Chocolate Covered Strawberries

You won’t believe how easy it is to make these bite-sized desserts at home. These simple yet elegant chocolate covered strawberries come together quickly in only a few steps. They are a sweet and decadent treat that everyone loves and is sure to impress, whether it’s for a special occasion or date night at home.

The crisp chocolate shell over the juicy and sweet strawberries makes this an irresistible treat. I especially love how fancy they look without breaking the bank to make. Like my cake pops recipe or chocolate truffles recipe, this budget-friendly treat makes for a great edible gift. Your friends and family will be delighted by this tasty gift!

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Strawberries — while the strawberries’ size doesn’t indicate sweetness, I recommend choosing larger strawberries as it’s easier to decorate with more surface area. Pick the brightest-looking berries you can find for maximum sweetness as strawberries stop ripening once picked. The leaves and stem should look fresh and not wilted or bruised.

Chocolate — feel free to use any chocolate you prefer to make chocolate covered strawberries. Semi-sweet to dark chocolate pairs very well with sweet strawberries and white chocolate (or candy melts) make for a great accent color to drizzle with. Baking chocolate bars are ideal as they melt more smoothly than chips.

How to Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries

1. Wash the strawberries and set them aside to dry. Roughly chop the chocolate bars before melting.

2. To melt the chocolate, you can either place it in a bowl over a pot of simmering water (making sure the water does not touch the bowl) or microwave it on half power in 30-second bursts stirring as you go until most of the chocolate is melted. It’s better to leave a few pieces of chocolate in the bowl that are unmelted than to over-heat the chocolate. Stir the chocolate, and any small pieces of unmelted chocolate should disappear. The candy melt can be microwaved at full power in 40-second bursts but stir frequently.

3. Pour the chocolate into a small glass or bowl.

4. Grab your strawberry by the stem or leaves and dip it into the chocolate. Swirl the strawberry around to eliminate any bubbles that may form. Lift the strawberry up and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. As your chocolate cools, the excess will cling a bit longer, so you may need to wipe the bottom of your strawberry on the glass edge.

5. To make striped strawberries, add melted white chocolate or white candy melt to a piping bag. Then, drizzle the piping bag back and forth to create a striped pattern, or you can use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate. If you do not have a piping bag handy, just start the drizzle next to the strawberry, so you get an even look.

6. Add melted white chocolate or candy melt to a glass as you did in step 3 and dip the strawberries for a white coating over the strawberries.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

• Try to find a vessel for the melted chocolate that is not too wide. You want to be able to dip the strawberries and almost submerge them. If your bowl is too wide, you will need to rotate or tilt the berry, and the finished product won’t look as neat. A shot glass is perfect if you do not have a glass similar to mine.
• Candy melt will harden quickly, so you may need to microwave the glass if the liquid gets a bit gloopy.
• When melting the chocolate, the bowl needs to be as clean and dry as possible. Water will cause the chocolate to seize, and you’ll have to start over the melting process.
• Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper for the chocolate covered strawberries. The parchment paper makes lifting the strawberries easier once the chocolate has hardened.
• Use a kitchen towel or paper towel to dry the strawberries thoroughly after washing them. ​​You want the strawberries to be completely dry before dipping them in chocolate as chocolate doesn’t stick to a wet strawberry, and the water droplets can seize the melted chocolate.
• You can leave the chocolate coated strawberries at room temperature until they harden. However, if you are in a rush, you can also place them in the fridge to speed up the process. Avoid trying to chill the strawberries in the freezer.
• Room temperature strawberries are ideal as it prevents condensation from forming and the chocolate shell separating from the strawberries if they’re chilled.
• To make tuxedo strawberries, you can dip the strawberries in white chocolate first. Allow the layer to harden before dipping the strawberries in at a 45-degree angle from both sides to make the “tuxedo jacket.” Pipe on the bowtie details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I leave the stem and leaves on the strawberries?

I recommend leaving the leaves on the strawberries as it gives you a better grip on them when you dip them into melted chocolate. I don’t recommend removing the stem as it’ll cause the juices in the strawberries to leak out and potential discoloration. Removing the stem also shortens the lifespan of the strawberries.

How else can I decorate the strawberries?

The sky is the limit on decorating ideas for the strawberries. You can coat the chocolate covered strawberries in finely chopped nuts, shredded coconut flakes, cacao nibs, cookie crumbs, sprinkles, and more. Make sure to add these while the chocolate is still wet so they stick. 

Can I make them ahead of time?

While it’s best to consume chocolate dipped strawberries the day you make them, you can make them a day ahead of time. Over time the strawberries will start releasing moisture, so consume the strawberries as soon as possible. Berries, in general, get moldy quickly, so avoid making them too far in advance.

How do I store the strawberries?

While you do not have to store the coated strawberries in the fridge, I recommend keeping them in a parchment-lined container in a cool, dry place. If you need to stack them, place a sheet of parchment between the layers. You can also place a paper towel with the strawberries to absorb any released moisture. If you live in a warm environment, store them in the fridge.

Can I freeze these?

No, I do not suggest freezing these desserts. The chocolate will become too hard to bite into, and if you thaw them, the strawberries get mushy.

If you’ve tried this Chocolate Covered Strawberries recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!