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Easy Pistachio Chocolate Bark

Easy Pistachio Chocolate Bark requires no more than 10 minutes to prepare, and results in the most impressive chocolate bar for pistachio lovers! Whip it up for holiday gifts and customize it to your heart’s delight. At a baseline, this simple recipe only requires 2 ingredients and mere minutes to prepare!

Pistachio Bark chunks laying on a white background.

If you’re like my family and you’re absolutely crazy about pistachios and chocolate, you must make this easy pistachio bark as soon as possible!

In case you’ve never tried chocolate bark, the concept is a hunk of chocolate with delicious toppings stuck inside of it, broken into various sized pieces for a very informal take on a delicious chocolate bar.

You can create all sorts of different chocolate bark recipes using various types of chocolate chips, extracts (like peppermint oil or peppermint extract for peppermint bark), various dried fruits, and any type of nuts and seeds.

In this case, we’re keeping it simple by sticking with chocolate and pistachios. 

But don’t worry. If you’re looking to make a more impressive, fancier chocolate bark, I have all the suggestions!

Top down photo of chocolate bark with pistachios, cashews, dried cranberries, crispy rice cereal.

You can find the ingredients for this simple chocolate bark any grocery store. This is one of those Christmas crafts that is fun for people of all ages and a great project for kids.

Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for chocolate bark.

Ingredients for Pistachio Chocolate Bark:

Chocolate Chips: The chocolate in homemade chocolate bark comes from chocolate chips. I use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can also use dark chocolate chips (60% chocolate chips work great for dark chocolate bark), milk chocolate chips, bittersweet chocolate, chocolate melts, white chocolate chips, or sugar-free chocolate chips.

To keep it dairy-free, use vegan chocolate chips.

Make keto chocolate bark by using sugar-free chocolate chips and low-carb toppings.

For one batch of chocolate bark, you will need one 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips (or 12 ounces of melted chocolate). You can easily double or triple the recipe depending on how many people you’re making gifts for. For the best results, stick with high-quality chocolate.

hand holding a chunk of pistachio bark.

You can also use chocolate bars if there is one you love. Simply make sure it is at room temperature and chop the chocolate into small bits before heating it up to melt.

If you’re using dark chocolate, consider adding a little coconut oil to the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips to protect the chocolate from burning during the melting process.

Pistachios: Lightly roasted and salted shelled pistachios are the real star here! I buy a bag of shelled pistachios that already have the shell removed. If you feel remarkably ambitious, you can use shell on pistachios, but just note that it will require a great deal of time to remove the shells. 

You will need ⅔ cup to 1 cup of pistachios, and you can also add an additional ⅔ cup of other nuts, dried fruit, or crispy rice cereal. 

Top down photo of chocolate bark broken into chunks on a white backdrop.

Looking to customize this simple recipe? Here are some ideas.

Optional Chocolate Bark Toppings:

Use up to 1 1/2 cups of total toppings for one batch of chocolate bark.

Crispy rice cereal, dried cranberries, raw cashews, and flaky sea salt are my top suggestions for additions if you’re looking to make this chocolate bark even fancier and tastier.

Crystallized ginger, dried blueberries, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, and walnuts are also excellent additions. 

If you’re making chocolate bark for the holiday season, consider adding a couple drops of peppermint oil or 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract and sprinkle the melted chocolate with candy canes to make peppermint bark. You can also make white chocolate bark with peppermint as well.

Chocolate bark is an amazing treat and thoughtful gift for a sweet treat any time of year, not just during holiday season. Almond bark with dried fruit is a marvelous go-to.

Now that we have the ingredients down, let’s make this easy recipe!

How to Make Pistachio Chocolate Bark:

Lay a large piece of parchment paper on a large rimmed baking sheet.

If desired, pulse the pistachios in a food processor until they are roughly chopped. You can also carefully chop them using a sharp knife on a cutting board, or leave them whole.

Food processor with chopped pistachios.

Transfer the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl.

Chocolate chips in a red mixing bowl, ready to be microwaved.

Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring well in between each interval, until the chocolate chips are 90% of the way melted. This takes 4 (30-second) intervals for me.

Melted chocolate in a red mixing bowl with a golden spoon.

Avoid over-cooking and burning the chocolate. 

Note: if you’re familiar with using a double boiler, feel free to use this technique using a small saucepan instead of microwaving the chocolate.

Pour the melted chocolate on the prepared baking sheet.

Melted chocolate on a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet with a rubber spatula, about to be spread.

