Chocolate Covered Strawberries are an easy, delicious treat to make as an edible gift or elegant dessert at home, and perfect for Valentine’s day or any special occasion. I share tips below that ensure smooth, beautiful chocolate that doesn’t clump or seize up. 

Chocolate Covered Strawberries On a Piece of Wax Paper with Various Chocolate Dips and Drizzles

Chocolate covered strawberries may be simple, but they are one of my absolute favorite desserts to enjoy. Yes, I love a showstopping Baklava or a three-layer Millionaire’s Shortbread, but sometimes classics like these strawberries or Rice Pudding are just as satisfying.

The juiciness and aroma of a perfectly ripe strawberry paired with chocolate and other textural toppings can be a sublime experience.

Dark chocolate is good and classic, but I’ll share some of my favorite combinations, like strawberry + white chocolate + pistachio, which just about makes me fall out of my chair every time I eat it. You’ve got to try it!

Chocolate Strawberries on Waxed Paper with Chocolate Drizzles and nuts

Why This Recipe Is The Best

No clumpy chocolate coating – I’ll share how to prevent the chocolate from seizing up and why that happens. This recipe will give you perfectly smooth, dipped strawberries.

Proper dipping technique – This will prevent pools of excess chocolate from forming on the bottom of the strawberries, for a beautiful look.

No condensation/wet strawberries – I’ll share how I clean, wash, and set the strawberries while still having a dry end result without condensation.

Flavor Combination Suggestions – I’ve tried numerous combinations for coatings and toppings, and I’ll share my tried and true favorite suggestions below.

Step by Step Overview:

Making perfect chocolate covered strawberries is all about cleaning and washing them properly, properly heating the chocolate for easy dipping, and good dipping technique. Let’s go through it.

Clean and Wash the Berries

While it can be tempting to skip this step to ensure there’s no risk of water seizing the coating, strawberries in the package often have debris and need to be washed. They even say this on the package, to wash before consuming.

First, gently swish them in a bowl of room temperature water:

Fresh Strawberries In Bowl of Water

Drain the strawberries and gently rinse with running water.

Dry Thoroughly

Spread the washed strawberries out on a dry kitchen towel. Then, dry each one individually with dry paper towel:

Drying Fresh Strawberries with paper Towel

It is SO important to dry the strawberries thoroughly here using paper towels, which are much more absorbent than kitchen towels. If there’s any water on the strawberries when you go to dip, it can cause the coating to seize up into a grainy mess.

Why Water Is A Disaster

Chocolate is a “dry liquid,” made up of cocoa butter (fat) and dry particles of cocoa powder and sugar. If you get water in that liquid, you give the dry particles something to stick to, and they clump together. Make sure to dry thoroughly!

After drying the strawberries thoroughly with paper towels, let them air dry at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, but preferably 60. This really ensures they are dry. This also ensures that you only dip room temperature strawberries into the coating later, which will prevent similar condensation issues.

Prepare to Dip

When you’re ready to dip the strawberries, it’s time to heat the chocolate.

Melted Chocolate in a Glass Bowl with Spoon

What Kind of Chocolate to Use

You want to use baking chips or chunks here, and not the thin rectangular bars that are meant for snacking by the square. Baking chips in bags are fine, and I buy bags of bittersweet, milk, white, and semisweet chocolate. I think the best chocolate ever is made by Guittard, but I also like Callebaut, Scharffen Berger, Vahlrona, and Ghirardelli.

True white chocolate can actually be hard to find in chip form (you’ll notice that bags often say “white chips”), so in that case I spring for a white chocolate baking bar.

How to Melt the Chocolate

The easiest way to melt the chocolate is to place the chips or chopped chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave in 20 second intervals, about 3-4 times, stirring after each interval, until melted. However, to absolutely ensure the safest melting, the best way is to melt in a double boiler set over low heat. This takes much longer though, and so long as you watch closely in the microwave, I’ve never had an issue.

Note: Do not overheat while melting. If you overheat the coating, it may seize and be unrecoverable clumpy. When there are only little bits of unmelted chips or chunks left, I stop microwaving and stir for a few seconds, as usually there’s enough residual heat to melt the rest.

If you don’t want to use the microwave: Set up a double boiler (a heatproof bowl over a saucepan with an inch of simmering water). Once the water is simmering, add the chocolate chips to the bowl, turn off the heat, and let the residual steam melt the rest. Do not use a wooden spoon to stir, which may have moisture in it. Use a spatula or metal spoon.

Once the chocolate is melted, add a small amount of oil:

Pouring Oil Into Melted Chocolate to Loosen for Dipping

What the Oil Does

This small amount of oil is really helpful for the coating. Here’s the role it serves:

  • Makes the strawberries easier to dip
  • Gives the coating a shiny appearance
  • Gives the end result a softer, “biteable” texture

I do not enjoy the type of chocolate strawberries that have a really “hard snap” where shards fall all over the place when you bite into it, and this minimizes that. A neutral oil in flavor is recommended, though it’s such a small amount it doesn’t matter too much. Most of the time I use olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.

Proper Dipping Technique

Dip the prepped and dry strawberries into the chocolate, then gently scrape the excess off the bottom, using the lip of the bowl, before placing on parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil to set.

Dragging Strawberry along Lip of Bowl to Remove Melted Chocolate

This will prevent excess coating from pooling on the sides of the strawberry when you set it on the tray (you know that “shelf” look with thin, flat coating on both sides? This prevents that).

Just be careful not to scrape the strawberry so hard against the side that you scrape strawberry pulp into the chocolate. Use a light touch.

