberries, blueberries or cherries, or chopped nuts, if desired
1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) more hemp seeds, if desired
Directions
Line a loaf pan or mold with plastic wrap and set aside.
Place the coconut or coconut butter, hemp seeds and coconut sugar in a high-powered blender and, using the tamper to keep the mixture moving, blend until liquefied. This should take only a minute or two. (If you have a powerful food processor, you can use it instead, but it will take longer for the coconut to turn to butter, and the texture will be slightly more grainy.) Add the chocolate, stevia, salt and vanilla, and continue to blend, stirring with the tamper, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Finally, add the protein powder and blend again until incorporated.
Pour into the pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with goji berries and additional hemp seeds if desired. Place in refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours.
Once firm, invert onto a cutting board and remove the plastic. Cut into odd shapes and store, covered, in the refrigerator. Serve cold. Makes 12-16 pieces. Will keep, refrigerated, up to 2 weeks.
