Chocolate covered strawberries are an easy and delicious, make-ahead dessert. All you need are two ingredients, fresh strawberries and chocolate – that’s it! Make them for parties, sweet treats, or gifts. And of course, they’re perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Whether it’s a gift to a lover, friend, or yourself, there’s nothing better than chocolate covered strawberries. They have a rich chocolate outer shell plus a refreshing sweetness with every bite. And the best part? This recipe can be made in about 30 minutes. Now let’s get started.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ingredients

Yes, this recipe only requires 2 simple ingredients. Here’s what you need:

• Strawberries: It’s best to get your hands on large, fresh strawberries that are perfectly ripe. Make sure the color is a vibrant deep red with less whites on top. These are signs they’ll be more sweet and flavorful.
• Chocolate: Semi-sweet to dark chocolate pairs well with the sweetness from the strawberry. But milk chocolate and white chocolate also works too. As for melting, you can use chocolate chips, chocolate bars, or chocolate melts.

Chocolate Brands I Recommend

• Pascha Chocolate is organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and vegan. I love the both the 55% and 65% chocolate chips. They also make white chocolate.
• Hu Chocolate is organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegan and paleo friendly (no refined sugars). But it’s slightly more bitter at 70%.
• Lily’s Chocolate is gluten-free, dairy-free and fair-trade certified. It does contain soy lecithin but it’s sweetened with stevia and erythritol, so it’s keto friendly.

Should You Add Oil To The Chocolate?

While this step is completely optional, oil can be added to the chocolate mixture. Oil is mixed with the chocolate to help soften the outer shell ever so slightly. So when you bite into it, the shell doesn’t crumble apart completely.

If you decide to go with this step, just add a tablespoon of coconut oil (don’t worry, it won’t flavor the chocolate).

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Tips

Before we dive into this recipe, here’s a few things to take note of.

• Make sure your strawberries are washed and completely dry before dipping into chocolate. Otherwise, the chocolate won’t stick to the strawberry.
• If you’re using strawberries straight from the fridge, let them sit on the counter until they reach room temperature. Because they’ve been chilled in the fridge, they’ll naturally condensate – which we don’t want when dipping into chocolate!
• When you lift the strawberry out of the chocolate, gently scrape the excess chocolate off the bottom side of the strawberry on the edge of the bowl. This will prevent you from having a pool of chocolate on the baking sheet.
• You can dip the strawberries in the bowl of melted chocolate or transfer the melted chocolate to a shot glass, which makes dipping straight up and down easy.
• Serve each chocolate covered strawberry at room temperature. The chocolate won’t crumble as much and it’s better to not bite into a freezing cold strawberry.

How To Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Once you have your strawberries, chocolates, and coconut oil ready, it’s time to start prepping.

1. Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Clean the strawberries. Thoroughly wash them to remove any dirt and debris.
3. Dry the strawberries. Pat each one dry using a kitchen towel or paper towel. You want the strawberries to be completely dry before dipping them in chocolate.
4. Melt the chocolate. Add the chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl. Then heat the mixture in 20 second increments. Stir in between until it’s smooth and creamy. You can also melt the chocolate on a stovetop by using a double broiler.
5. Dip the strawberries. With each strawberry, pick it up by the leaves and slowly dip it into the chocolate mixture until it almost reaches the top. Rotate the strawberry to make sure all sides are coated.
6. Lay the dipped strawberries on the baking sheet. Repeat for the rest of the strawberries.
7. Let the chocolate set. Allow the strawberries to sit at room temperature until they are completely dry. You can also place the baking sheet in your refrigerator to speed up the process.

Get Creative With Toppings

If you have a little extra time, feel free to dress up your strawberries with additional crunch and flavors. Here’s a few ideas to get you started.

• Chocolate Drizzle: Set aside extra chocolate to melt. Then create a little piping bag by pouring the mixture into a plastic bag. Snip the tip of the bag and gently squeeze to drizzle over the strawberries.
• Chopped Nuts: Choose from chopped pecans, pistachios, almonds, or hazelnuts. Just make sure to roll them in the nuts while they are still wet.
• Shredded Coconut: Place the flakes in a small bowl and roll the strawberry in it while it’s still wet.
• Toasted Coconut Flakes: In a skillet, cook the coconut flakes over low-medium heat until golden brown. Make sure to stir occasionally so that all flakes are cooked. Then repeat the same process as the shredded coconut above.
• Cacao Nibs: Crush some cacao nibs and roll the strawberry in it for an extra rich flavor.

Make These Ahead Of Time

Ideally, chocolate covered strawberries taste the best the day you make them. But if you’re on a time crunch, you can make these a day in advance. Just store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Once they’re dipped and the chocolate is dry, place them in a single layer on top of paper towel to wick away moisture.

More Bite Sized Desserts

If you need a variety of bite sized treats, here’s a few delicious ideas that will sweep anyone off their feet.

• Peppermint Truffles
• Paleo Brownies
• Chocolate Peppermint Slice
• Candied Orange Peels (Chocolate Covered)
• The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
• Chocolate Almond Butter Banana Bites