20 Peppermint Desserts With Candy Cane Swirls and Chocolate

Looking for peppermint desserts with a little extra holiday color? Think chocolate bark covered in candy pieces, tall cupcake swirls and pretty pink dessert cups.

There’s plenty to choose from here, whether you love a simple cookie or a cake with lots going on.

You can keep the decorations simple or go all out. I especially love the red-and-white swirls. These ideas give you plenty of inspiration for choosing your next holiday treat.

Peppermint Dessert Ideas Worth Saving

candy-covered chocolate bark

We’re starting off strong with this candy-covered chocolate bark. I love the big striped pieces mixed with all those tiny red-and-white crumbs.

If you want to follow this look, leave some of your candy pieces larger rather than crushing everything finely. Those broken stripes are too pretty to lose.

green-centered brownie squares

Who says you have to stick to red and white? These brownie squares have a bright green middle tucked beneath a thick chocolate topping.

The broad swirls across the top are my favorite part. You could try a green peppermint filling in your own brownie bars for a similar look.

Read also: 20+ Sheet Pan Birthday Treats Ideas That Wow Crowds

cheesecake with chocolate shards

If you are looking for a true eye-catcher, then this one is for you. There’s a dark crumb crust, a pale speckled cheesecake and a whole ring of upright chocolate shards.

I love the pile of striped candy in the middle. Arrange your chocolate pieces pointing toward the center if you want to borrow this decorating idea.

half-dipped chocolate cookies

How cute are these cookies? The white coating covers just half of each dark cookie, with little candy pieces scattered over it.

Try the same half-dipped decoration if you want to leave those cracked chocolate tops on show.

cupcakes with tall white swirls

I am obsessed with these little cupcakes. The tall white frosting and red wrappers are so cute together, especially with the striped candy tucked into the front swirl.

Choose red cupcake liners if you want that same pop of color without adding more decorations on top.

pink-swirled cheesecake bars

These cheesecake bars may just be one of my favorites here. I love the pink topping with deeper red streaks running through it.

The pale middle and dark base show along the cut edges. Keep that side view visible on your serving plate rather than piling all the bars on top of each other.

little layered dessert glasses

Don’t want to serve one big dessert? These individual glasses give you another pretty option.

Dark cake-like pieces sit between white and chocolate-colored layers, with a piped swirl on top.

Read also: 20 Mini Desserts and Sweet Serving Ideas for Your Next Party

Use clear glasses for your own layered dessert so you can see every stripe. A little crushed candy finishes the look.

chocolate pie with white topping

This pie keeps the decoration simple, but there’s still so much to love. The cut slice shows a tall chocolate filling inside a dark crumb crust.

I especially like how the white topping stops short of the edge. Leave a little chocolate showing if you want to copy that detail.

chocolate-coated candy bites

How cute are these chocolate-coated bites? Not gonna lie, the cut-open one makes this picture especially tempting!

You can see the dark, crumbly center beneath the lighter brown shell.

A thin drizzle and a small pile of candy pieces are all the decoration shown here. I’d keep that same simple finish.

three-layer chocolate squares

Don’t want to cover everything in sprinkles? No problem! These squares have a dark base, a thick white middle and a smooth chocolate top.

I love how clearly you can see the three layers. There’s no extra decoration needed to show them off.

candy cane cupcakes

This is another cute cupcake idea, but the candy cane at the side makes it a little different. It almost looks like a tiny mug handle!

The dark cupcakes have tall white frosting swirls covered in crushed candy. You could borrow the candy cane detail for a hot-chocolate-inspired cupcake display.

Read also: 20 Thanksgiving Cupcakes With Cute Turkeys, Pumpkins and Fall Details

red-and-white meringue swirls

I am obsessed with these striped meringues. The red ribbons curl around the white peaks, with a little dark chocolate showing at the bottoms.

If you love candy cane stripes but don’t want crushed candy on every treat, save this decorating idea.

chocolate peppermint cake roll

That white spiral is so pretty against the dark cake. The chocolate-covered roll has candy pieces scattered along the top, with slices arranged in front.

Try serving your cake roll with a couple of slices already cut so the filling gets its moment too.

Read also: 20 Fall Desserts and Sweet Serving Ideas Worth Saving

pink dessert with dark crumbs

If you like pink holiday treats, this little bowl is worth saving. The pale pink dessert has loose swirls on top, with dark crumbs and striped candy pieces scattered over them.

I love that the topping isn’t perfectly arranged. You can borrow this casual presentation without reaching for a piping bag.

chocolate cake with white filling

Sometimes a big slice of chocolate cake is all the inspiration you need. This one has two tall dark layers with a white filling running between them.

The candy pieces around the base are a sweet little finishing touch. I’d keep the plate simple so the cake stays easy to see.

chocolate dessert cup

Looking for a serving idea without lots of layers? This chocolate-colored dessert fills a short glass, with a white dollop and crushed candy on top.

The loose swirls look lovely just as they are. Try this presentation with your favorite chocolate peppermint mousse recipe.

golden cookies with chocolate dips

This is a similar dipped-cookie idea to the one above, but the colors switch places. Here, the cookies are pale golden with a dark chocolate coating over one half.

I love how clearly the red-and-white candy shows against that dark dip. You could serve both cookie styles together for a pretty mixed tray.

pale pink cheesecake slice

How pretty is this cheesecake slice? The pale pink filling has little red flecks throughout, with a dark crumb crust underneath.

My favorite part is the whole striped candy standing in the white swirl. Try that detail when you want each slice to have its own decoration.

striped pretzel bites

These little pretzel bites are just too cute. Square pretzels sit beneath red-and-white striped toppings, with red or white candies in the centers.

The tiny green sprinkles bring in another holiday color. Add a few to your own candy-topped pretzels if you want to follow this festive mix.

pink and chocolate dessert cups

Last but definitely not least, we have these pretty pink and chocolate-colored dessert cups. I am in love with the alternating layers and those piped chocolate swirls!

The crushed-candy rims are such a cute extra touch. Use clear glasses if you want to show off the pink stripes in your own version.