How to Make Valentine Strawberries

Why You'll Love This Valentine's Day Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe

• Easy Chocolate Treat -  This is a simple recipe that requires only a handful of ingredients and minimal prep.
• Customizable & Fun - Use different colors of chocolate, like white, red, or bright pink chocolate melts, to create fun designs.
• Healthier Side of Dessert - Since they’re made with fresh strawberries, they’re a lighter indulgence compared to cakes or pastries.
• Perfect for Any Special Occasion - These work beautifully for Valentine’s Day, baby showers, anniversaries, or even a fun weekend activity with kids!

Substitutions

Not all chocolates and ingredients are created equal, and sometimes, you may need to swap out one for another. Here are some great alternatives to help you customize your chocolate-dipped strawberries to fit your taste and dietary needs.

• Chocolate Choices - You can swap dark chocolate for milk chocolate, or white chocolate.
• Candy Coatings - If you prefer a different look, try white chocolate melts or pink candy melts for a colorful twist.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and Coconut Oil - If you don't have melting wafers, you can melt chocolate chips in a double boiler with a little coconut oil and get the same result. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil to about 1 cup of chocolate chips. Heat and stir until combined and smooth.

Variations

Want to add a creative twist to your chocolate-covered strawberries? These fun variations will help you customize your treats with different flavors, colors, and textures for any special occasion.

• Chocolate, Colored, or White Chocolate Drizzle - Once the first coating of chocolate has hardened,  drizzle the remaining chocolate over the first layer. You can use the same chocolate, a contrasting chocolate like white and dark, or a colored candy drizzle. 
• Sprinkles & Toppings - While the chocolate is still wet, add festiv​e sprinkles, crushed nuts, or shredded coconut. 
• Double Dipped - After the first chocolate coating hardens, dip the strawberries into a different color of chocolate for a layered effect.

Troubleshooting Tips

Even simple recipes can come with a few hiccups! I've made these sweet treats for so many different occasions. Here are some tips that I have to share to help make the process easy.

• Chocolate Seizing or Becoming Grainy - If the chocolate turns clumpy or grainy, it may have come into contact with water. Always ensure your bowl and utensils are completely dry before melting chocolate. If seizing happens, try adding a teaspoon of coconut oil and stirring vigorously.
• Chocolate Not Sticking to Strawberries - This is usually due to excess moisture. Make sure the strawberries are completely dry before dipping. I also keep a paper towel handy and dry off each strawberry right before dipping it.
• Chocolate Cooling Too Fast: If your melted chocolate becomes too thick to work with, microwave in short bursts to re-melt or place the bowl over a double boiler on low heat.
• Strawberries Becoming Watery After Refrigeration: This is caused by condensation. I recommend making these dipped strawberries as close to when you are going to serve them as possible. You can store them at room temperature for up to 24 hours. If you need to refrigerate them after that, store them in a single layer inside an airtight container.
• Chocolate Pooling on the Baking Sheet - Let as much excess chocolate drip off the strawberry and back into the bowl as possible before transferring it to the baking sheet to set up. You can also set the strawberry down once on the parchment and then lift it back up right away before returning it to the parchment paper for the chocolate to harden. 

*Please scroll down to the recipe card for specific ingredient amounts.

• My favorite chocolate melting wafers are by Ghirardelli. They are the easiest to work with, and they melt so smoothly in the microwave. When testing this recipe, I have also had great results with chocolate melting wafers from Aldi.
• When I tested this recipe, I found that one package of melting wafers would cover about 30 fresh strawberries. This is about 2 pints, depending on size. I find that buying more than I need will allow me to pick the prettiest strawberries. You can save the remaining strawberries for later use, like a healthy snack, smoothie, or oatmeal topping.
• I like to use an assortment of sprinkles for decorating. Colored sugars, nonpareils, or jimmies are perfect.

Step 1. Prepare Your Work Area. Line one large baking sheet with paper towels and another with parchment paper or wax paper.

Step 2. Wash & Dry the Strawberries. Rinse fresh strawberries and drain them in a colander. Place them on the paper towel-lined baking sheet to dry completely. Any excess moisture will prevent the chocolate coating from sticking properly. It can also cause your chocolate to seize or get lumpy. See the troubleshooting section for more on this.

Step 3. Melt the Chocolate. Melt the dark chocolate according to package directions in a small microwave-safe bowl, stirring until smooth. Alternatively, use a double boiler over low heat to melt chocolate slowly for the best results.

Step 4. Dip the Strawberries. Hold each strawberry by the green stem and dip it into the melted chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off, then place it on the parchment-lined sheet.

Step 5. Decorate & Let Harden. While the chocolate coating is still wet, add sprinkles or toppings. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature. This will take about 10 minutes. Do not transfer them to the refrigerator.

Step 6. Add a Drizzle. Melt the remaining chocolate and drizzle over the chocolate-dipped strawberries. You can also use a festive bright pink chocolate drizzle.

Step 7. Let Them Set. Allow the Valentine’s Day strawberries to set completely before serving.

Storage & Freezing Instructions

Place in a single layer inside an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to 24 hours.

If needed, store in the fridge for up to 2 days. After that, the strawberries will get a little mushy.

​Freezing is not recommended.

Natalie's Pro Tip

My favorite way to add drizzle to strawberries is to add the melted chocolate to a sandwich bag with the corner snipped off. This allows you to have total control of where the drizzle is and how thick it is. You can also use a spoon to add the drizzle.

For the easiest way to dip strawberries, use a heat-safe glass bowl when melting chocolate. This helps the chocolate stay warm longer, making the dipping process smoother!