Dazzling New Year’s Eve Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Your Ultimate Festive Dessert
As the clock ticks closer to midnight on New Year’s Eve, every detail of your celebration should shimmer with excitement and joy. This year, elevate your party spread with an effortlessly elegant and irresistibly delicious treat: chocolate covered strawberries! More than just a simple dessert, these festive sweet bites are transformed into miniature masterpieces, perfectly embodying the sparkle and promise of a new beginning. Usher in the new year with a burst of flavor and a touch of glamour that will leave your guests delighted.
Chocolate covered strawberries are a timeless classic, beloved for their harmonious blend of juicy fruit and rich, smooth chocolate. What makes them particularly special for New Year’s Eve is their incredible versatility. With just a few simple adjustments—primarily a switch of colors and the addition of some festive sprinkles—an already amazing dessert becomes a show-stopping, themed treat that perfectly captures the celebratory spirit of December 31st.
Imagine platters adorned with plump, ripe strawberries, gleaming with white and gold chocolate, and sprinkled with iridescent sugars or metallic nonpareils. They’re not just food; they’re edible decorations, adding a touch of sophistication and fun to any New Year’s gathering. Whether you’re hosting a grand soirée or an intimate countdown with loved ones, these decadent berries are guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
Why This Easy Recipe Shines for Your New Year’s Celebration
This recipe isn’t just easy; it’s smart. We’ve honed the process to ensure you get perfectly coated, beautifully decorated strawberries every time, without the fuss. Here’s why these New Year’s Chocolate Covered Strawberries are an absolute must-have for your countdown:
- Effortlessly Elegant: Despite their sophisticated appearance, these berries are incredibly simple to make, requiring minimal ingredients and straightforward steps. This means less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying your party!
- Perfectly Themed for New Year’s Eve: The magic lies in the color palette. By utilizing white chocolate and dazzling gold candy melts, we instantly transform a classic dessert into a festive, New Year’s-appropriate confection. Add some silver, white, or black sprinkles for extra sparkle.
- A Guaranteed Crowd-Pleaser: Who doesn’t love chocolate and strawberries? This timeless combination appeals to virtually everyone, making it a safe bet for any gathering. They are light enough after a big meal, yet satisfyingly sweet.
- Quick Preparation: You can whip up a batch of these delectable treats in under 30 minutes, making them ideal for last-minute party preparations.
- The Double Boiler Advantage: Our preferred method for melting chocolate involves a double boiler. This technique is a game-changer because it provides gentle, even heat, preventing the chocolate from seizing, clumping, or scorching. Unlike direct heat or even microwave melting, a double boiler ensures a consistently smooth, silky melted chocolate that’s perfect for dipping. This crucial step contributes significantly to the professional finish of your strawberries.
How to Make Dazzling New Year’s Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Creating these festive delights is a straightforward process that yields impressive results. While the core steps are simple, attention to detail will ensure your strawberries are picture-perfect for your New Year’s celebration. For those who prefer visual guidance, our original recipe for Chocolate Covered Strawberries provides detailed step-by-step photos that complement these instructions. You can also print out the recipe below for a handy reference.
Before you begin, ensure your strawberries are impeccably clean and completely dry. Any residual moisture can cause your chocolate to seize and become lumpy, ruining its smooth texture. Gently wash the strawberries under cool running water, then carefully pat them dry with paper towels. For best results, let them air dry on a clean kitchen towel for an hour or so, especially around the green leafy tops, as water tends to collect there.
Next, gather all your ingredients and equipment. This includes your chosen chocolates and candy melts, decorative sprinkles, and the essential tools like a double boiler (or your makeshift version), skewers, and a chilled sheet pan. Organization is key to a smooth and enjoyable chocolate-dipping experience!
This recipe and step-by-step photos are all available on my original recipe for Chocolate Covered Strawberries. You can print out the recipe below as well, but if you want visual aids, please go to the original post.
Ingredient Selection for Best Results
- Strawberries: Opt for large, firm, and blemish-free strawberries. Larger berries offer more surface area for chocolate and make for a more impressive presentation. Ensure they are at peak ripeness for the best flavor.
- White Chocolate: Choose a good quality white chocolate for melting. Chocolate chips work well, or you can chop a bar of white chocolate. The quality of your chocolate will directly impact the taste and texture of your dipped berries.
- Gold Candy Melts: These are fantastic for adding that iconic New Year’s sparkle. Candy melts are designed to melt smoothly and harden quickly, providing a beautiful, vibrant finish. If you can’t find gold, consider yellow candy melts with edible gold glitter or food-grade metallic dust applied after dipping.
- Optional Decorations: This is where you can truly customize for New Year’s. Think coarse sugar in gold or silver, metallic decorator gels to draw numbers or patterns, and decorative sprinkles or nonpareils in festive colors like gold, silver, black, and white. Jimmies can also add a nice textural contrast.
Tips for Perfect Chocolate Melting (Double Boiler vs. Microwave)
As mentioned, we highly recommend using a double boiler to melt your chocolate and candy melts. This method involves placing a heat-proof glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. The gentle, indirect heat melts the chocolate slowly and evenly, resulting in a smooth, fluid consistency that’s perfect for dipping. Stir frequently to aid in even melting and prevent any hot spots.
While microwaves can work in a pinch, they carry a higher risk of scorching or seizing the chocolate due to uneven heating. If you must use a microwave, do so with extreme caution:
- Start with one minute on high power, then stir thoroughly.
- Continue heating in short 20-second intervals on MEDIUM power, stirring vigorously after each interval.
- Remove the chocolate from the microwave when it’s *almost* melted, with a few small lumps remaining. The residual heat will melt these as you continue to stir, preventing overcooking and ensuring a smooth finish.
