Peppermint gets all the glory when it comes to chocolate patties. I thought it was time to let another flavor shine. And since Valentine’s Day is on the horizon, pretty pink strawberry patties seemed like the perfect option. Freeze-dried strawberries infuse the filling with flavor, not moisture, and also provide a blushing hue without need for food coloring!
Recipe Tips: Strawberry Patties
These strawberry patties are actually very easy to make, but it helps to have some tips out of the gate to avoid any initial fumbles.
Trust the Texture
It’s easy to be tricked by the crumby appearance of the filling when mixed. But don’t be tempted to add more liquid before you do the press test. It comes together into dough in your hands, even when it looks like coarse crumbs in the bowl. Too much moisture will make the dough a sticky mess that you can’t easily roll out, pick up, and dip.
I prefer to use coconut cream for the liquid for the best texture and because it is the least finicky. If you need to use a milk beverage, start with as little as possible and add only as much as needed. It’s easy to go from too dry to too wet when using a very fluid liquid like this.
For the coconut cream, I just skim a little from the top of an unshaken can of full-fat coconut milk. There’s no need to chill it first; thick coconut milk works great.
Choose Ingredients Wisely for Your Needs
Yes, there is dairy-free chocolate! My go-to brand is honestly Enjoy Life. They offer dark and rice milk chocolate bars, chocolate chunks, dark chocolate morsels, and the mini chips shown in the photo above. All of Enjoy Life’s tasty products are non-GMO verified and free-from gluten and 14 common allergens, including dairy, egg, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, sesame, sulfites, lupin, mustard, fish, and shellfish. And to easily spot them, Enjoy Life products now come in allergy-friendly teal packaging.
If you’re vegan, make sure to pick certified vegan or organic powdered sugar. There are several vegan sugar options on the market, and they must be vegan to receive organic certification. So this recipe is well within your reach!
For those who prefer a natural, non-hydrogenated shortening option, palm shortening works fabulously in this recipe. I know that many of us are concerned about orangutan habitats and sustainability, but most of the palm shortening brands are certified by the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil. I suggest reading the information they provide to better understand the industry, if you are concerned.
This post is sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods. They asked me to create an original, decadent chocolate dessert recipe to share with you before Valentine’s Day, and I think these strawberry patties fit the bill! For more allergy-friendly chocolate treats enjoy my recipes for Chocolate No Bake Cookies, Dirt Pudding Cups, Chocolate Butter Cup Brownies, and Cookies ‘n Ice Cream Bon Bons.
Reader Raves: Chocolate Strawberry Patties
Sometimes readers share recipe feedback with us via social media.
A coworker made these for us today, SO GOOD!!!! – Bethany T. (via our Facebook Page)
They are very tasty, thanks for the recipe! – Heidi S.K. (via our Facebook Page)
Special Diet Notes: Chocolate Strawberry Patties
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, vegetarian, and top food allergy-friendly.
- ½ cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 2¼ cups powdered confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon sustainable palm shortening
- 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut cream, as needed (see Coconut-Free Option below)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
- 1½ cups (10-ounce bag) dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life Mini Chips)
- Place the strawberries in a spice grinder and process until powdered, about 30 seconds.
- Sift the powdered sugar and powdered strawberries into a medium mixing bowl.
- Add 3 tablespoons shortening, 1 tablespoon coconut cream, and vanilla. Beat on low speed with a hand mixer (to avoid clouds of powdered sugar!) until crumbs form. Pinch the crumbs together to see if they are cohesive. If not, add more coconut cream, only as needed. It will still be crumbs, and look a little dry, but will come together when pressed.
- Bring the crumbs together with your hands, kneading it lightly to form cohesive dough. The warmth of your hand will also make it softer and more pliable.
- Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Top it with another sheet of parchment paper, and roll it out to roughly ¼-inch thickness.
- Using a small 1½-inch biscuit cutter, or a small cookie cutter that isn't too intricate, cut the dough into shapes and place them on a parchment-lined sheet.
