Chocolate-covered strawberries are the quintessential treat that always impresses. Dip them in melted white, milk or dark chocolate (or all three!) and decorate them with peanuts, sprinkles and drizzles of more chocolate. You can serve them all year long, from holidays to ladies’ night.
DISCLAIMER
*This post may contain affiliate links, meaning Feast + West may receive commissions for purchases made through those links — at no cost to you. All opinions are our own. Please read our full disclosure for more information.
About this Chocolate-Covered Strawberries recipe
Everyone loves getting a box of gorgeous, perfectly-dipped chocolate-covered strawberries, decorated with the works: sprinkles, nuts and swirly drizzles. But you don’t need to spend money on them, because they are such an easy dessert to make. No bake time, no long list of ingredients and they’re easy to customize!
These sweet delights are often associated with Valentine’s Day, but why stop there? In fact, I just made a batch for a bachelorette party — they were the perfect elegant addition to the celebration! They’re also my go-to when bringing a dessert may have slipped my mind, since they’re such a crowd-pleasing dessert.
The other great part about this recipe is that you can truly make it your own. From the chocolate to the toppings, everything outside of the berries is up to you. Get creative or keep them simple, either way they’ll be delicious!
Note from the author
2025 update: I’ve revisited this recipe and added more detailed instructions, pro tips and brand-new photos. Hope you give it a try!
More chocolate recipes: Homemade Chocolate Syrup • Chocolate Pudding Shots • Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
Why you’ll love this recipe
- These sweet treats are ready to impress. Decorate beyond a plain dip to wow your guests.
- They’re a crowd-pleasing dessert. Fresh berries and your choice of chocolate are a hit at any gathering!
- You don’t need long for a terrific dessert. Once you’ve melted and dipped, let them sit and you’re ready to enjoy.
Tools & equipment
When it comes to chocolate covered strawberries, you don’t need much. You’ll want a colander to ensure your strawberries are squeaky clean, and heat-safe bowls for your chocolate. Don’t forget a spoon or spatula * to stir the chocolate!
I like to spread my finished berries onto a baking sheet * lined with wax or parchment paper * so they don’t stick to each other and ruin my hard work.
baking essentials
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → *
Ingredients
From the name, I bet you can guess what you’ll need for chocolate covered strawberries. That’s right, chocolate (pick your favorite type) and strawberries are at the top of the list — you’ll also want oil on hand to keep your chocolate smooth. I used coconut oil because it firms up when cold, but something like vegetable oil would work as well.
When it comes to strawberries, you’ll want fresh, ripe berries. Find them at the farmers market, grab some from the grocery store or pick some yourself if you’ve got a farm nearby.
👇 For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card. It’s all there waiting for you!
Have extra strawberries? Make some strawberry rosé sangria!
Best chocolate for Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
I don’t know about you, but I like options. I prefer to melt white chocolate as well as regular chocolate. You can also melt milk, dark or semi-sweet chocolate if you prefer.
To find the right chocolate, you need to shop in the baking aisle, not the candy aisle. I recommend using chocolate chips and not a thin bar, though the thick candy bark bars work great as well (especially for white chocolate).
You’ll also want to grab some toppings! Sprinkles and nuts are common, or you can add a chocolate drizzle. Use melted peanut butter chips or use food coloring with white chocolate. Candy melts would add color if you’re making these snacks for a specific occasion, like game day or July 4th.
Topping & decoration ideas
Chocolate-covered-strawberries can be made fancier with an assortment of toppings. Here are a few ideas:
Would you like to save this?
We'll email a link to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus you'll get great new recipes each week!
- Sprinkles: Rainbow sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles * or colorful sanding sugars
- Textured toppings: Toasted coconut, dried flower petals or cereal
- Chopped nuts: Peanuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios, etc.
- Cookie crumbs: Oreo cookies or graham crackers
- Crushed candy: Peppermint candies or crushed Heath bar
- More chocolate: Chocolate curls, drizzles, mini chocolate chips or cacao nibs
- Drizzles: Melted chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, colored melting wafers
Instructions
Chocolate coated strawberries are incredibly easy to make. Here’s how to do it step-by-step:
The first thing you should do is wash and dry your strawberries. It’s important they are completely dry, because any excess water can cause your melted chocolate to seize. Rinse them, let the water drip off, then pat them completely dry with paper towels.
Once dry, melt your chocolate. I like to use the microwave for 20-second intervals at 50% power, stirring after each go, 4-5 times. It will take a few minutes in total, and you’ll want to make sure you’re using a microwave-safe bowl. However, a double boiler on the stove can be much more reliable. You do you!
The goal here is to melt the chocolate slowly. You don’t want it to seize, which it will do if it gets too hot too quickly. Once chocolate seizes, you can’t re-melt it. (Learn more about how to temper chocolate.) Also, be sure your bowl is dry — water is chocolate’s enemy!
