Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Despite being one of the easiest and cheapest desserts to make, chocolate covered strawberries are one of those fancy, bite-size desserts that everyone loves. They’re beautiful and impressive looking, but they’re incredibly simple. One batch of chocolate covered strawberries only takes about 20 minutes to make!
What type of chocolate should you use for Chocolate Covered Strawberries?
Since this is such a simple recipe with just two basic ingredients, the quality of chocolate is really important. The higher quality of chocolate, the better they will taste, and I’ve found that Baking Chocolate works best.
A cheap bag of chocolate chips will not taste as good or melt easily. High quality chocolate (or baking chocolate chips) tastes less processed, melts easier, and really helps give the strawberries a nice beautiful coat after dipping.
I usually use Ghirardelli baking chips, or Baker’s Baking Chocolate and I’m always pleased with the quality and price. I prefer bittersweet or semi-sweet, but you can use milk chocolate, semi-sweet, bittersweet, or white chocolate for dipping strawberries.
How to melt chocolate for dipping:
The easiest way to melt chocolate is in a double boiler or in the microwave. If you don’t own a double boiler, you can make your own with a simple saucepan and heat-safe glass bowl (see tutorial below).
How to make your own double boiler:
- Fill a saucepan ¼ full with water and bring the water to a low gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and set a large (heat-proof) glass bowl on top, making sure the bowl tightly covers the pot. Make sure there are a few inches of space between the bottom of the bowl and the water.
- Add chocolate to the bowl and stir constantly, until melted and smooth.
- Remove the bowl from heat and add a handful of reserved chocolate to the bowl to temper the chocolate. Stir until the additional chocolate has melted.
Can I melt chocolate chips in the microwave?
Yes, you can melt chocolate chips in the microwave as long as they are a high quality brand of baking chocolate chips. I like to use these Ghirardelli Baking Chips . To microwave them, set your microwave at half power and stir the chocolate every 30 seconds until smooth.
How to make Chocolate Covered Strawberries:
- Wash and dry the strawberries.
- Prepare desired toppings (nuts, toasted coconut, etc.)
- Prepare your workspace with a parchment lined baking tray to place the dipped strawberries on.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.
- Dip the strawberries in melted chocolate.
- Coat in desired toppings.
- Lay the strawberries on prepared baking sheet and allow them to rest until the chocolate has set.
- Drizzle with melted white chocolate if desired.
Topping ideas for Chocolate Covered Strawberries:
- Chopped Nuts (peanuts, pistachios, pecans, etc.)
- Toasted coconut
- Sprinkles
- Mini chocolate chips (any flavor)
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Crushed Oreo cookies
- Melted white chocolate
- Crushed candy canes
How to store chocolate covered strawberries:
Store chocolate covered strawberries in a cool location. You may store them in the refrigerator, uncovered, up to one day, leaving them on the same baking sheet you placed them on after dipping. If serving them the same day you make them (which is preferred), store them, uncovered, on your counter away from sunlight or heat.
Please do NOT freeze chocolate covered strawberries. As they thaw the strawberries will release moisture and ruin the chocolate coating.
How long do chocolate covered strawberries last?
Chocolate covered strawberries are best enjoyed within 1 or 2 days maximum. The chocolate on the strawberries will cause them to sweat and release moisture, so they are really best enjoyed the same day they are made.
Tips for perfect chocolate covered strawberries:
- Pick good strawberries.
- Choose firm, ripe strawberries without bruises and if possible, strawberries that are red all the way up to the stem.
- Use room temperature strawberries and DRY THEM really well.
- Take the strawberries out of the fridge 15-30 minutes before dipping them. Wash them and gently dry them all over with a paper towel. You want to make sure they’re very dry, otherwise the chocolate won’t set on them properly.
- Temper the chocolate.
- Tempering the chocolate will help prevent the chocolate covered strawberries from looking streaky, gray or dull after the chocolate sets. All you need to do to temper melted chocolate is set aside some of the chocolate to stir in at the end, after most of it has already been melted.
