The Kirkland Signature Peppermint Bark is Costco's seasonal holiday treat made of layered dark and white chocolate topped with crushed peppermint candy, sold in a generous 21-ounce tub. It shows up every year around the holidays, and it is the kind of thing that disappears fast at a party or gets tucked into gift bags and cookie plates. It sits in the seasonal and bakery area near other holiday-table favorites like the Costco butter croissants and the Kirkland Signature almond croissants, and at this price it is an easy grab for holiday hosting and homemade gifts.
Quick Take: Costco's classic holiday peppermint bark, layered dark and white chocolate with crushed peppermint, at a hard-to-beat price. Verdict: Buy. Scores: Taste 5/5 · Value 5/5 · Convenience 5/5 · Stockpile Score ⅗.
My first taste
I cracked open the tub the day I brought it home, which was a mistake if I was trying to pace myself. The bark is thick, snappy, and satisfying, with a layer of dark chocolate, a layer of white chocolate, and a good scatter of crushed peppermint on top. You get that cool peppermint hit followed by rich chocolate, and the dark-and-white combo keeps it from being too sweet or too bitter. It is festive, a little addictive, and tastes far more expensive than it is.
Let's talk price
This year the 21-ounce tub is running around $12.99 at Costco (item #36958), which comes out to under $1.75 per serving. That is a big deal when you consider the fancy gift-shop versions. Williams Sonoma's peppermint bark runs roughly $35 per pound, so Costco's works out to a fraction of that for a very comparable treat. Prices on this one do bounce around year to year (it was higher last season), so it is worth grabbing when you see it. For holiday gifting, party trays, and cookie plates, the value is excellent.
Nutrition at a glance
Nutrition snapshot (per 100g serving, about 6 servings per tub): 540 cal · 33g fat (20g saturated, 100% DV) · 5mg cholesterol · 30mg sodium · 56g carbs · 4g fiber · 51g sugar (48g added) · 4g protein. Contains milk and soy.
Let's be real: this is candy, and it eats like candy. The sugar and saturated fat are high, so it is a treat to enjoy in small squares, not a snack to graze on by the handful. The serving size of 100 grams is bigger than most people eat at once, so a reasonable piece or two is a lot less than the full panel suggests. It is a holiday indulgence, and that is exactly the right way to think about it.
How it tastes
The quality here is genuinely good for a warehouse treat. The chocolate is smooth and snaps cleanly, not waxy, and the two layers give you the classic dark-plus-white contrast that makes peppermint bark work. The peppermint on top is crunchy and cool without being toothpaste-strong, so it reads festive rather than overpowering. Broken into irregular shards, it looks pretty on a plate with almost no effort.
Easy ways to serve it: pile shards on a holiday dessert board with cookies and clementines, crush a little over vanilla ice cream, or package squares in cellophane bags as quick homemade gifts. Store it in a cool, dry spot, and if your kitchen runs warm, the fridge keeps it snappy. For more peppermint ideas, these Trader Joe's mini peppermint meringues make a fun light addition to the same dessert tray.
What everyone else says
This is a fan favorite that people genuinely wait for each year. The most common praise is the quality-to-price ratio, with shoppers calling it as good as or better than the pricey boutique versions for a fraction of the cost.
People love it for gifting, party trays, and stocking stuffers, and plenty of folks admit to buying a tub just for themselves. The most common gripe is price creep: it has jumped around from year to year, and some shoppers balked at a higher price a season or two ago. The current price has people happy again.
Who it's for
This is for holiday hosts, anyone who gives homemade-style gifts, and peppermint-and-chocolate lovers. It is perfect for cookie plates, teacher gifts, party trays, and stocking stuffers, and it saves you the work of making bark from scratch. Skip it if you have a milk or soy allergy, if you are avoiding sugar, or if peppermint just isn't your flavor.
If you like making your own holiday desserts, you can get a peppermint fix at home by swapping peppermint extract into this Ninja Creami cottage cheese ice cream for a lighter frozen treat, or round out a festive brunch with Christmas breakfast eggnog pancakes before the sweets come out.
More finds to pair it with
- Organic Aussie Bites: a wholesome bite to balance out all the candy.
- Harmless Harvest Organic Sparkling Coconut Water: a light, refreshing sip to cut through the sweets.
- Catalina Crunch Cereal: a lower-sugar staple for the mornings after.
- Premier Protein Cafe Latte Shake: a grab-and-go sip for busy holiday weeks.
- 21 Best Healthy Costco Snacks for Kids: more picks to keep in the cart alongside the treats.
How it scored
- Taste: 5/5. Smooth chocolate, clean snap, and just-right peppermint. A holiday classic for a reason.
- Value: 5/5. Around $12.99 for 21 ounces undercuts the boutique versions dramatically.
- Convenience: 5/5. Ready to serve or gift straight from the tub, no prep at all.
- Stockpile Score: ⅗. Shelf-stable and seasonal, so stock up while it's around, but it is a once-a-year item.
Final verdict
An easy Buy and a holiday staple. The Kirkland Signature Peppermint Bark nails the thing people want from this treat: smooth layered chocolate, a festive peppermint crunch, and a price that makes the fancy gift-shop versions look overpriced.
It is pure holiday candy, so enjoy it in small pieces, but for hosting, gifting, and that once-a-year peppermint craving, it is hard to beat. Grab a tub while it's on the seasonal shelf, because when it's gone, it's gone until next year.
Where to buy it
Where to buy it: Kirkland Signature Peppermint Bark, 21 oz at Costco (item #36958). Size: 21 oz (1 lb 5 oz) tub. Price: ~$12.99, varies by warehouse and season. Storage: shelf-stable in a cool, dry spot; refrigerate if your kitchen runs warm. Aisle: seasonal and bakery section (holiday only).
Disclaimer: Costco Finds is an independent review site and is not affiliated, endorsed, or sponsored by Costco. All opinions are my own, based on personal experience.
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