How to Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Need a last-minute treat for a romantic occasion? Chocolate-covered strawberries are the answer. Follow my easy how-to for a truly luscious indulgence!
Original publish date: February 14, 2019.
If you are looking for a special occasion treat that only requires simple ingredients, is super easy to make, and so impressive, chocolate-covered strawberries are the way to go!
These delightful treats are not only for Valentine’s Day, but they do get the most attention during this time of year.
For more romantic treats for Valentine’s Day, check out my chocolate cheesecake and these adorable red velvet sugar cookies. I also have TONS more ideas in my recipe index’s Valentine’s Day category.
Chocolate-covered strawberries may be the simplest of treats, but there are a few important things to know that will guarantee the best results, so read on in this step-by-step guide!
Table of Contents
- Why this is the best chocolate covered strawberries recipe
- Ingredients
- Variations and substitutions
- Special equipment
- How to make chocolate-covered strawberries
- Expert Tips
- FAQS
- Two ways to easily melt chocolate
- How to decorate and serve
- How to store and keep
- A few more of my best chocolate recipes!
Why this is the best chocolate covered strawberries recipe
Beautiful: Few things are as beautiful as fresh chocolate-covered strawberries. They’re elegant as all get out, yet so simple to make.
Customizable: Express your creativity by decorating the strawberries with drizzles, swirls, nuts, or cookie crumbles. This allows you to tailor them for any special occasion or theme.
Inexpensive: If you’ve ever bought chocolate-covered strawberries, you know how expensive they are. Making your own at home will save you a ton of money, and they’ll turn out every bit as impressive.
Ingredients
Chocolate: Use your favorite chocolate as long as it is high-quality melting chocolate. Chocolate chips are generally not recommended for this, as they contain stabilizers that inhibit them from melting smoothly.
Strawberries: Select ripe, firm strawberries with intact green stems. And make sure they’re at room temperature.
More chocolate (optional): Use a complimentary kind of chocolate for drizzling on the hardened coating, for a truly impressive look.
Variations and substitutions
Dairy-free: If you use bittersweet chocolate rather than milk chocolate, it will likely be dairy-free. Be sure to check the ingredient label.
Flavorings: To add extra flavor to your chocolate, consider incorporating extracts like vanilla, almond, or citrus zest.
Colors: Use colorful chocolate melts or candy melts for a colorful variation.
Special equipment
Baking sheet: For setting the dipped strawberries.
Parchment or wax paper: To prevent sticking.
Microwave or double boiler: For melting the chocolate. If using a microwave, use a microwave-safe bowl.
How to make chocolate-covered strawberries
Step 1: Melt the chocolate
Chop your chocolate and place it in a small, tall-ish bowl.
Melt the chopped chocolate in 20-second intervals in the microwave, stirring after each, until the chocolate is smooth and liquid.
This is the easiest method, although you could also use a double boiler (more info on that below).
Step 2: Dip
Wash and dry the strawberries thoroughly.
Grasp each berry by the leaves and dip into the melted chocolate.
Tap off any excess chocolate on the side of the bowl.
Step 3: Let harden
Place the chocolate-dipped strawberries on a parchment-lined sheet pan in a single layer, and allow the chocolate to set at room temperature.
Step 4: Decorate
Melt your complimentary chocolate (I’ve used milk chocolate) and transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a #1 round tip. (Check out the video in the recipe card below, to see my special, mess-free trick for this.)
Drizzle it over the berries.
Expert Tips
- Avoid using chocolate chips, as they contain stabilizers that help keep their shape during baking. I know chocolate is a pain to chop, but it’s worth the extra effort to use baking bars rather than chips. They melt so much more easily.
- Use the freshest strawberries you can get your hands on, to avoid sweating or leaking. If they have any soft spots, the sugar in the chocolate will draw out their liquid and you’ll have puddles of juice. Look for berries that are firm, plump, and shiny, with no bruises.
- Rinse the strawberries gently in cool water, then carefully dry them with paper towels. For the chocolate to stick properly, the strawberries must be completely dry, so it’s a good idea to let them air out for half an hour or so before dipping.
- To avoid a puddle of chocolate underneath the berries, gently drag the bottom of the strawberry along the lip of the bowl to remove any excess.
