Perfect for gifting during the holidays or on Valentine’s Day, chocolate covered strawberries are a homemade treat that everyone loves. This recipe packs in all of my top tips for perfect strawberries every time!

A mixture of semi-sweet and white chocolate covered strawberries.

Making chocolate covered strawberries yourself is a quick and easy gift idea for friends and family any time of year. Not to mention it’s much less expensive than buying them from a chocolate store! 

However, as simple as coating fresh strawberries in chocolate may be, there’s a specific method I follow that results in perfect chocolate covered strawberries every single time. 

My big secret? I always temper the chocolate before coating the strawberries in it! 

Tempering the chocolate gives it a beautiful shine, and once it has set at room temperature the chocolate will snap when you bite into it. If you want to make chocolate covered strawberries like the ones you find at an expensive chocolate store, then you have to try this simple recipe!

An overhead view of fresh strawberries, white and dark chocolate in separate bowls.

What You Will Need

This recipe requires just two ingredients, so it’s important that you buy the best quality possible. Here’s what I recommend purchasing for making this recipe: 

  • Strawberries: Make sure to use strawberries that are mostly bright red, since they won’t ripen any further after they’ve been picked. Avoid using any with bruised or damaged spots. Note that the size of the berries doesn’t necessarily indicate how ripe or sweet they are; only their color indicates ripeness. 
  • Chocolate: I prefer to use semi-sweet and white chocolate, but dark chocolate or even milk chocolate work great as well. Stick with high-quality chocolate bars like Bakers or Ghirardelli.

Fresh strawberries washed and left to dry on a paper towel-lined baking tray.

How to Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries 

As I’ve mentioned already, the most important part of this recipe is tempering the chocolate prior to dipping the strawberries. I’ve given detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post, but let’s quickly review the steps:

  • Prep the strawberries: Wash the fresh strawberries thoroughly, and pat them dry using paper towels. They’ll need to sit on your counter for about an hour to come to room temperature. I like to place them on a paper towel-lined baking tray during this time.

Once the strawberries are dry and have come to room temperature, it’s time to temper the chocolate. Tempering simply means that you’re heating, then cooling the chocolate in order to stabilize it. This will ensure that your chocolate has a beautiful shine and snaps when you bite into it. 

Here’s how to do it:

  • Melt 2/3 of the chocolate: Add two-thirds of the chopped chocolate to a bowl. You can melt the chocolate either in the microwave at 50% power in 20 to 30-second intervals, or you can place the heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stove. I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer to check the temperature of your chocolate to make sure it does not exceed 115ºF. If using milk or white chocolate, the temperature should not exceed 110ºF.
  • Slowly add the remaining chocolate: Once two-thirds of the chocolate has been melted, slowly add the remaining chopped chocolate to the bowl. Stir the chocolate well to ensure each addition has melted before stirring in additional chocolate. You’ll know that semi-sweet or dark chocolate has been properly tempered once it reaches 89ºF – 90ºF. White and milk chocolate are considered tempered at 87ºF. 

Once the chocolate has been tempered, you need to work quickly and dip your strawberries. This is the fun and easy part!

  • Dip the strawberries in chocolate: Hold each strawberry gently by the stem and dip it into the chocolate. Let any excess chocolate drip off, then gently scrape the strawberry on the rim of the bowl to remove any lingering excess chocolate. After scraping off the excess chocolate, place each strawberry onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. After a few seconds, I like to move the strawberry to another clean spot on the baking sheet — this is optional, but I find it helps to prevent large pools of chocolate from forming underneath the berries. 
  • Optionally garnish the strawberries: Once all the strawberries have been covered in chocolate, add any leftover chocolate to a zip-top bag, snip off a small corner, and drizzle over the berries. 
  • Let the strawberries cool: If you’ve tempered the chocolate correctly, the berries will only need about 20 minutes to set at room temperature. Do NOT place the berries in the fridge to speed things along, otherwise it will affect the chocolate.

Chocolate coated strawberries on a piece of parchment paper.

What’s the Best Chocolate For Dipping Strawberries? 

When covering strawberries in chocolate, it’s best to use high-quality chocolate bars rather than chocolate chips. Chocolate chips contain stabilizers that make them more resistant to melting. 

