How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Chocolate covered strawberries are an easy sweet treat that are sure to delight at every party (but easy enough to make at home just for fun).

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One of my favorite no-bake treats to bring to a gathering this time of year is chocolate covered strawberries. They take me less than 30 minutes to make, require 2 ingredients, and I don’t even need to turn on my oven. And they always always always are a hit. You bring a plate of chocolate covered strawberries in a room and everyone is going to be delighted. Recently, I had the privilege of making 100 chocolate covered strawberries for my step-daughter’s graduation party and people were definitely asking to take doggie bags with the leftovers home.

Plus, making them, while not as cheap as say making bread, are a whole heck of a lot cheaper than buying them. Google that if you don’t believe me.

The key to a really good chocolate covered strawberry is an in season strawberry (here in the Midwest, that’s late April-late June/July) and the right dipping chocolate (I like Ghirardelli melting chocolate). You have those two things and they’ll be perfect every time.

How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries

• Wash and dry your strawberries.
• While your strawberries are finishing drying, melt your chocolate.
• Holding your strawberry firmly by the green part, dip into your melted chocolate. Lay dipped berry out on a piece of wax or parchment paper to dry.
• Decorate as desired or leave plain. Sprinkles, edible glitter, and stripes of more melted chocolate all make for pretty additions.

What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?

I use melting chocolate or dipping chocolate. What is melting chocolate? Chocolate that has been processed in a way that is intended for dipping. You can easily melt it and it will dry hard and doesn’t need to be tempered. Examples would be: Ghirardelli Melting Wafers, Candy Melts, or Merkens Melting Wafers. I personally use the Ghiradelli ones because I think they melt the best and taste the best.

You technically can use chocolate chips, but I don’t recommend it because they don’t melt well and they won’t dry hard, the chocolate will stay a little bit soft and sticky.

Don’t use a plain ole’ melted Hershey chocolate bar either unless you know how to temper chocolate. It won’t dry hard either.

Do Strawberries Need To Be Cold Before Dipping In Chocolate?

Nope, but they do need to be dry. I pull mine out of the fridge about 30 minutes before I want to use them and wash them. I lay them out on a clean flour sack towel and pat them dry with another flour sack towel and then just let them rest for awhile and finish drying.

How Long Does It Take Them To Set?

10-15 minutes tops if you use melting chocolate.

Do I Need To Put Chocolate Covered Strawberries In The Fridge To Harden?

It depends on the chocolate you use. If you’re using dipping chocolate (candy melts, almond bark, Ghirardelli melting wafers) then you don’t need to refrigerate them to harden them. If you just use chocolate chips OR you use some shortening or coconut oil to thin your chocolate, then you might need to put them in the fridge to harden (do not recommend, chocolate chips don’t harden very well and don’t melt smoothly). If you’re tempering your own chocolate, you also don’t need to refrigerate to harden and you probably don’t need to even read this post because you’ve got it covered.

Why Is The Chocolate Not Sticking To My Strawberries?

Probably because your strawberries are wet. Water and chocolate don’t mix so good. Make sure your strawberries are nice and dry before you start dipping.

How Long Do Chocolate Covered Strawberries Last?

Not very long! That is probably the worst part about them. If left unrefrigerated they only last about 24-26 hours. If you refrigerate them, they might last 3 days. But…if you refrigerate them, you’ll make your chocolate sweat. Best to make these guys the day of your party or the night before. Unfortunately, they’re not a make ahead treat.

Happy Baking!