Chocolate Covered Strawberries enveloped in luscious decadent chocolate are super easy to make with only 3 ingredients!
Chocolate Covered Strawberries exude elegance and sophistication but they are so easy you don’t even need a recipe! I have included some helpful tips and tricks, however, so your strawberries will emerge stunning every single time. You can leave the strawberries flawless in their simplicity or get as creative as your heart desires with coatings or decorations.
If you still need a last minute Mother’s Day treat, dessert or gift, I’ve got you covered with Chocolate Peanut Clusters, Chocolate Fondue and these simple yet elegant Chocolate Covered Strawberries! Even though Chocolate Dipped Strawberries look fancy, they are one of the easiest desserts to make and belong in your dessert arsenal.
Aside from Mother’s Day, silky Chocolate Covered Strawberries are fabulous for Valentine’s Day, bridal showers, baby showers, gifts or any party – because everyone loves Chocolate Covered Strawberries with their subtly crunchy chocolate coating giving way to succulent, juicy strawberries.
More like these Chocolate Strawberries:
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake
- Strawberry Crisp
- Fresh Strawberry Pie
- Strawberry Cheesecake Pie
- Mini Strawberry Pies
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Strawberry Parfaits
Best Chocolate for Dipping Strawberries
Chocolate Covered Strawberries only require 3 ingredients so it is important to use quality chocolate – and your Chocolate Covered Strawberries will still be less expensive than store bought!
For one pound of strawberries you will need 8 oz. baking chocolate – not chocolate chips. Baking chocolate is pure chocolate without any added ingredients and therefore tastes superior but more importantly for our purposes, it melts and coats much better.
As far as the type of chocolate, it is entirely your preference: semi-sweet, milk, white, bittersweet, etc. or a combination (for example 4 oz white, 4 oz. semi-sweet.)
How to Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Pick your strawberries: Select ripe strawberries that are bright red (with minimal whiteness on the tips) so they are not only beautiful but flavorful as well. Take care your strawberries aren’t too ripe or they will be mushy. Discard any strawberries with soft spots.
- Wash and dry strawberries VERY WELL. Your strawberries must be completely dry before dipping otherwise the moisture will cause the chocolate to seize and turn lumpy and solidify.
- Prep everything. You want your strawberries, workspace and all toppings prepped so once you your chocolate is melted there is no time between dipping, coating and placing. To prep, simply line a baking sheet with parchment paper (so its easily transportable) and make all of your coating preparations such as chopping, toasting etc. then place coatings in dippable bowls.
- Melt chocolate in microwave or stove: Your chocolate should be melted at a low temperature so it doesn’t burn. The easiest way to melt chocolate is in the microwave but you are welcome to use a double broiler if you prefer.
- Microwave: Add chocolate and vegetable oil to a small microwave safe bowl and microwave at 50% power for 60 seconds, stir then continue to microwave at 50% power at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
- Stove: If using a double broiler, fill with an inch or two of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Place chopped chocolate followed by vegetable oil into the top of the double-boiler. (If you don’t have a double broiler you can use a heatproof bowl. The water should be high enough so its just surrounding the base of the bowl). Place on top of simmering water and melt chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth then immediately remove from heat. Take care to not let any water get into the chocolate or it will seize.
- Dip strawberries: Working with one strawberry at a time, hold strawberry by the stem and dip in the chocolate, turning to coat. Lift strawberry, let excess drip off, and gently scrape the bottom against the rim of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. If not coating strawberries in toppings, then immediately place on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Coat strawberries in toppings: If you are coating strawberries in toppings then immediately place dipped strawberries into the coating bowl of choice while chocolate is still wet and roll to coat then place on parchment paper.
- Let chocolate set.Let chocolate set at room temperature unless serving immediately then refrigerate 20-30 minutes to speed up the process. Once set, remove Chocolate Covered Strawberries from refrigerator.
- Drizzle with white chocolate if desired: If drizzling with white chocolate, you will want to wait until the Chocolate Covered Strawberries are set. Melt white chocolate according to either the stove or microwave method above. Transfer white chocolate to a sandwich size plastic bag, snip a very small tip off the corner of the bag and drizzle or create patterns. Let the white chocolate set at room temperature.
How to Decorate Chocolate Covered Strawberries
As far as adorning your Chocolate Covered Strawberries, the sky is the limit! As I mentioned previously, you can leave them plain or add simple or elaborate designs with white chocolate. You can also coat the entire strawberry or just half in any of these ideas:
- Peanuts
- Pistachios
- Toasted pecans
- Toasted coconut
- Sprinkles
- Mini chocolate chips
- Chocolate shavings
- Oreo or any cookie crumbs
- Any candy crumbs
- Crushed candy canes
How to Store Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Chocolate Covered Strawberries are best served fresh, the same day they are made and stored in a cool place – not in the refrigerator. If stored longer than a day, the berries gradually release moisture so they will gradually get mushy.
If weather conditions don’t allow strawberries to be stored outside the refrigerator, then line a sealable container with paper towels (to wick away moisture), place strawberries in a single layer and cover and refrigerate. Be aware that condensation will occur and the chocolate can get white and chalky.
