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This winter just got a little bit sweeter with this Dark Chocolate Dried Fruit and Nut Bark! It’s so simple, but delicious. Tempered (or melted!) dark chocolate, layered with your favorite dried fruits and nuts, then topped with a sprinkling of coconut flakes. Finish this bark with a light sprinkle of flaked salt for something that’s sweet AND salty.

flat lay of chocolate bark on parchment paper with measuring cup full of coconut flakes

Ever find yourself craving the richness of peppermint bark, but without the holiday flavors? This Dark Chocolate Dried Fruit and Nut Bark has all the indulgence you want, with a mix of rich chocolate, crunchy nuts, and sweet, chewy dried fruit—perfect for any time of year.

The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity. While we love to use tempered chocolate for candies like dark chocolate peanut butter cups or mini cakes like homemade ding dongs, you can make it with just melted chocolate like we use for homemade almond joys.

Whether you’re whipping up a batch for a quick snack or gifting it to someone who loves chocolate, this naturally vegan and gluten-free bark is guaranteed to bring some joy.

close up of four stacked pieces of chocolate bark

close up of chocolate bark on crumbled parchment paper

What Makes This Dark Chocolate Dried Fruit and Nut Bark So Good?

Quick and Easy: No need for special equipment—just melt, mix, and chill!
Customizable: Swap in your favorite dried fruits and nuts for endless flavor combinations.
Great for Gifting: Package it up as a homemade gift that feels thoughtful and indulgent.
Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you need a snack, dessert, or party treat, this bark fits the bill.
Chocolate Lovers’ Dream: Rich dark chocolate is the star, with added texture and sweetness from the fruit and nuts.

hand holding bark piece of bark stacked on three others with more chocolate bark around

Ingredients

Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Bittersweet Chocolate
Cranberries
Cherries
Apricots
Coconut Flakes
Sliced Almonds
Sea Salt Cashews
Roasted and Salted Pumpkin Seeds

chocolate pieces, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, cashews, apricots, coconut flakes, dried cherries, and sliced almonds in bowls

How To Make Dried Fruit and Nut Bark

Step 1: Melt or temper chocolate

Depending on how you want to do this, you need to either melt or temper the chocolate! We tempered the chocolate. If you don’t know, there are instructions for tempering chocolate below!

Step 2: Assemble the bark

Pour the melted or tempered chocolate out onto parchment paper. Spread slightly with an offset spatula.

melted chocolate spread across parchment paper

Sprinkle the dried fruits and nuts evenly across the top of the chocolate. Allow time to set. Cut.

dried fruits and nuts sprinkled over melted chocolate

15 pieces of cut bark on parchment paper

How To Temper Dark Chocolate

If you would like to temper your chocolate rather than melt it, we’ve got you covered. In three simple steps, you can temper chocolate perfectly every time!

Place the dark chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl and place over a pot of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate melts and temperature is around 124℉/51℃, but no higher than 130℉/54℃.
Remove from heat and cool, stirring continually, to between 82℉ and 84℉/28℃ and 29℃.
Place back over warm water and raise temperature to between 88℉ and 90℉/31℃ and 32℃. Hold at this temperature.

angled close up of four stacked pieces of chocolate bark

What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?

For this recipe, you need to use a high quality chocolate. Be sure that you do not use candy melts or lower quality chocolate chips. We used a bittersweet chocolate (60%), but you can also use a semi-sweet (about 50%) or a dark (about 72%). If you are tempering the chocolate, do not use milk or white. If you do, the temperatures will not be accurate.

Should I Use Tempered or Melted Chocolate?

With this recipe, you can actually use either! Though, I will admit, it’s much better with tempered chocolate. With tempered chocolate, you will have a much harder set, which results in a much snappier/crispier chocolate. It’s also more resistant to heat! So, it’s less likely to melt in your hands. The downside to tempered chocolate is that it is more difficult to do than just melting chocolate.

With just melted chocolate, the only real upside to it is how simple it is! It doesn’t have the same qualities as tempered and it will melt in your hand. So, it’s up to you, but tempered is really the best way to go with this recipe.

How To Store

Once the chocolate is set, you can actually store it as one big piece or after it’s been cut/broken! Either way, the best way to store this chocolate bark is in am airtight container or in a zip-top bag and kept at room temperature for 7-8 days.

four stacked pieces of dark chocolate bark with empty glass behind

When you make this Dark Chocolate Dried Fruit and Nut Bark, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

5 from 3 votes