- Melt all but 1 heaping tablespoon of the chocolate chips, and set the extra chips aside. Once you’ve melted the chocolate and it’s smooth, remove the bowl from heat and add the reserved chocolate chips.
- Stir them into the mixture until they melt. The chocolate added at the end will help temper the warm chocolate to make it the right consistency and temperature for dipping.
- Melt all but 1 heaping tablespoon of the chocolate chips, and set the extra chips aside. Once you’ve melted the chocolate and it’s smooth, remove the bowl from heat and add the reserved chocolate chips.
- Tempering the chocolate will help prevent the chocolate covered strawberries from looking streaky, gray or dull after the chocolate sets. All you need to do to temper melted chocolate is set aside some of the chocolate to stir in at the end, after most of it has already been melted.
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Recipe
Gourmet Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounce package Ghirardelli Baking Chips Bittersweet, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries stems attached
Instructions
- Start by washing the strawberries and then drying them VERY well. It's so important to dry the strawberries well because, as you may know, chocolate and water do not work well together! If the strawberries are the least bit wet the chocolate will not stick!
- If desired, add a handful of toppings, like crushed nuts or coconut, onto their own small plates. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper.
- Use a double boiler (instructions above in post) or microwave the chocolate for 30 second intervals, removing and stirring at each 30 second interval, until the chocolate has melted. Stir often, making sure not to burn the chocolate!
- Holding a strawberry by the stem, dip into melted chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting the excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. At this point you may dip the strawberry in coconut or nuts (or leave it plain) and then place the strawberry on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries.
- For a white chocolate drizzled strawberry, dip a fork in the melted white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.
- Chill the strawberries until the chocolate sets, about 15 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
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*I originally shared this post May 2013. Updated February 2019.
Wonderful easy recipe.
💕💕👍👍😺😺
Thanks. They were out of that overpriced dipping chocolate, so I tried this. Less expensive and better quality with the Ghiardeli.This will be my go to from now on.
Made this recipe using solid purdys plant based chocolate and also a plant based salted caramel chocolate bar and it is AMAZING. My boyfriend loves it as well. We also dipped mangoes and they tasted even better!
Yummy on the mango.
How far in advance can I make these strawberries and should I refrigerate them?
They’re best made fresh (or a few hours ahead) but will be fine for one day in the fridge (you just may see condensation form on the chocolate).
Delicious! My whole family loved this recipe!
Very good. I added coconut oil to the chocolate while melting , then took the dish off the heat and added a few unmelted chocolate chips which tempered the melted chocolate by making it glossy when they melted in.
For the bittersweet chocolate chips do you add any sugar? or can you go without the sugar? asking because I have Valentines orders going out next week and don’t want to ruin the strawberries
Don’t add any sugar to the chocolate, just be sure to get good-quality chocolate. If you want a sweeter chocolate use semi-sweet or milk. Adding a drizzle of white chocolate once the chocolate is set on the strawberries will also sweeten them up. Please come back and let us know how your strawberries turn out!
Making these chocolate strawberries this morning for neighborhood get together this eve!
Should these be eaten same day for best taste?or do they keep overnight
They are best eaten day of BUT you can store them in a cool location. You may store them in the refrigerator, uncovered, up to one day, leaving them on the same baking sheet you placed them on after dipping.
My kiddos and I made these today and are so happy with how they turned out! We melted the chocolate in the microwave and topped them with nuts and crushed up chocolate chip cookies! Delicious and easy, thanks for sharing!!
Twisting without grabbing was trying at 1st, but the sprinkles helped hide the errors. I used milk chocolate for my 1st go round. Can’t wait to try dark next round!
i made these for Valentines Day for my husband, kids and grandkids. We all loved them! and super easy!
Easy directions. Thank you so much.
amazing strait up recipe
Very helpful! Thanks! God bless!
The chocolate covered strawberries were easy quick & delicious!
Love this recipe! So easy and tastes delicious. I used toll house semi sweet chocolate chips. Dipping and twisting is a bit tricky especially if the stem comes off easily.