Toppings and Drizzles

If desired, you can dip the chocolate strawberries into chopped nuts or coconut:

Dipping Chocolate Strawberry Into Chopped Nuts

I like doing some with chopped almonds, chopped pistachio, and shredded coconut, and then some with only chocolate:

White Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Milk Chocolate Strawberries, on Wax Paper with Nuts and coconut

To decorate the chocolate dipped strawberries, I cut the tiniest bit of corner off a plastic sandwich bag, and use that as a mini piping bag to drizzle a contrasting type of chocolate:

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries On Wax Paper Drizzling with Extra Chocolate

You could also simply drizzle the chocolate by dipping the tines of a fork into the bowl and flicking it back and forth with your wrist, but the bag gives a much cleaner look, and is hardly more work.

Now, for the most important step!

Set at room temperature, NOT the fridge

Let the strawberries set at room temperature. Do not put them in the fridge or in an airtight container. And for easy moving, set them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe Presented on Wax Paper with chocolate Drizzles and Nuts

A lot of recipes state to chill the strawberries in the fridge, but I find that this causes condensation problems with the strawberries, and it’s also unnecessary for setting the shell. It will harden at room temperature, usually in an hour.

I have made these strawberries in the morning and served them after dinner, leaving them at room temperature that whole time, and the texture of the strawberries is firm and not mealy or gross at all.

I find that refrigerating them once the strawberries are dipped can make them mealy and wet inside.

Try to enjoy the strawberries the same day that you make them, though. They are never as good the next day, though they’ll still be edible one day later.

How to Serve Them

Chocolate covered strawberries are best enjoyed at room temperature, and I like to serve them as an “extra” during dessert time, either paired with other bite-sized desserts like Homemade Chocolate Truffles, Oreo Truffles, or Peanut Butter Bon Bons.

They are great for occasions like Mother’s Day, bridal showers, baby showers, and more. For gorgeous visual appeal, make sure to use a variety of toppings. Or, serve on a table with creamy desserts that can be served in individual glasses like Rice Pudding or Panna Cotta with Raspberry Gelee.

If you have any leftover strawberries, you must try my Strawberry Tart. It’s one of my favorites. Enjoy!

Favorite Topping and Dipping Combinations

The sky is the limit for how you can decorate and accentuate the strawberries. Here are a few of my favorite combinations.

  • White Chocolate Dip + Dark Drizzle
  • White Dip + Chopped Salted Pistachios
  • Milk Chocolate Dip + Chopped Almonds
  • Milk Dip + Flaked Coconut (like a mounds bar!)
  • Dark Chocolate Dip + Milk Drizzle (for a less sweet option)

Recipe FAQ

How do you store chocolate covered strawberries?

I recommend storing them uncovered at room temperature for no more than 24 hours. I don’t recommend the fridge because the strawberries will get wet with condensation.

Can you make chocolate covered strawberries in advance?

Yes, but only up to a day. These are very delicate and don’t store well. I like to make them about 6 hours before serving, so I have plenty of time for them to dry and set.

How do you make sure the chocolate sticks when dipping the strawberries?

The strawberries need to be completely dry. Make sure to follow the two-part drying technique. If they’re wet, the coating won’t stick and it will likely seize.

What toppings and dipping combinations can you do for chocolate covered strawberries?

I recommend using three types of chocolate for variation: white, milk, and dark. You can do a ton of different combinations with just these, and if you can find ruby chocolate, that’s fun too! You can also dip in nuts like pistachios, almonds, pecans, and macadamia nuts, or sprinkles, coconut, and freeze dried powdered fruits.

For more of my favorite desserts, try Peanut Butter Cookies, Creme Brulee, this heavenly Bread Pudding, or my absolute favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.

Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries on Wax Paper with Drizzles

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Servings: 8 (# depends on size, but makes about 16 strawberries)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Resting Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
How to make perfect chocolate covered strawberries, and how to make sure the coating doesn't seize or clump up.
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb strawberries
  • 8 oz chocolate of your choice* (60% bittersweet, semisweet, milk, ruby, or white)
  • 1 tsp neutral oil** (like light olive oil, sunflower oil, etc)
  • chopped nuts or shredded coconut (optional)

Instructions 

  • Wash and rinse the strawberries, then dry them individually with a paper towel. Dry them very well, then let them air dry for 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
  • Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring after each time, until melted. It should take 3-4 intervals. Be very careful not to overheat the chocolate. Stop microwaving if only little bits of chips or chunks are left, as there should be enough residual heat to melt the rest.
  • Stir the oil into the chocolate. It should have a shiny appearance and smooth consistency.
  • Set a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper on a large tray. 
  • Dip each strawberry into the chocolate, gently scrape the excess off the bottom using the lip of the bowl, then place on the paper-lined tray. 
  • If desired, drizzle the dipped strawberries with contrasting types of chocolate, either by dipping the tines of a fork into the bowl and flicking your wrist back and forth over the strawberries, or by using a piping bag. I simply cut the corner from a small ziploc bag and use that.
  • Or, if desired, dip the strawberries into bowls of chopped nuts, such as hazelnuts, almonds, or pistachios, or shredded coconut, then set back onto the tray.
  • Let the strawberries sit at room temperature for about one hour, until the coating firms. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*Whatever chocolate you choose, make sure it’s in small pieces, so either in chip form, or chopped up into pieces if you bought a bar.
**I add 1 full teaspoon of oil if using bittersweet chocolate. I do 1/2 teaspoon if using semisweet, milk, or white.
Storage: The strawberries are best enjoyed on the day they are made. Do not refrigerate them, or condensation will form and they may get mealy. I have successfully made these in the morning and served them for dessert at the end of the day, and the strawberries still have a firm flesh and texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 19mg, Potassium: 86mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 70IU, Vitamin C: 33.5mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 0.6mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas

Posted updated in February 2019. Originally published April 2011.