Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberries

You don't need a special occasion to make these chocolate-covered strawberries! While they make a wonderful Valentine's Day dessert, they're quick and easy enough to make whenever the craving strikes.

Is there any dessert that screams Valentine's Day more than chocolate covered strawberries?

Well, I guess maybe tiramisu is pretty high up there, too. Actually… if you pair chocolate covered strawberries with small batch tiramisu and champagne cocktails, you'd have the ultimate romantic evening!

It's the go-to dessert that has become a symbol for romance and special occasions. It's always shown as an add-on for romantic hotel packages alongside a bottle of champagne and roses.

I'm going to be totally honest, though – I don't really understand why it has the status that it does. It's fruit dipped in melted chocolate. But I'm certainly not going to knock it – it's friggin' delicious. And easy to make!

How to wash strawberries

Wash your strawberries with cold water

If you're looking for the lowest effort, quickest route to cleaning your strawberries, this will be your method of choice:

1. Place your strawberries in a colander and rinse under a spray of cold running water for 15-20 seconds, giving them a little shake occasionally.
2. Gently pat dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towels.

Wash your strawberries with baking soda

If you feel like just cold water isn't quite enough for you, try the baking soda method:

1. In a large bowl, combine 1 teaspoon baking soda and 4 cups cold water. Add your berries and let them soak for 5 minutes.
2. Then rinse your strawberries with a spray of cold running water
3. Gently pat dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towels.

Wash your strawberries with vinegar

If you want a more comprehensive washing solution, then this is the path you'll want to take:

1. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups cold water and 1 cup white vinegar. Add your berries and let them soak for no more than 20 minutes.
2. Then thoroughly rinse your strawberries with a spray of cold running water to ensure you've removed all the vinegar and don't leave your strawberries with an acidic taste.
3. Gently pat dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towels.

What's the best chocolate for chocolate covered strawberries?

The best chocolate is the one you love the flavor of! Since the only ingredients in this recipe are strawberries and chocolate, you want to be sure that you're using a high quality chocolate that you know you like.

I prefer chocolate melting wafers or candy melts for the purpose of dipping and coating strawberries, but you can also use chopped chocolate baking bars or chocolate chips.

As far as what types of chocolate you can use, that's also up to you – you can use bittersweet chocolate, dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate.

My favorite brands are Ghirardelli and Guittard, but again – use what you like!

How to melt chocolate for dipping

The easiest method is placing the chocolate in a small heat-proof mixing bowl and using the microwave. You'll heat them 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each interval, until the chocolate is almost completely melted. At that point, the residual heat will melt the rest while you give it a good stir.

The most reliable method is to use a double boiler on the stovetop. This method involves filling a pot with 1-2″ of water, and bring it to a light simmer. Place the smaller second pot on top, making sure that the water doesn't touch the bottom of it, and fill it with your chocolate. Stir frequently until almost completely melted. At that point, the residual heat will melt the rest while you give it a good stir.

Tips for the best chocolate covered strawberries

1. Make sure the strawberries are dry. If they're not dry after you've washed them, the chocolate isn't going to stick. I'm not saying you should blow dry your strawberries – just make sure you've given them a thorough pat-down with a dry cloth.
2. Thin out your chocolate. To make the dipping process easier, add 1 teaspoon coconut oil to your chocolate (even if you're using melting wafers) to help thin out the chocolate and provide a smoother coating.
3. Double dip! This is the one time double dipping isn't going to be frowned upon. I like to have as much chocolate on my strawberries as possible (surprise, surprise), so after the first coating of chocolate has dried, give it another dip in the melted chocolate. If I plan on double dipping a pint of strawberries, I find 10 ounces of chocolate enough to do the job.

How to make chocolate covered strawberries

1. Wash the strawberries. Place your strawberries in a colander and rinse under a spray of cold running water for 15-20 seconds, giving them a little shake occasionally. Gently pat dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towels.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper and set aside.
3. Melt chocolate. Place the chocolate in a small heat-proof mixing bowl heat in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each interval, until the chocolate is almost completely melted. At that point, the residual heat will melt the rest while you give it a good stir.
4. Dip strawberries. Holding each strawberry by the leaves/stem, dip into the melted chocolate, rotating it until it's covered up to just below the stem area. Gently slide or tap the edge of the strawberry against the side of the mixing bowl to let the excess chocolate drip off, then place it on the prepared baking sheet to set.
5. Decorate: If you're going to add any sprinkles or other toppings, be sure to decorate the strawberry just after dipping in the chocolate before the chocolate hardens.
6. Store on the counter, loosely covered, until serving. Best served the same day they've been prepared (but see below for more notes about storage). Serve and enjoy!

Decorations and toppings

You don't want anything you're going to use to be too fine, or too large. While it might taste delicious, something like maple sugar will just disappear into the chocolate coating. And jumbo sized round sprinkles will be too big and just fall off of the strawberries.

I was really pushing it with the little heart sprinkles you see in the photos because they're a bit too big, but I just couldn't help myself. It's Valentine's Day, after all.

While rolling your chocolate dipped strawberries in some of these garnishes might not make them look the most elegant, they'll sure be delicious!

• Sprinkles
• White chocolate drizzle
• Finely shredded coconut
• Sparkling sugar
• Crushed nuts
• Crushed toffee bits
• Crushed graham crackers
• Crushed Oreos
• Rice Krispies
• Chia seeds
• Crushed pretzels

Playing around with toppings is a great way to let your kids get involved in the process and have some fun. If you don't have small bowls to put your toppings in, just use a cupcake pan!

Serving suggestions

You can always just line a serving platter or plate with your sweet treats, but if you want to kick it up a notch, here are a few ideas:

• Place each strawberry in a decorative cupcake liner and then inside a gift box
• Line a cake stand with a scalloped cake board, then place the strawberries in concentric circles on top
• Insert lollipop sticks into the top of each strawberry, and then stick the other end inside a styrofoam block in a vase or planter. Think of it like your very own edible arrangements!

What’s the best way to store chocolate covered strawberries?

If you're going to eat them the same day you've made them, you can loosely cover them on a counter at room temperature.

But if you're not going to be enjoying them until the next day, the best way to store them is in a loosely covered container between payers of wax paper or parchment paper in the refrigerator. Even better, line the bottom of that container with a couple paper towels to help absorb any of the “sweating” that might occur.

How long do chocolate covered strawberries last?

Chocolate dipped strawberries are best when consumed the same day they're made, but you can store them for 2-3 days this way with the hope of minimal sweating and holding off the strawberries become mushy.

Can you freeze chocolate covered strawberries?

That's a hard no, my friend. You'd have to let them thaw before eating, and the strawberries would just turn into mush.

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