Love is truly in the air and I am ready to profess my undying love for these chocolate-covered strawberries.
This Valentine’s Day, I want you to put this dessert high on your to-do list. It’s the sweetest and most endearing way to celebrate a loved one. Yes, fancy dinners and exotic holidays are nice. But I’ve always been a big believer in taking the time and effort to show your other half what they mean to you. A little bit of effort goes a long, long way.
So, this Valentine’s, why not make these juicy strawberries covered in shiny, tempered chocolate and sprinkled with toppings? Whether as a dessert after dinner, a Netflix-and-chill treat, or a lovely gift, these strawberries will be a most welcomed treat.
Even if you are single, I’m sure you can make this for your family. Or better yet, for yourself. We’re in the age of self-love, after all! And hey, nobody’s stopping you from making this after Valentine’s Day. These chocolate-dipped strawberries make for amazing desserts at birthday parties, bridal showers, weddings, and more.
If you want to learn how to make chocolate-covered strawberries, you’re absolutely at the right place. All you’ll need are strawberries, chocolate chips, coconut oil, and your choice of toppings (see suggestions below).
To make it, simply melt chocolate in the microwave and dip the strawberries in them. Make sure to temper the chocolate first. Wait for an hour and they’ll have hardened at room temperature. There is no baking or freezing involved!
My recipe uses a microwave, but if you are without one at home, don’t fret. Simply fashion your own double boiler by placing the chocolate chips in a bowl and letting the bowl sit on a pot of boiling water as you stir.
Are you ready to look like a confectionery professional? I know I am!
Recipe Ingredients
The base ingredients are:
- Strawberries – Larger strawberries are preferred.
- Chocolate chips – We will use semi-sweet milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips to coat the strawberries. Prepare 1 cup of each type and an additional tablespoon for tempering. If you want it less sweet, swap the milk chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips.
- Coconut oil – The fat content in coconut oil brings a bit of luster and glossiness to the melted chocolate. Unsalted butter or shortening also creates the same effect.
Additional toppings that will make you look like a professional confectioner:
- White, milk, or dark chocolate chips – Melted for drizzling.
- Pistachios – Finely chopped.
- Coconut flakes – Finely chopped.
- Red and pink heart sprinkles (edible) – Commonly sold at baking supply shops.
- Oreo cookies – Crush in a food processor or in a Ziploc bag with a trusty rolling pin).
Step-by-Step Instructions
This is how to make chocolate-covered strawberries at home, the easy way. You will need a large baking sheet or tray, paper towels, a microwave or double boiler, and a few bowls for toppings.
Step One: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper.
Step Two: Rinse the strawberries in room temperature water then lay them on a kitchen towel. Pat dry each individual strawberry with paper towels.
- Pro Tip: Making sure the strawberries are dry is a very important step before they are dipped in the chocolate. This ensures the chocolate sticks better to the strawberries.
Step Three: In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and one tablespoon of coconut oil.
In another small microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup of white chocolate chips and the remaining one tablespoon of coconut oil.
Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until completely melted.
Step Four: Remove immediately once melted. Temper the chocolate by stirring the remaining 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips respectively into the melted chocolate.
- Pro Tip: Adding 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips creates a smooth and glossy finish for the melted chocolate. Tempering is an extremely important step in chocolate-making.
Step Five: Pull back the leaves of the strawberries and hold each strawberry by the stem. Dip the strawberries into the chocolate until fully coated, letting the excess chocolate drop back into the bowl. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
Step Six: If you want to create a different look, drizzle the dipped strawberries with contrasting types of chocolate (for example, a white chocolate-coated strawberry would have milk chocolate drizzled on it and vice versa).
Dip the tips of a fork into the melted chocolate and flick your wrist back and forth over the strawberries. You can also cut the corner from a small Ziploc bag and use that to create a piping bag, resulting in a nice clean drizzle.
Step Seven: If you want to have optional toppings, dip the chocolate strawberries into bowls of chopped pistachios, shredded coconut, crumbled Oreos, or love-heart sprinkles. Then, set them back onto the tray.
Step Eight: Let the strawberries sit at room temperature for one hour until the chocolate coating is firm. Serve and enjoy!
- Pro Tip: If you are in a pinch and need your chocolate-covered strawberries ready ASAP, chill them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Mix coconut oil to thicken melted chocolate – I like to combine coconut oil and melted chocolate so that the chocolate sets faster and is a little thicker. The coconut oil makes the chocolate act like a chocolate shell.
- Prepare all ingredients in advance – Have all of your ingredients and toppings ready to go in individual bowls. When working with melted chocolate, it’s best to have everything ready because the chocolate can harden quickly.
- Have excess chocolate? – If you have any leftover chocolate, don’t waste it – use it as a dip for pretzels, bananas, or Oreo cookies. Get creative! The options are endless, and chocolate is always a good idea with anything.
Want to make this as a gift? – Line a gift box or any storage container with waxed paper. Place the chocolate-dipped strawberries into the box and refrigerate for up to 2 days. If the strawberries begin to “sweat”, place some kitchen towels in the container to absorb any moisture.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pt. strawberries 24 large strawberries
- 1 cup semisweet milk chocolate chips melted
- 1 cup white chocolate chips melted
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Optional Toppings
- white chocolate chips melted to drizzle
- semisweet milk chocolate chips melted to drizzle
- pistachios finely chopped
- coconut flakes finely chopped
- red and pink heart sprinkles
- Oreo cookies crushed
Instructions
- Line a very large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In room temperature water rinse strawberries and place on a clean kitchen towel. Pat dry each individual strawberry with paper towels. Making sure the strawberries are dry is a very important step before they are dipped in the chocolate. This ensures the chocolate sticks better to the strawberries.
- In one small microwave-safe bowl, combine your semisweet chocolate chips and one tablespoon of coconut oil. In a second small microwave-safe bowl, combine your white chocolate chips and remaining one tablespoon of coconut oil and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted.
- Pull back the leaves to use as a handle. Dip the prepped strawberries into the chocolate until fully coated, letting excess drop back into the bowl. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- If desired, drizzle the dipped strawberries with contrasting types of chocolate, either by dipping the tips of a fork into the melted chocolate and flicking your wrist back and forth over the strawberries, or by using a piping bag. I cut the corner from a small ziploc bag and use that to create a nice clean drizzle.
- Or, if desired, dip the chocolate strawberries into bowls of chopped pistachios, shredded coconut, crumbled oreos or sprinkles then set back onto the tray.
- Let the strawberries sit at room temperature for about one hour, until the chocolate firms. Serve and enjoy!