While your chocolate is melting, you can prepare your decorations. I fill condiment bowls with sprinkles and chopped nuts. Even mini chocolate chips, coconut flakes or chopped up candies will work!
Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the oil. This gives your chocolate coating a shiny look, but also softens the chocolate so it isn’t too crunchy or crumbly when you bite into it.
Then it’s time to dip! Hold each strawberry at its fattest part, near the green leaves (called the calyx). Dip it into the chocolate and remove it, being careful to gently scrape off extra chocolate or let it drip off before placing the strawberry on a wax-paper lined baking sheet *.
Decorate them with toppings or a drizzle of another type of chocolate. If your chocolate is too thick for drizzling, check out this tutorial for how to make melted chocolate thinner.
Once you’ve completed your strawberries, they’ll need to set. If you need them soon, you can flash set them in the fridge. It should take 20-30 minutes.
Tips & tricks
If you leave your strawberries in the refrigerator beyond when they set, you run the risk of them sweating, which may alter the color of the chocolate and the texture of the strawberries inside.
If you don’t need them right away, skip the fridge and leave them out. They will set within an hour or two, and they stay fresh for about 10 hours without the risk of sweating.
What to serve with Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Chocolate covered strawberries are delicious on their own, and you can enjoy them any time of year. Add them to a charcuterie board with meats and cheeses or a dessert board with mini brownie bites.
These pretties would also be lovely decorations for desserts like chocolate-covered strawberry cupcakes. They are the perfect garnish for drinks, too, like chocolate strawberry smoothies or this chocolate-covered strawberry cocktail.
You can also serve chocolate-dipped strawberries in an assortment for an edible gift. Add them to a dessert box with cookies, hot cocoa bombs and rum balls for a flavor explosion any chocolate lover will adore.
FAQ
If your melted chocolate is too thick, stir in a small amount of coconut oil until smooth. This helps it coat the berries more evenly and gives them a pretty shine.
Sadly, there’s no fixing seized chocolate — it will be grainy no matter what. It’s best to start over with fresh chocolate. I always buy extra, just in case. They key is to melt it slowly.
Store them in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray and keep them uncovered in the refrigerator. Covering traps moisture, which can make the berries weep.
They’re best eaten within 24 hours, but you can store them for up to 48 hours. The berries will gradually soften and may release juice over time.
Yes, but for the freshest texture, dip them the day you plan to serve them. You can prepare them the night before, but keep them chilled until serving.
More dessert recipes
Leave a comment or tap the ★★★★★ below to leave a rating — it helps others and supports our work. We love hearing how it turned out!
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
ingredients
- 1 pint medium strawberries around 20 strawberries
- ½ cup chocolate chips or candy melts (white chocolate, semisweet, milk or dark chocolate)
- ½ cup chocolate chips in a contrasting color
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil or vegetable oil
- ¼-½ cup each various toppings sprinkles, finely-chopped nuts, coconut flakes or mini chocolate chips (optional for decoration)
instructions
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
- Place strawberries in a colander and rinse with water. Place berries on a paper towel, and then individually dry each one with another paper towel. They must be completely dry before dipping in chocolate.
- Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, and melt it in the microwave in 20-second intervals at 50% power, stirring between each heating (around 4-5 times) until melted. Repeat with as many types of chocolate you plan to use. (Alternatively, you can use a double boiler on the stove.) Once the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the oil until smooth.
- While chocolate is melting, place toppings in bowls and set aside.
- Pick up each strawberry and dip it into the melted chocolate, slowly removing it and allowing any excess chocolate to drip off. Gently scrape it against the edge of the bowl if needed.
- Dip the covered strawberries into your desired toppings, if using, and place the prepared baking sheet. Alternatively, you can sprinkle them over your dipped strawberries while the chocolate is still melted. To create a chocolate drizzle, use a spoon to zig-zag melted chocolate over the strawberries.
- Once your strawberries are decorated, they need to set. If left out at room temperature, they will set in 1-2 hours. If placed in the fridge, the strawberries will set within 20-30 minutes.
notes
- Sprinkles: Rainbow sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles * or colorful sanding sugars
- Textured toppings: Toasted coconut, dried flower petals or cereal
- Chopped nuts: Peanuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios, etc.
- Cookie crumbs: Oreo cookies or graham crackers
- Crushed candy: Peppermint candies or crushed Heath bar
- More chocolate: Chocolate curls, drizzles, mini chocolate chips or cacao nibs
- Drizzles: Melted chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, colored melting wafers
Save this recipe for later
We’ll email a link to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus you’ll get great new recipes each week!
recommended products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Dana McCurdy says
Yummy! Fruit dipped in chocolate is just the best.
Thanks for sharing!