Amazing. I used this recipe for white chocolate covered apples and it worked great.
These were amazing!
Easy and delicious! I used bitter sweet chocolate chips!
Thanks
Teresa
Love, love love this recipe!! I used semi-sweet Ghirardelli chocolate which was awesome! I dried them using a toothpick in a piece of styrofoam. Should they be served with the toothpick?
Turned out just perfect…..a gift for my son-in-law for Father’s Day
This recipe worked out perfectly for me! I was a little worried about the chocolate but everything was fine. Thanks so much for this recipe.
Same here! I will definitely make this again!
Mothers Day, restaurants with pandemic precautions- limited seating. The most intimate Mothers Day we had. Sister & I drive 3 & 4 hours “home”. Mother lives in her own home, we tackle the yard & pond work. This recipe is minimal so to arrive self contained for prep. Chocolate covered strawberries, good coffee and conversation.
Mothers Day & CC Berries are synonymous.
Thank you for the recipe. 1st time? success!
Pretty fun recipe the chocolate was delicious too I will for sure make this again!
It doesn’t say to use water with the chocolate to melt it. It says melt slowly in a microwave. I am very happy with results!
Water and chocolate don’t mix. If you have issues use a little bit of veggie or coconut oil.
Can I make these chocolate covered strawberries 2 days in advance or should I make them the day of?
I suggest the day of, for best results.
It did not turn out Ok for me 🙁 Followed instructions with hot water and chocolate got very hard quickly. Also, strawberries got “glued” onto the baking sheet so when I tried to pick them up half of the chocolate remained on the tray 🙁 What did I do wrong? Thanks.
If you place the strawberries on parchment they won’t stick to the parchment. Or you can spray a bare cookie sheet with Pam but you should do that first and let it sit for 20 minutes before you put the dipped berries on it.
Melting chocolate can be tricky if you don’t do it often… So if all else fails use a blow dryer and stir the chocolate as it melts. If it starts to stiffen up a little bit then just blow dry the chocolate a little more. 🍓
To melt chocolate, use hot but not boiling water in the bottom pan. Make sure the top pan is not touching the water and make sure steam does not get into the chocolate. Also, use wax paper to prevent sticking to the baking sheet.
try spraying vegetable spray onto your pan so your strawberries don’t stick, i made that mistake my first time. For meltinbr the chocolate, i normally melt chocolate on the stove as it stays melted longer then in the microwave, you wanna put a heat safe bowl or measuring cup inside a put of hot or boiling water and put the chocolate into the measuring cup and eat it melt with about 5 tsp of milk and let mix and once it’s melted just put it on low while you dip your strawberries. on the stove has always worked so much better for me then in the microwave and it prevents the chocolate from hardening so quick, if you need anything or like more detailed advice just text me on my instagram (dduurrzz) and i can help in any way, im just trying to be helpful… hopefully this did help you in some way though 💗
You used water when melting the chocolate is what you did wrong. Your not supposed to melt chocolate using water. It even says that on the container of all the chocolate I’ve ever bought.
Muh love it so good!
OMGosh! These turned out beautifully! Thanks so much for this recipe. I made them for a baby shower I’m hosting tomorrow and I’m more than pleased. My daughter said they look professional. For me that was a huge praise, because I am not a gourmet cook by any means. My sincerest thank you!
Delicious and easy. Also dipped some leftover blackberries. This will be a family staple 🥰🥰
Looks delicious I will try it. Thank you so much
THESE ARE SO EASY AND COME OUT PERFECT EVERY TIME. SO DECADENT. I MAKE THESE WHEN LOCAL BERRIES ARE IN SEASON AND GIVE A PLATE TO NEIGHBORS WHICH ARE MOSTLY SENIORS. THEY LOVE ME.
Awesome quick easy and DELICIOUS!
Thanks for sharing.
Right? It’s a great potluck dish when they are in season. People will think you are a gourmet cook.
Used the microwave chocolate setting and blended 2 kinds of Ghirardelli chocolate chips. Delicious
Did this with my granddaughter. So easy and a fun activity, we both loved it! Delicious! Thank you for your easy helpful directions and tips.