Use a rubber spatula to spread it into a large rectangle (it will end up being about a 10-inch rectangle for just the right thickness of chocolate). Try to get the chocolate in a thin layer that is somewhat even, but no worries if it isn’t perfect.

Rimmed baking sheet with melted chocolate spread over a piece of parchment paper into a large rectangle.

Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the melted chocolate. Gently press the pistachios into the melted chocolate.

Melted chocolate spread on a cookie sheet with chopped pistachios on top.

Note: If you want to turn this into two different flavors using a variety of toppings, feel free to do so.

Baking sheet with half pistachio bark, half cashews, dried cranberries, rice cereal.

Transfer the sheet pan to your refrigerator (if you have room) and refrigerate until the chocolate has completely set up, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Break the chocolate into smaller hunks. Enjoy, or give as edible gifts!

Chocolate bark broken up on a baking sheet into smaller chunks.

Store chocolate bark in a zip lock bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Pistachio bark on a large baking sheet, ready to be eaten.

If you’re looking for more great recipes that work great for cookie exchanges or holiday gifts, check these out!

More Fun Christmas Treats:

Enjoy this fun and easy chocolate bark recipe! Try it out and let me know what is your favorite chocolate bark recipe.

Top down photo of chocolate bark broken into chunks on a white backdrop.

Easy Pistachio Chocolate Bark

A quick and easy chocolate bark recipe for chocolate lovers! At a baseline, all you need is chocolate chips and pistachios, but you can add more toppings to your heart's delight!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
20 pieces

Ingredients

Optional Additions:

  • ¼ cup crispy rice cereal
  • 2 Tbsp dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup raw cashews
  • Flakey sea salt

Instructions

  • Link a large rimmed baking sheet with a long sheet of parchment paper.
  • If desired, pulse the pistachios in a food processor until they are roughly chopped. You can also carefully chop them using a sharp knife on a cutting board, or leave them whole.
    Food processor with chopped pistachios.
  • Transfer the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl.
    Chocolate chips in a red mixing bowl, ready to be microwaved.
  • Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring well in between each interval, until the chocolate chips are 90% of the way melted. This takes 4 (30-second) intervals for me.
    Melted chocolate in a red mixing bowl with a golden spoon.
  • Avoid over-cooking and burning the chocolate. Note: if you're familiar with using a double boiler, feel free to use this technique using a small saucepan instead of microwaving the chocolate.
  • Pour the melted chocolate on the prepared baking sheet.
    Melted chocolate on a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet with a rubber spatula, about to be spread.
  • Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the melted chocolate. Gently press the pistachios into the melted chocolate.
    Melted chocolate spread on a cookie sheet with chopped pistachios on top.
  • If you'd like, you can make two different types of chocolate bark using various toppings.
  • Transfer the sheet pan to your refrigerator (if you have room) and refrigerate until the chocolate has completely set up, about 15 to 20 minutes. Break the chocolate into smaller hunks. Enjoy, or give as edible gifts!
    Chocolate bark broken up on a baking sheet into smaller chunks.
  • If you don't have room in your refrigerator, leave the pistachio bark on the counter. It will solidify, but will take about 2 hours.

Notes

*You can also use 60% dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, vegan chocolate chips, sugar-free chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips, etc. Chocolate bars work too. You will need 12 ounces total and for the best result, chop the bars into small chunks before melting them.
**shelled pistachios are pistachios that have the shell removed. You want to be sure you buy just the nut without the shell so you aren’t spending a great deal of time removing the shells.
Store chocolate bark in a zip lock bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1chunk (of 20)Calories: 90kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 2gFat: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 10g
Course: Desserts & Treats
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate bark recipe, chocolate desserts, edible gifts, holiday gifts, keto chocolate bark, pistachio bark, pistachio chocolate bark, vegan chocolate bark
Servings: 20 pieces
Calories: 90kcal
Author: Julia

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Diana

Thursday 29th of December 2022

Do you have any recommendations, or recipes for one person?

Julia

Friday 30th of December 2022

Hi Diana! Are you looking for a single-serve version of this particular recipe? If so, I would simply halve the recipe and save any leftovers in the freezer. I wouldn't cut the recipe down too far because it may be difficult to melt only a small amount of chocolate chips without burning them.

If you're looking for other single-serve desserts, try my Mug Brownie: https://www.theroastedroot.net/gluten-free-mug-brownie/ my Cinnamon Roll in a Mug https://www.theroastedroot.net/healthy-cinnamon-roll-in-a-mug/, or my Paleo Banana Bread Mug Cake: https://www.theroastedroot.net/paleo-banana-bread-mug-cake/ Hope that helps! xoxox

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