← All recipes

Sweets · Global

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Dark chocolate shells with a white chocolate drizzle. The only hard part is drying the berries properly.

Hands-on
35 min
Hands-off
30 min
Total
1 h 5 min
Makes
20 strawberries
Serves
20

About 15 minutes to wash and fully dry the berries, 20 minutes to melt, dip and drizzle, then 30 minutes for the chocolate to set at room temperature (or 15 minutes in the fridge). Total = 35 min active + 30 min hands-off.

  • easy
  • vegetarian
  • valentines-day
  • no-bake
  • party
  • gift

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Amount
Units

Ingredients

You need: rimmed sheet pan or baking sheet · parchment or wax paper · 2 heatproof medium bowls · 2 medium saucepans (or a microwave) · rubber spatula · fork · paper towels

Contains: milk

Method

  1. Wash and dry the berries completely

    Swish the 450 g (1 lb) strawberries gently in a bowl of cold water, then lift them out and dry them very well with paper towels or a soft cloth, tops and all. Leave them on a towel while you get everything else ready.

    Otto tried this firstOtto dips the berries straight from the colander. The chocolate slides off in streaks and won't set evenly. Chocolate only sticks to completely dry berries.

  2. Line the pan

    Line a sheet pan with parchment or wax paper.

  3. Melt the two chocolates

    Put the 170 g (6 oz) semisweet chocolate and the 85 g (3 oz) white chocolate in two separate heatproof bowls. Bring about 5 cm (2 in) of water to a simmer in two saucepans over medium heat, then turn the heat off. Set a bowl over each pan and stir until smooth. Microwave option: heat each bowl at half power for 1 minute, stir, then heat for up to 1 minute more, stirring, until melted.

    Ready when: Completely smooth and glossy, with no lumps left when you stir.

  4. Dip the berries

    Hold a strawberry by its stem, dip it into the dark chocolate, then lift and twist it slightly so the extra drips back into the bowl. Set it on the lined pan. Repeat with the rest.

  5. Drizzle the white chocolate

    Wait a few minutes until the dark chocolate has started to set. Dip a fork into the white chocolate and wave it over the berries in thin lines.

  6. Let them set

    Leave the berries until the chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes at room temperature, or 15 minutes in the fridge.

    Ready when: The chocolate is firm and dry to a light touch.

Swaps

  • Instead of semisweet chocolate (170 g / 6 oz): the same amount of milk chocolate Sweeter and milder.
  • Instead of dark coating with white drizzle: white coating: 255 g (9 oz) white chocolate, or 170 g (6 oz) white chocolate to dip and 85 g (3 oz) semisweet to drizzle Same method, colors reversed.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead
They're best made on the day you serve them. You can dip them up to a day ahead if you keep them in the fridge (see storage).
Storage
Serve within 8 hours of dipping, or refrigerate them for up to 2 days. Take them out about 30 minutes before serving and blot any beads of moisture with a paper towel. Don't freeze them: thawed strawberries turn mushy and the coating can crack.

If something goes wrong

  • Chocolate slides off or sets in patches Why: The berries were still damp.
    Dry every berry completely with paper towels before dipping.
  • Wet beads on the chocolate after chilling Why: Condensation from the cold fridge.
    Let them sit out for about 30 minutes and blot gently with a paper towel.

Good to know

  • Choose big berries with long stems or leafy tops: they're easier to hold and dip.
  • No stem? Push a skewer into the top of the berry to dip it.
  • Roll the wet chocolate in sprinkles, chopped nuts or decorating sugar instead of drizzling, if you like.

Safety

  • The bowls over the hot water and the steam underneath can burn. Use an oven mitt to lift the bowls, and let an adult handle the hot pans.
  • The bowl gets hot in the microwave too: lift it out with a cloth.
  • Chocolate labels vary: many contain milk or soy, and some are made where nuts are processed. Check them if you're cooking for someone with allergies.