Googled how to make chocolate strawberries and arrived here. Within 5 minutes of reading I got the motivation to do it myself.
Publix charges $5 for 6 strawberries
I made 2 pounds for about 10 dollars. I’d call that money saved!
What else can I use instead of parchment paper?
Wax paper or non-stick foil.
So I just tried doing this and the chocolate got really hard. What am I doing wrong.
Did you microwave in short intervals until it melted? After melting you should immediately dip the strawberries. At which point the chocolate will start to harden around the strawberries.
If even a little moisture seeps into chocolate, it will seize or become hard.
I want to make footballs out of my berries to decorate a cake. I need to put white stripes and laces on them. What so I use to do that?
I’d buy Ghirardelli’s white chocolate melting wafers (in the baking aisle bu the chocolate chips).
Worked out great. The chips at the end made the chocolate the perfect temp. So very important to have room temp, dry berries. Easy!
I am excited to try your recipes.
I just made them for the first and LAST time! No idea but I’m guessing I needed to dilute the chocolate as it was so thick. The end product looks terrible ! It took me 15 minutes, hot water, lots of elbow grease and a scrub brush to get the chocolate off my hands and out from under my nails. A DISASTER! Next time I want choc covered strawberries, I’ll bite the bullet and pay the price as I order them from Shari’s Berries!
Hi Cherie
It sounds like your chocolate got too hot. I’ve had the same result when I tried to heat chocolate chips in a saucepan directly on the stove instead of a bowl on top of a pot of hot water. It doesn’t take much to get it to melt, so I’d encourage you to try again.
so delish.
In the first part of the article, you said to remove the melted chocolate from the heat, and then stir in some new chips to temper. Then in the Tips section, you wrote that we should add the new chips at the end and then once melted, remove from heat. So, which is it? Thanks!
I cannot figure out how to melt the chocolate. The double boiler thing is not working for me. I have glass bowls and they all say to not put on stove or boiler. I tried the microwave and it didn’t work. I tried to just melt it in a saucepan and it didn’t work. So frustrated.
You need to use heat-proof bowls for melting chocolate.
One day I had this problem and adding a little milk helped 🙂
A bit of veggie or coconut oil is what you need
I make them at work and I love them so much that I’m going to be making them for my wife at home
How can I keep the leafs looking fresh and not dry looking?
Hello, we tried dipping the strawberries but the white chocolate just runs off, doesn’t stick. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
The strawberries need to be completely dry and room temperature works best.
i love those
Hi,can you use a plate instead as i don’t have parchment paper??!
Sure–the parchment paper just helps them not to stick.
Do I put them in the refrigerater to set the chocolate?
You can, although you don’t need to, especially if you live in a dry climate. But if you live in a more humid climate I would. If you do put them in the fridge I would remove them about 30 minutes before you want to serve them. That way the chocolate wont be hard when people bite into them 🙂
To make some money for our St. Anthony’s group, I am making covered strawberries for the first time.
My kitchen is a mess. Big burnt bubble on my finger, not realizing chocolate stays hot for awhile.
Iam placing them on a cookie baking sheet. They look very amateurish but i think i will sell
each for 50 cents. I will be embarassed if they don’t sell. Any iddeas to place them just flat?
thanks for your help.
Hi Phyllis,
I hope they turned out for you! I place them flat on a cookie sheet and transport them that way as well!
Thanks so much for a great recipe!
Thanks for the chocolaty update. I wish I had them to eat.:) But it is a splendid arrangement and the chocolate dipped strawberries are just awesome.
I don’t know why people pay so much money for these. They are so simple & fun to do at home. Thanks for sharing at Sweet & Savory Saturdays #12!
~Amber
Dessert Now, Dinner Later!
http://dessertnowdinnerlater.blogspot.com
Yummy! I like the addition of the nuts.
KC
Sami was just asking me to help her make some of these! Maybe Aunt Liz can come down and make some with her! 🙂