Regardless of your melting method, ensure your chocolate is at the right temperature for dipping—warm enough to be liquid, but not so hot that it “cooks” the strawberries or becomes too thin to coat properly.
Assembling Your New Year’s Masterpieces
The chilled sheet pan is another secret weapon in this recipe. Lining a sheet pan with waxed or parchment paper and placing it in the freezer to chill before you start dipping will provide a cold surface for your chocolate-covered strawberries. As soon as a dipped berry touches the chilled paper, the chocolate begins to set, preventing drips, puddles, and creating a cleaner finish. This quick setting also helps keep your decorations firmly in place.
When dipping, hold the strawberry by the skewer and immerse it into the melted chocolate. Gently turn and lift, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. This creates a neat, even coating. If adding sprinkles or other decorations, do so immediately after dipping, while the chocolate is still wet, to ensure they adhere properly.
Once all your strawberries are dipped and decorated, return them to the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to fully set. Be careful not to leave them in for too long, as extreme cold can cause the chocolate to “sweat” when brought to room temperature, forming tiny condensation beads. Remove them once the chocolate is firm and store them properly for your party.
More Festive New Year’s Eve Recipes to Complete Your Spread
No New Year’s Eve party is complete with just one treat! Complement your dazzling chocolate-covered strawberries with a variety of other delicious appetizers and cocktails:
- Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies: A savory, sweet, and incredibly addictive bite-sized appetizer.
- Shrimp Cocktail: A classic, elegant, and refreshing starter that always impresses.
- French 75: A sophisticated champagne cocktail, perfect for toasting.
- Fizzy Julep: A bubbly and refreshing drink to keep the spirits high.
- New Year’s Champagne Cocktails: A collection of celebratory drinks to ring in the new year with style.
These recipes, alongside your stunning chocolate-covered strawberries, will ensure your New Year’s Eve menu is unforgettable. Enjoy your New Year’s Eve responsibly and deliciously!
I love to bake and cook and share my kitchen experience with all of you! Remembering to come back each day can be tough, that’s why I offer a convenient newsletter every time a new recipe posts. Simply subscribe and start receiving your free daily recipes!
New Years Chocolate Covered Strawberries
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It
Pin It
Rate It
Save ItSaved!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds strawberries 18-20 evenly sized strawberries
- 12 oz white chocolate
- 12 oz gold candy melts
Optional Decorations
- Coarse sugar
- Decorator gel
- Decorative sprinkles
- Nonpareils
- Jimmies
Things You’ll Need
-
Double boiler
-
Saucepan
-
Sheet pan
-
Wooden skewers
Before You Begin
Microwaves will do the job, but the chocolate will continue to cook after you take it out. Therefore if you melt it in the microwave until it is completely melted, you run the risk of scorching it. If you are microwaving your chocolate, start with one minute on high, then stir. Then continue cooking in 20 second intervals on MEDIUM POWER until almost melted. Remove and stir, stir, stir until all the pieces have melted.
The chilled sheet pan will help the chocolate begin to harden and set as soon as you place the strawberry onto it.
Instructions
-
First, line a sheet pan with waxed or parchment paper and place it in the freezer to chill. This crucial step helps the chocolate set quickly and prevents it from pooling at the base. Prepare your strawberries by gently washing and thoroughly drying them. Insert a skewer into the stem end of each strawberry, creating a convenient handle for dipping.
-
Place the white chocolate and gold candy melts into separate glass or heat-proof bowls. This separation is essential for creating your distinct color scheme.
-
Prepare your double boiler set-up: Pour about 2 inches of water into two saucepans and bring each to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, turn off the heat and carefully set the bowls of chocolate and candy melts over the warm water. Stir the chocolate and candy melts gently until they are completely smooth and free of lumps. The indirect heat will ensure a silky, dippable consistency.
-
Remove the pre-chilled sheet pan from the freezer. It should be cold to the touch, ready to receive your freshly dipped berries.
-
Using the skewer as a handle, dip each strawberry into the melted chocolate or candy melt, coating it evenly. Lift the berry and gently turn it, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. This prevents a thick, clumpy coating. Immediately after dipping, if you plan to add sprinkles, do so before the chocolate sets. Place the dipped berries onto the chilled, lined sheet pan.
-
Repeat the dipping and decorating process with the remaining strawberries, alternating between white chocolate and gold candy melts for a festive variety.
Decorating Options for a Sparkling Finish
-
Elegant Drizzle: For a sophisticated touch, dip a fork into a contrasting melted chocolate or candy melt (e.g., gold drizzle over white chocolate, or white drizzle over gold) and drizzle it artfully over the dipped strawberries as they begin to set.
-
Two-Tone Dip: For a chic look, first dip the strawberry into one color (e.g., white), let it set slightly, then dip just one half or the tip of the strawberry into a second colored candy melt (e.g., gold).
-
Sparkling Roll: Immediately after dipping, gently roll the chocolate-covered strawberry into a shallow dish of colorful sprinkles or decorator sugar (gold, silver, or black work wonderfully for New Year’s).
-
Generous Sprinkling: For a more controlled application, sprinkle freshly dipped strawberries with your chosen sprinkles or nonpareils directly from above.
Chill and Serve
-
Place the decorated strawberries in the refrigerator to set for a minimum of 15 minutes. This allows the chocolate to fully harden. Once set, remove them from the refrigerator to prevent the chocolate from “sweating” (forming condensation) as they come to room temperature. They are best enjoyed within a few hours of making them, but can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1-2 days. Arrange them beautifully on a platter and serve alongside your other New Year’s Eve festivities!
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.