Sugar Cookie Dough Bark
This Sugar Cookie Dough Bark is a classic dark chocolate bark covered with safe-to-eat sugar cookie dough cut-outs and festive sprinkles!
Servings 16 2"x3" pieces
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Dough:
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (see note)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- sprinkles, if desired (I used coarse colored sugar)
Dark Chocolate Bark:
- 8 oz dark chocolate, chopped (I used 72% cacao)
- 1 oz white candy melts
- 1 oz red candy melts
- 1 oz green candy melts
- sprinkles, if desired
Instructions
For Cookie Dough:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread the flour out on a baking sheet in an even layer. Toast 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely (see note).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Using the paddle attachment, beat until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla bean paste (see note) and salt and mix to incorporate. Add flour gradually and mix until just incorporated.
- Form the cookie dough into a disc and between two layers of parchment. Roll the dough out to about ¼" thick. If you'd like to add sprinkles: remove the top piece of parchment and scatter sprinkles over the top of the dough. Replace top parchment and gently roll over with the rolling pin to push the sprinkles into the dough a bit.
- Remove the top piece of parchment and cut out the shapes that you desire (each of my cutters were 1-1.5" across). You may re-roll the scraps for additional cut-outs. If dough is too soft/sticky to work with, you can chill it for a few minutes to firm it up. Set cut-outs aside.
For Bark:
- Line a baking sheet (I used a half sheet pan) with parchment or a silpat (see note). Set aside.
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and microwave on 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until chocolate is smooth. Set the chocolate aside, and repeat the process for each of the colors of candy melts. If candy melts are too thick after melting, you can add a few drops of vegetable oil to thin them out (add too much and it won't harden!).
- **Be prepared to work quickly with the next steps so that you can finish them before the chocolate starts to set!**
- Pour the melted chocolate out onto the prepared pan. Spread the chocolate out into one even layer approximately 8"x12" in size. An offset spatlua works well for this.
- Working quickly, drizzle the white, red, and green candy melts over the surface of the melted chocolate. I did this with small piping bags, but a spoon will work, too.
- Swirl the candy melts with the chocolate with a toothpick or chopstick.
- Continuing to work quickly, place the sugar cookie dough cut-outs over the top, then add sprinkles. Allow chocolate to set (putting the bark in the refrigerator will speed this process up, but may cloud the chocolate if you leave it in there too long).
- Once set, break the bark into pieces. If your pieces are approximately 2"x3" you'll get 16 pieces in all. Bark can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for several days.Enjoy!
Notes
Note on toasting flour: This step, in addition to the cookie dough being eggless, ensures that the cookie dough is safe to eat raw!
Note on vanilla bean paste: I really love the punch of vanilla flavor from the vanilla bean paste in the cookie dough! If you’re interested in getting some for yourself, you can find it here. If you prefer to substitute, you can use an equal measure of vanilla extract.
Note on silpat: I prefer a silpat for this recipe, just because I don't have to worry about the chocolate sticking which is a risk using parchment. I also like that they can be used over and over again and there's no waste. If you’re interested in getting some for yourself, you can find them here.