Chocolate covered strawberries are a classic New Year's and Valentine's Day treat. But that doesn't mean they are less than delicious any other day of the year. Did you know that these are super simple and easy to make?
Table of Content
Chocolate-dipped fruits are always a treat whether you make these as a special Mother's Day treat, Valentine's Day indulgence, or the first day of New Yer's day. Delish on their own, or served with whipped cream and Champagne for that added luxury.
Why make these strawberries?
- Buying a box of chocolate-covered strawberries is quite expensive. But, they are super simple and easy to make.
- And you don't need many ingredients - just strawberries, chocolate, and a little bit of oil for consistency.
- We don't temper the chocolate but instead just melt it in the microwave or double boiler. You can also use your crockpot or slow cooker to melt a large amount of chocolate.
- The process itself takes less than 20 minutes. Melt chocolate, dip the strawberries, and chill until the chocolate sets.
- While you can eat them on their own you can also use these to dress many other desserts like this heart cake box filled with chocolate-covered strawberries. They are the perfect garnish on a bowl of strawberry or chocolate mousse or whipped cream cakes.
- These make perfect gifts for anyone. Wife, birthday, husband, grandmom, father, mother. My kids make these for me on mother's day. And they are perfect for any occasion from birthdays and anniversaries to Valentine's or mother's day.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Strawberries - These have got to be fresh!! Not frozen! And, if you don't have fresh berries, make a different dessert that calls for frozen strawberries. Also, condensation from frozen fruits can be just one of the big issues when using frozen fruits. In addition, while most people like to use large strawberries, I prefer a small to medium size which look prettier.
- Chocolate - This is similar to eating chocolate, so you want to use good quality chocolate that you love to eat. And, any baking or cooking chocolate will not do justice to the taste and quality of this dessert. You can use dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate.
- Vegetable oil - You want to use coconut oil. I like to use a non-flavored oil that's not going to affect the taste and flavor of your chocolate. The purpose of the oil is to thin the chocolate, so you have a shiny, smooth satin-like coating that is not too thick and clumpy on the strawberries. And a thick chocolate coating makes the fruit look bulky.
- Garnish - I like a little drizzle of white chocolate. Sometimes, I even use some finely chopped nuts, and desiccated coconut, My kids love to top them with sprinkles. But, today, I've kept them plain and simple.
Chocolate covered strawberries
Prepare strawberries
- Wash strawberries under cold running water and let drain completely. Wipe them well to dry off any moisture.
Pro tip - If the strawberries are not completely dry, moisture from the strawberries will cause the chocolate to seize. - Best practice - I wipe each strawberry with a paper hand towel. Then I air dry for another hour at least so any mist on the stalks will dry as well.
Melt some chocolate
- Microwave - In a microwave-safe bowl, break the chocolate into smaller pieces. Melt in the microwave at 30-second intervals until smooth.
- Double boiler - Place a pot or saucepan with an inch of water to simmer on the stove on medium heat. You will need a heat-proof bowl that can be set on the saucepan. In the bowl, add the chocolate. Place the bowl over the saucepan with simmering water. Let the chocolate melt stirring when needed.
Pro tip - Stirring is important not just to melt quickly and easily but when agitated the chocolate has a nicer shine to it - Add vegetable oil to the melted chocolate - stir well.
Pro tip - Oil will thin the chocolate giving you a smooth and shiny finish. Plus a thinner chocolate consistency makes it easy to dip the strawberries.
Dip strawberries
- You can pick a strawberry from the stems and dip it in the chocolate mixture. Hold it above the bowl for a few seconds to let the excess chocolate drip.
Pro tip - be patient and let the excess drip into the bowl otherwise there will be a pool of chocolate below each strawberry. - Gently rub the back of the strawberry over the edge removing any excess. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper leaving enough room between each one of them.
- Garnish the top with whatever you want while the chocolate is still melted so they stay stuck to the strawberry when they dry.
Chill strawberries - storage
- Place the tray in the fridge for 20 minutes until the chocolate is set. These will stay well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Pro tip - As the strawberries lose their freshness the chocolate will start to crack and fall off.
What do you top the strawberries with?
- Melted chocolate drizzle
- chopped nuts (my favorite are pistachios, hazelnuts, and pecans)
- Desiccated coconut
- Chocolate chips
- Peanut butter chips
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Crushed Oreo cookies
- Crush candy
- kids favorite sprinkles
Tips for Success
- Most importantly, always make sure the strawberries are fresh and bruise-free.
- Also, dry the strawberries well - any drop of water or condensation on the fruit can seize the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate slowly and gently for a nice shine.
- Also, stick a toothpick at the top of the strawberries to help move the berries easily.
- Let the excess chocolate drip completely. And remove excess by scraping the strawberry on the edge of the bowl. This will prevent a big pool of chocolate at the base of the strawberry which does not look good.
Troubleshooting
- How do you store chocolate-dipped strawberries?
Since we do not temper the chocolate we need to keep them in the refrigerator. In good weather, we can keep them in a cool dry place at room temperature after they are set. - My melted chocolate is grainy? seized?
No drop of water in melted chocolate causes it to seize. That is why it is very important to dry off each and every strawberry with a paper towel before dipping them in chocolate - Is chocolate cracked or separated from a strawberry?
Strawberries start to lose their firmness and shrink over time. This makes the chocolate shells crack or breaks off and separate from the strawberry. - Do my chocolate-covered strawberries have streaks?