You can serve the refrigerated chocolate strawberries chilled or let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Chilled strawberries will have a nice crunch to the chocolate, whereas room temperature strawberries will have slightly softer chocolate.
Do chocolate covered strawberries need to be refrigerated?
Nope! Chocolate Covered Strawberries don’t contain any ingredients that need to be refrigerated and they actually are better when not refrigerated but rather kept in a cool place. You might need to refrigerate your Chocolate Covered Strawberries initially to set for 15-30 minutes, but as soon as they are set, remove them from the refrigerator.
Chocolate Covered Strawberry FAQs
To prevent chocolate-covered strawberries from sweating, store them in an airtight container lined with paper towels and place them in the refrigerator. Additionally, let the strawberries come to room temperature before serving to minimize condensation.
Chocolate-covered strawberries may not harden if the chocolate was not tempered correctly. Ensure you properly temper the chocolate or use a stabilizer like coconut oil to help it set properly.
To avoid a flat side on your chocolate-covered strawberries, insert a toothpick or skewer into the stem end and place them upright in a foam block or a similar stand until the chocolate sets.
Melted chocolate may not stick to strawberries if they are too wet. Make sure to thoroughly dry the strawberries before dipping them in chocolate to ensure proper adhesion.
You might also like these Chocolate Recipes:
- Chocolate Eclair Cake
- German Chocolate Cupcakes
- Easy Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes
- Chocolate Raspberry Cake
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Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
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Ingredients
- 16 oz. strawberries room temperature
- 8 oz. baking chocolate, chopped (semi-sweet, bittersweet, milk or white)
- 2 teaspoons Vegetable oil
Coating Ideas
- 4 oz. white chocolate chips with 1 tsp vegetable oil ***
- nuts peanuts, pistachios, pecans, etc.
- toasted coconut
- Sprinkles
- mini chocolate chips
- Chocolate shavings
- Oreo or any cookie crumbs
- candy canes
Instructions
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside. Get any topping ready and set aside.
- Rinse strawberries and dry VERY WELL.
- Add chocolate and vegetable oil to a small microwave safe bowl and microwave at 50% power for 60 seconds, stir then continue to microwave at 50% power at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Alternatively, you can melt chocolate using a double broiler (see post for broiler details).
- Working with one strawberry at a time, hold strawberry by the stem, dip in the chocolate, let excess drip off, and gently scrape the bottom against the rim of the bowl to remove excess chocolate then place on parchment paper OR immediately dip and roll in desired coating then transfer to parchment paper. Let chocolate set at room temperature unless serving immediately then refrigerate 20-30 minutes or until set then remove from refrigerator to store.
STORE
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries are best served fresh, the same day they are made and stored in a cool place – not in the refrigerator.
- If stored longer than a day, the berries gradually release moisture so they will gradually get mushy.
- If weather conditions don’t allow strawberries to be stored outside the refrigerator then line a sealable container with paper towels (to wick away moisture), place strawberries in a single layer and cover. Be aware that condensation will occur and the chocolate can get white and chalky.
- You can serve the refrigerated chocolate strawberries chilled or let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Chilled strawberries will have a nice crunch to the chocolate, whereas room temperature strawberries will have slightly softer chocolate.
Notes
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
- Use ripe strawberries that are bright red (with minimal whiteness on the tips) so they are not only beautiful but flavorful as well. Take care your strawberries aren’t too ripe or they will be mushy.
- Your strawberries must be very, very dry otherwise moisture will cause the the chocolate to seize and loose its smooth texture.
- Have everything ready to go before you melt your chocolate – your dried strawberries, your parchment paper, your chopped toppings in easily dippable bowls.
- Use high quality chocolate for best results. I used semi-sweet chocolate but you can use milk, white, bittersweet, etc. or a combination. White chocolate coated in red sprinkles or stripes or crushed candy canes is fabulous for the holidays.
- Don’t skip the vegetable oil! This helps keep the chocolate smooth.
- Stop microwaving the chocolate when almost all of the chocolate is melted but not completely then vigorously stir to melt the remaining chocolate until smooth. This keeps you from overcooking your chocolate.
- ***Follow same instructions for melting white chocolate as for semi-sweet chocolate. Transfer white chocolate to a sandwich size plastic bag, snip a very small tip off the corner of the bag and drizzle or create patterns.
- Do not touch or move your strawberries until they are completely set.
- For best results, don’t refrigerator your strawberries unless necessary. Set chocolate at room temperature and store at room temperature. If you are in a warm climate and need to refrigerate your strawberries to set, then allow 15-30 minutes to harden in the refrigerator, then remove. Chocolate does not like being cold.
- You can make beautiful gifts by lining a box with tissue paper then adding your strawberries.
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Cathy Bennett says
Thanks for all the great tips! I’ve always used chocolate chips which often seize up. The baking chocolate/oil combination worked perfectly. Also good to know that refrigeration is not recommended unless necessary. My daughter will enjoy these for her birthday picnic today.
Jen says
Happy Birthday to your daughter! I’m so happy these Chocolate Covered Strawberries were a winner!