- Reroll the scraps and repeat steps 5 and 6 as needed to use up the dough. (See Freezer Note below)
- Put the chocolate chips and remaining 1 tablespoon shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 30 seconds and stir. Heat on high for another 30 seconds and whisk until smooth. If lumps remaining, heat in 15 second intervals until the chocolate is just melted. Do not overheat.
- One by one, drop the strawberry filling pieces into the chocolate, flip to coat, and remove with a fork to let excess chocolate drip off. Return the chocolate-covered patty to the parchment paper.
- Place the sheet with the patties in the freezer for 20 minutes, or until the chocolate is set.
- Store the strawberry patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for longer. They will keep at room temperature for 1 day. The freeze-dried strawberries take on moisture so you don't want to leave them at room temperature for too long.
Freezer Note: If the filling is a little soft, you can freeze the sheet while you prepare the chocolate, or for 20 minutes. This will cause the chocolate to set up more quickly when you dunk the filling. So you might need to reheat the chocolate as you dip, or use a double broiler set up to keep it melted.
Key Ingredients: Chocolate Strawberry Patties
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48 Comments
These look so delicious! I love chocolate and strawberry! What a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day!
It really is a naturally delicious food combo!
These are so pretty! I can only imagine how good they are. Dried strawberries are so flavorful, and so good with chocolate.
You’ll have to try them to find out 🙂
Using freeze dried strawberries is genius! You get the wonderful flavor without making your dough soggy.
It’s been my sneaky way to make sweets like this for years! It’s starting to catch on though 🙂
These are so cute for Valentine’s Day. Actually, they would be great for any day!
I think so 🙂
These look like they would melt in your mouth. Beautiful color. 🙂
They really do 🙂 Thank you!
Strawberries and chocolate are such a classic combination. These patties turned out perfectly!
Thanks K.C.!
Such an awesome Valentine’s Day treat! I love how easy they are to make, so making a ton for a class party won’t be too hard!
They really are and super fun! Not to mention, you can use cut outs that fit the class theme, whether it’s a heart or something else kids would like!
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I appreciate the natural red of the strawberries in here! Perfect for Valentine’s Day or any time you need chocolate!
Love this recipe! Do you think I could use freeze dried raspberries instead? Also, vegan sugar? I didn’t now that sugar could be non-vegan – how interesting.
Yes, you can! Freeze-dried raspberries work great in this and are pretty, too. Any freeze-dried fruit really. The sugar I used was vegan / organic. All organic sugar (including powdered) has to be vegan by regulation (they can’t use non-vegan processes for organic certification). Many other mainstream, non-organic brands are vegan, too. Non-vegan sugar is actually becoming less common.
I love the no food coloring. You can get all that pretty color (and flavor) with fresh strawberries. Looks fab!
Indeed!
These are SO cute! I love how simple these are to make. I might just have to save them to give them a try someday (probably after Valentine’s Day though). 🙂
They’re an anytime treat 🙂 I just liked the pink hue for Valentine’s Day!
These are so cute. I love this idea for Valentine’s Day.
Thank you!
Can’t wait to get the ingredients to try these! Just need the freeze dried strawberries. Thanks for the other flavour ideas, too.
Happy to oblige! If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, they’re freeze-dried strawberries are a great price. They’re available elsewhere though, too 🙂
These look absolutely divine! They’re almost too pretty to eat. Almost
Almost, but not quite 🙂
Does the coconut milk taste like coconut in the treat?
Not at all. There’s not a bit of coconut flavor in these.
Gorgeous! I just love this idea.
Thanks Hannah! That means a lot coming from you!
What a great idea to use freeze dried strawberries for color. I love that pink hue! These look absolutely delicious.
Thanks Cadry! It infuses such intense strawberry flavor without moisture, too.
I am obsessed with freeze dried strawberries!! These look beyond amazing! And Enjoy Life Brand is my favorite chocolate!!
Aren’t they the best? And it’s a good time to stock up with the chocolate sale!
Alisa, these are beautiful! What a great idea.
Thank you!