FAQS
Use the best quality chocolate you can find. I can’t stress this enough because it makes a significant difference on many levels!
Firstly, the flavor of high-quality chocolate tastes better than cheap chocolate.
Secondly, the consistency of high-quality chocolate results in smooth, liquid, melted chocolate that is less likely to seize up.
Third, the look of your strawberries will have a smooth and shiny finish rather than grainy, lumpy, or mottled.
Unfortunately, chocolate-covered strawberries do not keep well for extended periods of time.
To avoid sweating or leaking, it’s best to make chocolate-covered strawberries the same day you plan to serve them.
But the good news is, they will stay at room temperature for 10 hours without a problem. Leave them in a cool, dry place, uncovered, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Two ways to easily melt chocolate
You have two options for melting chocolate: the microwave or a double boiler.
Microwave method
This is the best way to melt chocolate, in my opinion. It’s the most foolproof way because no water is involved, and chocolate does not like water.
Place your chopped chocolate in a bowl (I recommend something small and tall-ish to make it easier to dip your strawberries in), and heat it in quick 20-second bursts, stirring after each interval.
Be careful not to overheat it, or it could burn. It’s best to stop when there are still a few small lumps because as you stir, they’re likely to finish melting with just the residual heat in the bowl.
Double boiler method
If you don’t have a microwave or prefer not to use one, you can melt your chocolate in a double boiler.
Heat about an inch of water in a small pot over low heat. Place your chopped chocolate in a glass or metal bowl and rest it on top. The water should barely be simmering, and the bottom of the bowl should not be touching the water.
As you stir it, the chocolate will melt from the heat of the steam, but be careful that no steam is escaping around the bowl, or condensation can make its way into the chocolate and cause it to seize.
If your chocolate clumps up into a big mass and won’t melt no matter what, you have seized chocolate on your hands, and you need to start over.
How to decorate and serve
While the chocolate is still wet, you can top it with yummy things. Here are a few ideas:
- Chopped nuts
- Shredded coconut
- Colorful sprinkles
- Toffee bits
- Crushed-up Oreo cookies or graham crackers
Or anything else your heart desires!
You could also give them a drizzle of a contrasting kind of chocolate. For what you see here, I used dark chocolate to dip the berries, then gave them a drizzle with milk chocolate for contrast.
Another fun option is to make tuxedo strawberries. You can see how that’s done here: Tuxedo Cupcakes.
How to store and keep
Room temperature: Room-temperature chocolate-covered strawberries are much more enjoyable to eat than cold ones. The flavors are fuller, and nicer on your teeth, too! Try to serve them within 10 hours of dipping them.
Refrigerator: I do not recommend refrigerating chocolate-covered strawberries. It will cause condensation on the outside of the chocolate, which doesn’t look as pretty. In addition, the chocolate becomes so hard it will shatter and fall off in big pieces when you bite it.
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A few more of my best chocolate recipes!
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped finely
- 12 (144 g) fresh strawberries, rinsed and dried thoroughly
- 3 ounces (85.05 g) milk chocolate, chopped finely
Instructions
- Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate in a small, tall-ish bowl and melt in 20-second intervals in the microwave*, stirring after each, until the chocolate is smooth and liquid.
- Grasp each berry by the leaves, and dip into the melted chocolate
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and allow the chocolate to set at room temperature.
- Melt the milk chocolate, and transfer to a piping bag fitted with a #1 round tip.
- Drizzle the milk chocolate over the berries.
Hey what brand of chocolate would you recommend?!
Hey there- did you check out the info under the heading “WHAT KIND OF CHOCOLATE TO USE FOR CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES”? There is lots of info there, including a link to the brand I typically use.
I love making chocolate covered strawberries but there are a few tips on here I hadn’t thought of, so helpful!!!
All your tips made it so easy to make beautiful chocolate strawberries for Valentine’s Day! Thank you!!!
I made some of these this morning for our great granddaughter to give to some people at school.
Nice! Hope everyone enjoyed!
Oh these treats look so dang good! Want to make fruit better? Cover it in chocolate is usually a good way to do that. 🙂
Lol so true! Thanks Ben!