Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Chocolate covered strawberries are one of my favorite ways to show love with a delicious, make-ahead dessert. All you need are fresh strawberries and chocolate! They’re a great edible gift and a Valentine’s Day classic.

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Covered Strawberries

When it comes to sweet treats, I can never resist chocolate-covered strawberries. It’s that juicy, fresh strawberry paired with rich, creamy chocolate that gets me every time! In my corporate days, this gourmet treat was often delivered to my office. But I can assure you that making them at home is way more cost-effective than buying them pre-made. Plus, no one can deny a dessert that’s made with love, right? Here’s why you’ll love my recipe:

• Quick and easy. The recipe comes together in about 30 minutes with minimal effort.
• Uses high-quality chocolate. You can pick the brand and type of chocolate, from milk chocolate to dark chocolate.
• They look gourmet. I love how elegant they look on a platter or tucked into a gift box for a thoughtful surprise. 
• Perfect make-ahead dessert. Make them a day in advance for a Valentine’s Day dessert, Mother’s Day, or any special occasion.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ingredients

• Strawberries: Look for large, fresh strawberries that are perfectly ripe. A vibrant, deep red color with less white near the top is a good sign they’ll be sweet and flavorful!
• Chocolate: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate pairs beautifully with the sweetness of strawberries, but milk chocolate and white chocolate work just as well. You can use chocolate chips, chopped chocolate bars, or chocolate melts, whatever you prefer or have on hand.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below

Chocolate Brands I Recommend

• Ghirardelli Chocolate: Gluten-free with a classic, rich flavor that melts beautifully. I love the 60% semi-sweet, though the 72% is a great option for dark chocolate lovers. 
• Pascha Chocolate: Organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and vegan. I love both the 55% and 65% chocolate chips. They also make a great dairy-free white chocolate.
• Hu Chocolate: Organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegan, with no refined sugars. It’s a bit more bitter at 70%, but delicious if you love dark chocolate
• Lily’s Chocolate: Gluten-free, dairy-free, and fair-trade certified. It does contain soy lecithin, but it’s sweetened with stevia and erythritol, making it keto-friendly.

How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Step one: Clean and dry the strawberries. Wash the strawberries thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris, then pat them completely dry with a kitchen towel or paper towel. This step is important! Any moisture will prevent the chocolate from sticking properly. Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Step two: Melt the chocolate. Add the chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 20-second increments, stirring between each round, until smooth and creamy. You can also melt the chocolate using a double boiler on the stovetop if you prefer.

Step three: Dip the strawberries. Hold each strawberry by the leaves and dip it into the melted chocolate, rotating to coat all sides and coating about ⅔ of the way up (I love a little red still showing). Gently scrape off excess chocolate on the edge of the bowl, then place the strawberry on the parchment-lined sheet. Repeat with the remaining strawberries.

Step four: Let the chocolate set. Allow the strawberries to sit at room temperature until the chocolate is fully set, for 20 to 30 minutes. If you’re short on time, you can place them in the refrigerator to speed things up.

My Best Tips For Perfect Chocolate Strawberries

• Strawberries must be completely dry! Any moisture will cause the chocolate to slide right off.
• Strawberries must be at room temperature. Cold strawberries straight from the fridge can cause condensation, which leads to streaky chocolate or uneven coatings.
• Gently scrape any excess chocolate off the bottom of each strawberry on the edge of the bowl to avoid puddles of chocolate on the baking sheet.
• Add any toppings right after dipping. They’ll stick to the chocolate better while it’s still wet. More ideas on that below!
• Serve at room temperature for the best texture and flavor. No one wants to bite into a freezing cold strawberry!

Easy Dipping Tip For Kids

It’s always fun getting the kids involved in the kitchen, and I find that they’re particularly interested when chocolate is involved! For this recipe, when my niece was little I’d have her dip the strawberries in a small glass of melted chocolate. It’s super easy to do (she could dip just straight down and up) and it kept mess to a minimum.

Get Creative With Toppings

While simply dipped strawberries are classic, you can make your strawberries look extra gourmet with fun toppings. A simple chocolate drizzle (of a contrasting color chocolate) always looks elegant or you can roll the strawberries while they’re still wet in chopped nuts (like pistachios, almonds, or pecans), shredded or toasted coconut flakes, or cacao nibs. It’s a fun way to customize them for different occasions!

More Chocolate Desserts

• Flourless Chocolate Cake: Easier than you think!
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie: Best one out there.
• Peppermint Truffles: Sweet peppermint goodness.
• Candied Orange Peels: Perfect for the holidays.
• Or give these other chocolate recipes a try!

If you make these chocolate covered strawberries, let me know how they turn out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’d like to see more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free email community here.

Recipe originally posted February 2020, but updated to include new photos, tips, and a video for your benefit!

Behind The Scenes

Me with a mouthful of this juicy, chocolatey strawberry, ha! I always make sure to make a few extras, so I can enjoy one or two of them before gifting. That’s the beauty of cooking and baking, you get first bite!