You only need three ingredients and about 30 minutes to make a tray full of the most delicious dark chocolate covered strawberries! They’re way cheaper than the store-bought options and rely on dark chocolate for those important antioxidants, polyphenols, and feel-good benefits. Enjoy them as a decadent treat any time or make them for a special occasion, like Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day. You won’t want to buy them from the store again! {Dairy-free, gluten-free & vegan}
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Easy Dark Chocolate-Covered Strawberries with Nuts
Who doesn’t love chocolate covered strawberries? From the crunch of the sweet chocolate and the burst of fresh berry flavor on the inside, they’re popular for a reason! This healthier versions uses just 3 simple ingredients, dark chocolate chips, strawberries, and walnuts, so it doesn’t get much easier than that.
Plus, the fiber from the berries and healthy fats from the nuts will actually help fill you up, so they make a great snack or sweet treat with benefits!
For more strawberry-infused treats, be sure to try this Strawberry Mocktail Spritzer and Dark Chocolate Trail Mix too!
Why We Love These Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
- Developed by a Registered Dietitian to be loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and heart-healthy omega-3 fats
- Uses dark chocolate for the lower sugar content and higher antioxidants
- Easy to make dairy-free or vegan friendly, and they’re already gluten-free
- Can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days
- Only require three ingredients (and no fussy double boiler)!
Ingredient Notes
- Strawberries: Use fresh ripe strawberries for the best flavor. They should be a bright red but still firm, with nice vibrant green stems for the nicest presentation. Frozen strawberries shouldn’t be used in this recipe as they’ll be too mushy when thawed.
- Dark chocolate chips: For the most health benefits and convenience, I like to use melted dark chocolate chips (50% cocoa or higher) to cover the strawberries. You can also use dark chocolate bars, but you will have to chop them before melting. Please avoid candy melts, as those actually do not contain any chocolate and often contain highly processed oils.
- Walnuts: Chop the walnuts into small pieces and sprinkle over the strawberries once they’ve been dipped in the chocolate. You can also sub in other nuts as well such as finely chopped peanuts or almonds.
How to Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries
This delicious treat can be made in just five simple steps!
1. Wash & Dry
Wash strawberries and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towel. Allow them to air-dry if time allows.
2. Melt Chocolate
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chips in 30-second increments until it’s smooth and melted (mine took about 1 minute 30 seconds). Each time you check on it, stir well so that the chocolate doesn’t burn to the bottom of the bowl.
3. Dip Strawberries
Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment or wax paper. While holding the stem end of the strawberry, dip strawberries in melted chocolate so that they’re about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way covered. Shake off any excess chocolate drip, being careful not to damage the stem.
4. Sprinkle with Nuts
Place on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle with walnuts, pressing gently to help the nuts adhere to the chocolate.
5. Allow Strawberries to Set
Allow the chocolate to harden at room temperature or place the chocolate dipped strawberries in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes. Once firm, remove from the parchment paper and serve or store in an airtight container in the fridge for later.
Tips for Perfect Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Thoroughly dry the strawberries after washing, otherwise the chocolate won’t adhere properly.
- For best results, use strawberries that are at room temperature to help prevent condensation from forming between the strawberries and chocolate.
- Be sure to check the chocolate frequently when melting to prevent it from burning to the bottom of the bowl.
- Chop walnuts fine enough so that the little pieces stick to the chocolate. If the pieces are too large, they will overtake the strawberries and may not stick very well to the chocolate.
- If you’ve got some extra time, allow the strawberries to set at room temperature for best results.
- These strawberries are best consumed within 12 hours of preparing (although they’re still delicious past that time frame)!
How to Dip Strawberries
The easiest way to dip them is to hold the strawberries by the leaves or stem and dip them into the melted chocolate on an angle, rotating the strawberry until all sides are covered.
You want them to be covered about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way so that you can still see the vibrant red strawberries peaking through.
If you have too much chocolate on the strawberry, it helps to flip it upside down to catch any excess chocolate before placing on the parchment paper.
Expert Tip: If the chocolate starts to harden while you’re dipping the strawberries, microwave it for another 20 seconds or so to help it soften up again.
How to Store
Once made, you can store these dark chocolate covered strawberries in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Recipe FAQs
In order to get the chocolate to stick, it’s really important that your strawberries are fully dry before dipping them in the melted chocolate. After washing the strawberries, dry them thoroughly by patting them down with a paper towel before using. If there’s any water on the skin of the strawberries, the chocolate will slide right off.
I recommend enjoying these strawberries within 12 hours of making them. Make them earlier in the day and enjoy them right away or later in the afternoon or evening for the best flavor and texture.
The sweat on chocolate is from condensation. This happens when the temperature changes suddenly. For best results, allow the chocolate on the strawberries to cool at room temperature before storing in the fridge. You can also line your storage container with paper towel, top and bottom, as this will help to protect them a little.
You can leave them on the counter for a day, but keep in mind that the strawberries will ripen much quicker. For the best texture, keep the strawberries in the fridge for up to 2 days and serve cold.
How to Decorate Chocolate Strawberries
I love to top these dark chocolate covered strawberries with walnuts since they contain that extra dose of omega-3s, but you can easily decorate them with your favorite fun toppings, like…
- Coconut flakes
- A drizzle of white or milk chocolate
- Sprinkles
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Chocolate shavings
- An assortment of nuts
- Hemp hearts
Recipe Variations
- Use different chocolate. Milk or white chocolate both work great, but have a higher sugar content and few antioxidants.
- Use different nuts. Crushed pecan, peanuts, almond and pistachios are all awesome choices!
- Try a different fruit. This recipe is great with strawberries, but you can also try it with banana halves or apple slices!
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Dark Chocolate Covered Pecans
- Healthy Baked Donuts
- Chocolate Covered Clementines
- Dark Chocolate Stuffed Raspberries
- Chocolate Coconut Balls
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Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Nuts
Ingredients
- 1 pound container of fresh strawberries
- 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips (I used 50%)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Wash strawberries and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towel.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chips in 30-second increments until melted and smooth (mine took about 1 minute 30 seconds). Each time, stir well so that the chocolate doesn't burn on the bottom.
- Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Dip strawberries in melted chocolate so that they're about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way covered. Place on lined baking sheet and sprinkle with walnuts, pressing gently to help the nuts adhere to the chocolate.
- Allow the chocolate to harden at room temperature or place the chocolate dipped strawberries in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Once firm, remove from the parchment paper and serve, or store in an air-tight container in the fridge for later.
Notes
- Thoroughly dry the strawberries after washing, otherwise the chocolate won’t adhere properly.
- For best results, use strawberries that are at room temperature to help prevent condensation from forming between the strawberries and chocolate.
- Be sure to check the chocolate frequently when melting to prevent it from burning to the bottom of the bowl.
- Chop walnuts fine enough so that the little pieces stick to the chocolate. If the pieces are too large, they will overtake the strawberries and may not stick very well to the chocolate.
- If you’ve got some extra time, allow the strawberries to set at room temperature for best results.
- These strawberries are best consumed within 12 hours of preparing (although they’re still delicious past that time frame)!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted February 2016 and was updated February 2022 to include more helpful tips. The photos, text, and formatting were updated again in January 2025.
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