Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Much as I love to experiment with creative takes on this Valentine's Day dessert staple, from chocolate-covered strawberry cheesecakes to chocolate-covered strawberry shooters, I always come back to the simple, easy classic. These chocolate-covered strawberries are just so easy to make and so perfect! If you procrastinated on a gift this year, these treats, which require just 10 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of chilling, will be your salvation. Here’s everything you need to know.

What People Are Saying:
"So easy and so delicious and so quick!" - CyanScooter

"Easy and quick! Perfect for holidays or get-togethers." - PurpleController

How To Make Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

INGREDIENTS

• Strawberries: I look for medium-size strawberries that are firm and uniformly bright red with few if any signs of white around the hull and no soft spots or bruises.
• Chocolate Chips: I got great results from standard semisweet chocolate chips, but if dark chocolate is your thing, go with that.
• Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is the secret ingredient here. I included just enough to ensure the chocolate shell sets quickly and has an immaculately smooth, glossy finish without influencing the taste. Feel free to swap in the neutral oil of your choosing but know that chocolate coating will likely be thinner, with less snap and shine.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Prep your strawberries by rinsing them under cold water and then gently patting them as dry as possible with paper towels. Drying the strawberries thoroughly is mission critical, as moisture will prevent the melted chocolate from adhering properly.

You can melt the chocolate the fancy way in a double boiler (which only sounds fancy—it's actually super-simple), but I generally prefer to rely on my microwave. Just combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring with a rubber spatula in between, until melted and smooth.

Working one at a time, dip the strawberries in the melted chocolate, then place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Once all the strawberries are coated, refrigerate them on the baking sheet until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. The strawberries are best when served at near room temperature to allow the shell to soften just a tad; the shell can be tough to bite through if too cold.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• How do I make sure my chocolate sticks to the strawberries? The key thing here is to make sure your strawberries are 100% dry before dipping them in the chocolate! If there's moisture on the strawberries, the melted chocolate won’t stick properly and may develop a dull, splotchy appearance.
• Do I need to use coconut oil in the chocolate? The coconut oil is not essential but does help the melted chocolate harden faster and form a thicker coating; kind of like magic shell. Plus, it makes the chocolate smoother and easier to work with without adding much flavor of its own. If you don't have coconut oil, no worries—vegetable or canola oil are great alternatives!

Toppings

I love these chocolate-covered strawberries just as they are, but they also welcome any toppings you like! Chopped nuts, crushed Oreos, sprinkles, or toasted coconut would all be great here. Just be sure to sprinkle or roll the strawberries in the toppings immediately after dipping them in the chocolate, to ensure the toppings adhere well.

Storage

If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.