When melting or tempering chocolate it is very important to stir well or it can cause the cocoa fat to separate from the rest of the chocolate causing those streaks or dull spots
More strawberry recipes
- Strawberry Cheesecake - Strawberry Jello Cheesecake
- Classic Strawberry Bavarian Cream Cake or Strawberry Bavarian Cream
- Strawberry Cake with Vanilla Buttercream
- Fresh Strawberry Cake with Swill Meringue Buttercream
- Strawberry Jam , Microwave Strawberry Jam, or Strawberry Jelly
- Best Strawberry Mousse, Strawberry Panna Cotta
- Strawberry Braided Pastry, Strawberry Mille-Feuille - Napoleon pastry
- How to freeze strawberries in the season for later in the year.
- See all strawberry recipes
How long do chocolate-covered strawberries keep?
Not long, just a day or two. Like any fresh fruit, strawberries start to lose their firmness and shrink in about two to three days. In fact, these strawberries will last about 48 hours. After that, the strawberries start to shrink and the chocolate shells break off.
What type of chocolate should you use for the chocolate-covered strawberries recipe?
For quick and easy chocolate-covered strawberries use chocolate chips because this does not need to be tempered. In fact, you just melt the chocolate and dip the strawberries. Then, chill the strawberries for a few minutes on wax paper or parchment paper.
How far in advance can I make chocolate-covered strawberries?
These strawberries will last for 2 days. Therefore, you can make them about a day ahead of time.
How do you store chocolate-dipped strawberries?
Since we do not temper the chocolate we need to keep them in the refrigerator. In good weather, we can keep them in a cool dry place at room temperature after they are set.
What else can you dip in chocolate? When strawberries are not in season you can also use dry fruits. For example, try dried apricots, figs, peaches, etc. They make delicious chocolate-covered dry fruit.
Printable Recipe
Chocolate Covered Strawberry - How to Make
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 128kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 10 servings
Description
Chocolate covered strawberries are a classic New Year's and Valentine's Day treat. But that doesn't mean they are less than delicious any other day of the year. Did you know that these are super simple and easy to make?
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) Fresh strawberries
- 7 oz (200 g) Chocolate (dark, bitter-sweet or semi-sweet )
- 2 tablespoon Vegetable oil (or coconut oil )
Garnish (optional)
- 4 oz (100 g) White chocolate (melted)
- 3 tablespoon Nuts (finely chopped)
Instructions
Prepare Strawberries
- Wash strawberries under cold running water and let drain completely. Wipe them well to dry off any moisture.Pro tip - If the strawberries are not completely dry, moisture from the strawberries will cause the chocolate to seize.
- Best practice - I wipe each strawberry with a paper hand towel. Then I air dry for another hour at least so any mist on the stalks will dry as well.
Melt Some Chocolate
- Microwave - In a microwave-safe bowl, break the chocolate into smaller pieces. Melt in the microwave at 30-second intervals until smooth.
- Double boiler - Place a pot or saucepan with an inch of water to simmer on the stove on medium heat. You will need a heat-proof bowl that can be set on the saucepan. In the bowl, add the chocolate. Place the bowl over the saucepan with simmering water. Let the chocolate melt stirring when needed. Pro tip - Stirring is important not just to melt quickly and easily but when agitated the chocolate has a nicer shine to it
- Add vegetable oil to the melted chocolate - stir well. Pro tip - Oil will thin the chocolate giving you a smooth and shiny finish. Plus a thinner chocolate consistency makes it easy to dip the strawberries.
Dip Strawberries
- You can pick a strawberry by the stems and dip it in the chocolate mixture. Hold it above the bowl for a few seconds to let excess chocolate drip. Pro tip - be patient and let the excess drip in the bowl otherwise there will be a pool of chocolate below each strawberry.
- Gently rub the back of the strawberry over the edge removing any excess. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper leaving enough room between each one of them.
- Garnish the top with whatever you want while the chocolate is still melted so they stay stuck to the strawberry when they dry.
Chill Strawberries - Storage
- Place the tray in the fridge for 20 minutes until the chocolate is set. These will stay well in the fridge for up to 3 days.Pro tip - As the strawberries lose their freshness the chocolate will start to crack and fall off.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Most importantly, always make sure the strawberries are fresh and bruise-free.
- Also, dry the strawberries well - any drop of water or condensation on the fruit can seize the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate slowly and gently for a nice shine.
- Also, stick a toothpick at the top of the strawberries to help move the berries easily.
- Let the excess chocolate drip completely. And remove excess by scraping the strawberry on the edge of the bowl. This will prevent a big pool of chocolate at the base of the strawberry which does not look good.
- Options for topping the strawberries with melted chocolate.
- Melted chocolate drizzle
- chopped nuts (my favorite are pistachios, hazelnuts, and pecans)
- Desiccated coconut
- Chocolate chips
- Peanut butter chips
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Crushed Oreo cookies
- Crush candy
- kids favorite sprinkles
Nutrition Information
Calories: 128- kcalCarbohydrates: 25- gProtein: 1.1- gFat: 2.6- gSaturated Fat: 0- gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.6- gMonounsaturated Fat: 0- gTrans Fat: 0- gCholesterol: 0- mgSodium: 23- mgPotassium: 0- mgFiber: 2.2- gSugar: 18.9- gVitamin A: 0- IUVitamin C: 0- mgCalcium: 0- mgIron: 0- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Jean
Love the idea of adding oil to chocolate to thin it out.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme
Yummm I love chocolate covered strawberries! These look amazing and are such a perfect treat for valentines day... or any day really 🙂
Veena Azmanov
They are perfect for Valentine's day for sure, Sam.
Aleta
I want that cake! What an incredible design! I think I will attempt something similar for Valentines Day this year, I love how easy you make it seem to make chocolate covered strawberries!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Aleta. Yes, it is very pretty and very impressive too.