The first graham half can be the messy one: too much chocolate clings to the cracker, and a sprinkle of peppermint lands on the parchment instead of the coating. These Chocolate Peppermint Grahams keep the dipping simple—each piece goes halfway into melted chocolate, then gets a quick shower of crushed candy cane. You get a crisp graham base, a firm chocolate layer, and peppermint in every bite without covering up the cracker.
I set up the parchment-lined baking sheet and the bowl of crushed candy cane before I melt anything. Once the chocolate is smooth, the dipping goes quickly, and the topping has a chance to stick while the chocolate is still wet. The microwave method also keeps this small-batch candy from turning into a sink full of cookware. When the chocolate has set, the pieces lift cleanly from the parchment with their peppermint tops intact.
Kitchen Note
Crush the candy canes and put them in a small bowl before you melt the chocolate. Once you start dipping, you won’t want to pause and search for the topping.
Save Chocolate Peppermint Grahams for an easy chocolate-and-candy-cane treat with a crisp graham base and a quick microwave method.
Why the Chocolate Needs a Stir Between Every Microwave Burst
Chocolate chips don’t always melt evenly in the microwave. The outside can look soft while the middle still holds its shape, so a long uninterrupted blast makes it easy to overheat the melted chocolate before the remaining chips catch up. Short bursts give you a chance to stir the warmer chocolate through the cooler pieces.
Use 30-second intervals and stir well after each one. The chocolate often becomes smoother during stirring, not while it sits in the microwave, so don’t judge it by the chips alone. It should be glossy and fluid enough to coat a cracker without clumping. The total time is about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, but the bowl and microwave affect how quickly it gets there; stop as soon as the chocolate is smooth.
If the chocolate looks thick but still has a few unmelted pieces, stir first and check again before heating it. That last stir distributes the heat and helps the whole bowl turn smooth without taking the chocolate past the point you need for dipping.
What the Graham, Chocolate, and Peppermint Each Bring
- Graham crackers — Their dry, crisp texture gives the chocolate a sturdy base and keeps each piece easy to pick up. Choose intact sheets with clear perforations; stale or already-soft crackers won’t have the same snap. Break along the perforations so the pieces stay neat enough to dip.
- Semisweet chocolate chips — Semisweet chocolate keeps the coating from becoming overly sweet alongside the candy cane. Standard chips work well here, so there’s no need to buy a specialty chocolate; choose a brand you like eating because chocolate makes up a generous part of each piece. Stir thoroughly between microwave bursts for a smooth coating.
- Peppermint candy canes — The crushed pieces provide the bright peppermint flavor and a little crunch against the chocolate. Crush them finely enough to sprinkle easily, but leave a few small bits so the topping has texture. Candy cane quality matters less than crushing it before you begin dipping.
Dip Each Piece Before the Chocolate Starts to Set
Arrange the Crackers and Peppermint
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the graham cracker pieces in a single layer. Put the crushed candy canes in a small bowl close to the sheet. Keeping the crackers flat gives you room to set each dipped piece down without knocking the topping off its neighbors. Separate any pieces that are touching before you start.
Melt the Chips Until Smooth
Put the semisweet chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each one, until the chocolate is smooth; this takes about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as you stir so unmelted chips mix into the warm chocolate. Stop when it looks glossy and even rather than continuing to heat it out of habit.
Dip, Sprinkle, and Chill
Dip each graham piece halfway into the chocolate, then hold it over the bowl long enough for the excess to drip back. Set it on the parchment-lined sheet and sprinkle the chocolate with crushed candy cane before the coating sets. Work piece by piece, topping each one as soon as it lands on the sheet. Refrigerate the grahams for 20 to 30 minutes, until the chocolate is firm.
Two Easy Ways to Change the Chocolate or Cracker
Use dark chocolate for a less-sweet finish
Swap the semisweet chips for dark chocolate chips, keeping the same weight. The coating will taste more cocoa-forward and a little less sweet against the candy cane; use the same microwave intervals and stir until smooth before dipping.
Make them gluten-free with gluten-free grahams
Replace the regular graham crackers with gluten-free graham sheets and break them into pieces along their perforations. Some gluten-free crackers are more delicate, so handle them gently when dipping. The chocolate and peppermint topping stay the same, while the base may have a slightly different crunch.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. The grahams may lose a little of their crispness over time.
- Freezer: Freezing isn’t my first choice; condensation as the pieces thaw can make the peppermint topping tacky and soften the crackers.
- Reheating: These don’t need reheating. If the chocolate softens in a warm room, chill the pieces until the coating firms again rather than microwaving them.
Questions I Get Asked About Chocolate Peppermint Grahams
Chocolate Peppermint Grahams
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange the graham cracker pieces in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Put the crushed candy canes in a small bowl.
- Place the chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each, until smooth, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
- Dip each graham cracker piece halfway into the melted chocolate and let the excess drip back into the bowl.
- Place each dipped graham cracker piece on the prepared baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the chocolate with crushed candy cane before it sets.
- Refrigerate the grahams for 20 to 30 minutes, until the chocolate is firm.
