Chocolate Bark

Really good dark chocolate will take this recipe to the next level.

By
Alexandra Penfold
Alexandra Penfold is a literary agent, author, blogger, and recipe developer who has contributed an extensive number of baking and candy recipes to Serious Eats. 
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Updated September 19, 2023
Shards of chocolate bark.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

This salty and sweet bark is super easy to make and more than mildly infatuating. Most traditional recipes use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but if you have access to really good dark chocolate, it will take the recipe to the next level.

August 2011

Recipe Details

Chocolate Bark Recipe

Active 20 mins
Total 2 hrs
Serves 20 servings

Ingredients

  • 51 saltine crackers (approximately)

  • 1 cup unsalted butter

  • 1 cup dark brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 12 ounces high quality dark chocolate (70% or greater)

  • Flaky sea salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12 x 17 inch jelly roll pan with foil. Place saltine crackers salt side up and side-by-side in the pan as tightly as possible without overlapping. Use saltine pieces to fill any gaps at the bottom of the pan. Set aside. Chop chocolate so pieces are about the size of standard chocolate chips and set aside.

    A foil-lined tray with squares of saltine crackers.

    Serious Eats / Alexandra Penfold

  2. In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat stirring frequently with a spatula. Once butter has melted, add brown sugar and vanilla stirring to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes or until mixture is an even dark brown color and has begun to bubble. Remove from heat and pour over saltines using spatula to spread sauce.

    A foil-lined baking sheet of saltine crackers covered with brown sugar that's hot and bubbling.

    Serious Eats / Alexandra Penfold

  3. Bake crackers for 5 minutes or until butter mixture begins to bubble. Remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with chocolate allowing the heat to melt the chocolate. Spread chocolate evenly with the spatula so all of the crackers are completely covered. Sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until chocolate sets and hardens. Break apart and serve.

    A foil-lined sheet pan of browned saltines now covered in melted chocolate.

    Serious Eats / Alexandra Penfold

Special Equipment

aluminum foil, jelly roll pan

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
271Calories
19gFat
23gCarbs
2gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories271
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g25%
Saturated Fat 10g52%
Cholesterol 25mg8%
Sodium 170mg7%
Total Carbohydrate 23g8%
Dietary Fiber 2g7%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 35mg3%
Iron 3mg14%
Potassium 149mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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