Storage Instructions 

Once coated in chocolate, the strawberries are best enjoyed fresh. However, they can be stored at room temperature for up to two days. Keep in mind that as the berries sit, they may start to weep.

I do not recommend refrigerating these chocolate covered strawberries as that could affect the tempered chocolate. 

Additional Topping Ideas

I kept these strawberries simple by just dipping them in chocolate and drizzling some leftover chocolate on top. If you want to add a little something extra to them, you could also sprinkle the still-warm chocolate with optional garnishes like:

  • Crushed Oreos
  • Sprinkles
  • Chopped nuts
  • Mini chocolate chips
  • Coconut flakes

Several chocolate covered strawberries on a piece of parchment paper. One strawberry has a bite taken out of it.

Recipe Tips

  • Make sure to thoroughly pat the strawberries dry and let them come to room temperature. This will ensure that no water ends up in your chocolate and the strawberries are not too cold when you’re dipping them.
  • If melting the chocolate in the microwave, make sure to only heat it at 50% power. You don’t want to accidentally overheat it!
  • If you are using a double boiler to melt your chocolate, make sure that no water gets into it. This can cause the chocolate to seize and you will have to start over again.
  • I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer to ensure that your chocolate doesn’t get too hot and that it’s at the correct temperature. I use this Thermapen and love it — it’s great for making candy too!
  • How to test your chocolate to make sure it’s tempered: Dip the end of a knife or spoon into the chocolate and let it sit at room temperature. The chocolate should set within a few minutes, be firm to the touch, and shiny.

More No-Bake Desserts to Make! 

Recipe Video

Several chocolate covered strawberries on a round piece of marble.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cooling Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Perfect for gifting during the holidays or on Valentine's Day, chocolate covered strawberries are a homemade treat that everyone loves. This recipe packs in all of my top tips for perfect strawberries every time!
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Ingredients

Servings: 30 strawberries
  • 2 pounds fresh strawberries
  • 12 ounces high-quality chocolate bars finely chopped (dark, semi-sweet, milk, or white chocolate)

Instructions
 

  • Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. Set aside.
  • Thoroughly wash the strawberries and pat them dry with paper towels. Place the strawberries on the prepared baking sheet. Allow to dry and come to room temperature for one to two hours.
  • Add ⅔ of the chopped chocolate (8 ounces; 226 grams) to a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20 to 30 second increments at 50% power, stirring well after each increment, until the chocolate is just melted and smooth. I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer to check the temperature of your chocolate to make sure it does not exceed 115ºF. If using milk or white chocolate, the temperature should not exceed 110ºF. Alternatively you can place the chopped chocolate in a large glass bowl and place it over a pot of simmering water to melt it. Just make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl and that no water gets into the chocolate.
  • Slowly add the remaining chopped chocolate to the melted chocolate, a little bit at a time, stirring well and making sure the chocolate has fully melted before adding more. For semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate the ideal temperature for dipping is 89-90°F and for milk or white chocolate the ideal temperature is 87°F.
  • Line two separate baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Holding a strawberry by the stem, dip it into the chocolate, making sure to coat most of the strawberry. Lift the strawberry out of the chocolate, letting any excess chocolate drip off. Gently scrape the strawberry along the edge of the bowl (don’t remove all of the chocolate, just any excess). Place the dipped strawberry onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. After a few seconds, move the strawberry to another clean spot on the baking sheet. This is optional, but it helps to prevent any large pools of chocolate from forming around the strawberries.
  • Repeat this process with the remaining strawberries. If the temperature of the chocolate drops below 85°F (for dark or semi-sweet chocolate) or 84°F (for milk or white chocolate) gently reheat until it’s back to the correct temperature. If the temperature of the chocolate goes over the recommended temperature for dipping, mix in a little extra finely chopped chocolate to help drop it to the correct temperature again.
  • If desired, add any leftover chocolate to a piping bag or zip top bag, snip off the corner, and drizzle it over the strawberries.
  • Allow the strawberries to set at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.

Notes

Storage Instructions: Strawberries are best eaten the same day they are prepared, but may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Danielle
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