Chocolate-Covered Strawberries (Easy Recipe)

These chocolate-covered strawberries are a mouthwatering combination of sweet strawberries and decadent chocolate. 

Dress them up with chopped nuts, sprinkles, or a dreamy white chocolate drizzle.

Or serve them as is. Either way, they won’t last long!

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries 

From chocolate-covered cherries to frozen banana pops, chocolate makes everything better.

And strawberries are no exception!

Chocolate-covered strawberries are a timeless classic unsurprisingly loved by all.

Tart strawberries and rich chocolate are simply a match made in heaven. And they’re a deliciously romantic way to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Sure, it’s more convenient to get them from the store, but it’s much cheaper to make them at home.

And it’s not even difficult at all! Just melt some chocolate and get to dipping.

I like them with dark chocolate because the fruit is already sweet. But there’s nothing stopping you from making it a milk chocolate recipe.

What Type of Chocolate Should You Use?

This recipe only uses two main ingredients, which means you want them both to be of superior quality.

The more premium the chocolate is, the smoother and easier it is to work with. Naturally, they also taste better.

For melting chocolate, opt for baking chocolate or melting wafers over cheap chocolate chips. They don’t melt as well as baking chocolate.

Any quality brand will do, but personally, I prefer Ghirardelli melting wafers and Guitard chocolate chips. 

As for the sweetness level, you’re free to choose between milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate.

Semi-sweet because it has a nice balance of sweetness and decadence.

How to Melt Chocolate

If you’ve ever wondered how to melt chocolate, know you’re not alone.

Choose from two methods: the traditional double boiler method and the microwave method.

I like to use the microwave method for melting small quantities of chocolate. But for large quantities, I prefer the double boiler.

How to Melt Chocolate in the Microwave

1. Place the chocolate and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. 

2. Microwave it for 1 minute at 70% power. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and melted.

3. If you still see chunks of chocolate, microwave it again in 30-second increments and stir it until it’s smooth and melted.

How to Melt Chocolate with the Double Boiler 

1. Fill a saucepan halfway with water and bring it to a gentle boil. 

2. Place the chocolate and shortening in a metal bowl and place the bowl over the saucepan, making sure it fits snugly and doesn’t touch the boiling water.

3. Stir the chocolate and shortening until they are fully melted and smooth.

Ingredients

• Strawberries – You want them large, red, and perfectly ripe.

• Chocolate – It’s up to you whether you want milk, dark, or white chocolate. Just keep in mind that white chocolate melts much quicker than milk and dark.

• Shortening – You mix this with the chocolate to give it a smooth, shiny finish. You can also use coconut oil.

Other Things You’ll Need:

• Toothpicks – To help you dip the strawberries into the chocolate.

• Block of Styrofoam – You stick the toothpicks in it so the strawberries stand upright as they dry, helping achieve a smooth chocolate coating.
  • If you don’t have one, you can always just place the strawberries on a sheet of wax or parchment paper.
  • They won’t be as pretty, but they’ll taste as awesome.

How to Make Chocolate-Covered Strawberries 

1. Rinse and dry the strawberries.

Pat them dry with a kitchen towel.

2. Melt the chocolate.

Use either the double boiler or microwave method instructed above. Pour the chocolate into a glass for easier dipping.

3. Dip the strawberries in chocolate.

Be sure they’re well-coated. You can even double-dip for a smoother finish.

4. Wait for the chocolate to harden.

Set the strawberries on a sheet of wax paper.

Or, if you have a block of styrofoam, stick a toothpick into each strawberry and stick them into the styrofoam.

Allow the chocolate to harden for about 15-30 minutes.

5. Serve and enjoy!

Oh, and if you like these, try this recipe for chocolate covered bananas!

Tips for the Best Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

• For the best, juiciest strawberries, pick ones that are red all throughout with barely any green or white spots. The stems should be vibrant green. You also want to check for bruises and mold.
• To ensure optimal consistency, be sure the strawberries are at room temperature. Otherwise, they produce sweat as they warm up.
• Be sure the strawberries are completely dry after rinsing. Dipping wet strawberries in chocolate will keep the chocolate from sticking to the berries. 
• If you don’t have shortening on hand, use coconut oil. No worries as it won’t alter the taste of the chocolate at all.
• Allow excess chocolate to drip off the strawberries. This will keep the chocolate from pooling once you place the strawberry on the wax paper. If it still develops a chocolate foot at the bottom, simply trim it off with a knife.
• Coat the strawberries twice because why not?
• If you live in a hot climate, you can refrigerate the chocolate-covered strawberries to help the chocolate harden quicker.

Topping Ideas 

Now comes the fun part! There are so many ways to top and decorate chocolate-covered strawberries.

And no matter which of these choices you make, you won’t go wrong. 

Melted Chocolate – Use a different color for a nice color contrast. For instance, if you’re using milk chocolate for dipping, use white chocolate for decorating. 

Once melted, pour the chocolate into a Ziploc bag. Cut a small slit off the tip of the bag and squeeze the chocolate out onto the strawberries.

Or, just dip a fork into the melted chocolate and swing it back and forth onto the strawberries.

Note: be sure the chocolate coating has already hardened before drizzling the chocolate topping. That way, the two chocolates won’t mix.

Chopped Nuts – This can be anywhere from pecans and pistachios to almonds and hazelnuts. Roll the strawberries in the nuts while the chocolate’s still wet.

Toasted Coconut – Toast coconut flakes in a skillet over low-medium heat until golden brown.

Sprinkles – For color. These are perfect for dressing up strawberries to suit a theme.

Crushed Candy – For extra decadence and crunch.

How to Store 

Chocolate-covered strawberries are best eaten the day they were made.

But in case you have extra, you can store them for up to 3 days.

To Store

Place the chocolate-covered strawberries on a plate lined with parchment or wax paper.

Place a sheet of parchment or wax paper in between layers to keep the chocolate from sticking together.

Cover the plate with plastic wrap and store the berries at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Note: don’t store chocolate-covered strawberries in an air-tight container. Moisture can build up inside the container, causing the strawberries to sweat.

To Freeze

So, can you freeze strawberries when they’re covered in chocolate?

You can! Place the chocolate-covered strawberries in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months.

Just keep in mind that the berries’ texture will become slightly mushy when frozen and thawed.

More Strawberry Recipes You’ll Love

Strawberry Pie
No-Bake Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Strawberry Cake
Banana Strawberry Muffins