Peppermint and White Chocolate Ramen
What kind of psychopath puts ramen noodles in dessert? The same kind who probably puts pineapple on pizza and thinks it's revolutionary, apparently. But here's the thing—I made this monstrosity during a particularly dark December when I ran out of normal ingredients and had nothing but instant ramen and leftover Christmas candy. The white chocolate melts into this creamy coating that somehow makes the crunchy noodles taste like the world's most confused Rice Krispies treat. Those crushed peppermint candies add these little explosions of cool that wake up your mouth just when it's getting comfortable with the sweetness. It's like eating a candy cane that went to college and majored in being weird. The mini marshmallows are just there for moral support, but they do their job well. This is holiday baking for people who gave up on following rules a long time ago, and honestly, those are usually the best kind of people anyway.
Mint flakes fall like frost—Snow-white curls of cocoa crunch—Joy in broken shards
Let Me Tell You...
So here's the thing about Christmas—I'd completely bombed my sister Claire's cookie exchange with some store-bought nonsense that tasted like cardboard dipped in artificial vanilla.
Claire, being Claire, made sure to mention it at least three times during dinner, along with helpful suggestions about "planning ahead next time" and "maybe trying something homemade for once." Fast forward to September, and I'm sitting here with my daily ramen challenge, staring at these leftover peppermint candies from last year's holiday clearance haul, when it hits me: this is my chance to get revenge on Claire's smugness by perfecting something absolutely ridiculous that'll blow her mind come December.
The genius of starting this early is that I can actually experiment without the pressure of Christmas morning breathing down my neck.
Last year I was scrambling around on December 23rd like some kind of holiday amateur, but this time I'm thinking three months ahead like a proper psychopath.
I've got time to figure out the perfect ratio of white chocolate to ramen crunch, time to test whether those mini marshmallows actually add anything or if they're just there for Instagram appeal.
The white chocolate I'm using is left over from some failed Valentine's Day truffle attempt, and those peppermint candies have been sitting in my freezer since last January, waiting for their moment to shine.
What's weird is how this September practice run is turning out better than anything I'd made during previous Christmas seasons.
Maybe it's because I'm not stressed about family gatherings and gift wrapping deadlines, or maybe it's just that ramen noodles don't care what month it is—they're always ready to be transformed into something completely unexpected.
The smell of toasted ramen mixing with melting white chocolate is creating this bakery-worthy aroma that makes my apartment smell like a fancy candy shop instead of the usual instant noodle disaster zone.
Those crushed peppermint pieces are adding these perfect little bursts of cool that cut through all that sweetness, and I'm already imagining Claire's face when she realizes her slacker brother has been secretly perfecting holiday desserts since September.
By the time December rolls around, I'll have this recipe so dialed in that I could make it blindfolded while listening to Christmas music and pretending to enjoy family small talk.
Claire's cookie exchange guests won't know what hit them when I show up with my "artisanal holiday bark" that's been months in the making.
The best part is that this whole early preparation thing fits perfectly into my daily ramen challenge—I'm not breaking any rules, just getting creative with seasonal flavors way ahead of schedule.
Mrs. Henderson from down the street is going to lose her mind when she finds out I've been planning this since September, and Claire will finally have to admit that maybe her disaster of a brother actually knows what he's doing when it comes to turning weird ingredients into something magical.
Ingredients
- 2 bricks instant ramen noodles, broken into small pieces (seasoning packets discarded)
- 1 cup white chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies (or candy canes)
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (for drizzling, optional)
- 1/4 cup mini marshmallows
- Colored sprinkles (optional)
- Edible silver pearls (optional, for garnish)
Preparation
- Break ramen bricks into small pieces and toast in a dry skillet over medium heat until crisp and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
- In a microwave or double boiler, melt white chocolate chips with coconut oil until smooth.
- Stir toasted ramen pieces into melted white chocolate until well coated.
- Spread mixture evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Immediately top with crushed peppermint, mini marshmallows, sprinkles, silver pearls, and any other toppings.
- Melt dark chocolate chips and drizzle over the bark if desired.
- Chill in the refrigerator until completely set. Break into bark-like shards to serve.
Chef's Tips
- Toast ramen pieces until deeply golden and fragrant to prevent sogginess when mixed with melted chocolate.
- Add coconut oil to white chocolate for smoother melting and easier spreading consistency.
- Variation: Substitute peppermint candies with crushed Oreos, toffee bits, or freeze-dried strawberries for different holiday flavors.
Serving Suggestion
Package in clear cellophane bags tied with festive ribbons for holiday gifts, or arrange on tiered serving platters for winter parties and cookie exchanges.