Chocolate Filled Strawberries {Chocolate Stuffed Strawberries}

Chocolate filled strawberries are what fruit dessert dreams are made of! Juicy, sweet strawberries are stuffed with a decadent, creamy chocolate filling. These cheesecake strawberries are the perfect sweet treat for Valentine’s Day and any occasion!

Inside out chocolate covered strawberries

Once you stuff strawberries with a silky cream cheese chocolate frosting, you’ll fall in love with the idea of chocolate covered strawberries all over again.

And just when you think they are too pretty to enjoy, you’ll give in to the temptation and never look back. It’s such a dreamy dessert!

Stuffed strawberries are super straightforward and only need 3 simple ingredients + 20 minutes prep time. They are a simple strawberry dessert and make a beautiful, sweet gift for loved ones on Valentine’s Day.

One thing I love about the chocolate cream cheese filling is that it’s not overly sweet. It’s similar to a no-bake cheesecake filling, which pairs so well with the juicy berries.

If you’re looking for a light, fruity treat to indulge your sweet tooth, these easy cheesecake strawberries are the perfect choice!

Easy fruit desserts are the best! For more ideas, try our fruit pizza, creamy fruit salad, and this condensed milk fruit dip!

What are chocolate stuffed strawberries?

Chocolate filled strawberries are chocolate covered strawberries in reverse. Instead of dipping the strawberries into melted chocolate, we’ll pipe a velvety chocolate cream cheese icing into hollowed-out strawberries.

Reasons to love chocolate filled strawberries

• Simple ingredients: With only 2 ingredients needed for the chocolate stuffing and fresh strawberries, it’s amazing how these chocolate stuffed strawberries are so flavorful.
• Quick + easy: A handful of simple steps are all it takes to make this fruity delight. Perfect when you need a quick yet impressive treat!
• Incredible flavor: The cheesecake filling is so creamy and velvety, everything a good cheesecake should be. Teamed with plump strawberries, it’s a recipe for success.
• Cute gift: Chocolate strawberries are perfect for Valentine’s Day to express your love and appreciation for someone special. Show your partner, kids, friends, or family you care with a box of these.

Ingredients

If you’re into simple desserts, you’ll be head over heels for this chocolate filled strawberries recipe because it requires only 3 basic ingredients! Scroll down to the recipe card to see the quantities of each ingredient.

• Strawberries: This recipe is perfect when strawberries are in season and abundant. The taste of fresh, juicy strawberries is divine!
• Chocolate: Feel free to use whatever chocolate your heart desires for the filling. White, milk, semi-sweet, bittersweet, and dark chocolate are all feasible options.
• Cream cheese adds a subtle tang that contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of the chocolate. And no worries about softening the cream cheese; the warm, melted chocolate will do that for you.

You’ll also want to grab a microwave-safe mixing bowl, a whisk, a pastry bag, and a small piping tip (nozzle).

What strawberries are best for this recipe?

The quality of your strawberries will make or break this dessert. When buying fruit, look for large, ripe berries without soft spots or browning. Juicy, sun-ripened strawberries are best. And the bigger the strawberries are, the more chocolate filling can be stuffed in.

What is the best chocolate for chocolate filled strawberries?

Chocolate filled strawberries turn out best with a good-quality chocolate bar. I prefer chocolate bars over chocolate chips because they melt more smoothly than chips or candy melts.

You can make the cream cheese filling with any kind of chocolate you like. White, milk, and semi-sweet or dark chocolate are all good options.

However, you will need to adjust the chocolate-to-cream cheese ratio depending on the type of chocolate you use. That is to ensure that the frosting firms up. Here’s a breakdown of the different ratios:

• Semisweet + dark chocolate:  4 oz chocolate + 4 oz cream cheese
• Milk chocolate: 5 oz chocolate + 4 oz cream cheese
• White chocolate: 6.5 oz chocolate + 4 oz cream cheese

Garnishes

You can keep your stuffed strawberries as simple or complex as you’d like. As a finishing touch, try one of the following ideas to garnish your chocolate filled strawberries.

• Graham cracker or cookie crumbs: For a bit of crunch, crush a couple of Graham crackers or cookies and sprinkle them onto the cream cheese stuffing.
• Mini chocolate chips add even more chocolate to every bite.
• Sprinkles: For a pop of color, decorate the chocolate filling with sprinkles. Put the sprinkles on shortly before serving, as they might soften otherwise.
• Chocolate drizzle: Fill melted chocolate into a small piping bag, snip off the tip, and drizzle over well-chilled chocolate cream-filled strawberries.

How to make chocolate filled strawberries

Can we agree that strawberries and chocolate are the BEST combo? They are just made for each other! Here are the easy steps for making chocolate stuffed strawberries.

#1: Make chocolate filling

Place the chopped chocolate in a large, microwave-safe mixing bowl. Using medium power, microwave in 20-second bursts until fully melted. Stir the chocolate between each burst. Be careful not to burn the chocolate.

#2: Mix cheesecake filling

Once the chocolate has fully melted, add the cubed cream cheese into the bowl. Vigorously whisk until the cream cheese and chocolate are perfectly blended, and the mixture looks smooth and uniform.

#3: Chill filling

Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the filling for 30 minutes to 1 hour to firm up.

#4: Prepare the strawberries

While the filling is cooling, prepare the strawberries. Using a small paring knife, cut away the leaves. Carve out the inside of the berry, creating a pocket for filling. Optionally, cut a little foot, but I prefer to just arrange them in a shallow bowl.

#5: Stuff strawberries

Transfer the chilled icing to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip. I used a small star piping nozzle. Pipe icing into each strawberry, creating a little tuff.

#6: Garnish

Optionally, sprinkle the filling with crushed crackers or cookies, sprinkles, or press a few chocolate chips into the filling. You can also cut out hearts out of strawberries using a mini heart cutter. Your chocolate stuffed strawberries are ready!

Refrigerate the strawberries until ready to serve and enjoy them chilled.

Serving suggestions

• Cookies: I love these cheesecake strawberries with chocolate chip cookies, meringue cookies, or simple sugar cookies. The contrast of different textures is so lovely!
• Pretzels: Salty, crunchy mini pretzels pair so well with the sweet, creamy cheesecake stuffed berries.
• Other fruit: Chocolate stuffed strawberries go well with other fruit like these sugared prosecco grapes. You can also make them part of a charcuterie board.
• Drinks: Serve lemonade, iced tea, mimosas, or bubbly alongside this elegant fruit dessert.

Variations

• Raspberries or apricots: Swap out strawberries for raspberries or apricot halves.
• Ganache filling: Instead of the cream cheese filling, stuff your hollowed-out strawberries with ganache like my ruby chocolate ganache or this classic chocolate ganache from Martha Stewart.
• Chocolate coating: If desired, cover the outside of the strawberries in chocolate. Melt 2 oz chocolate. Then dip the tip of the strawberries into the melted chocolate. Place the berries on a lined baking sheet and refrigerate until set.

Storage instructions

How to store chocolate fill strawberries

Store leftover cheesecake strawberries in an airtight food container in the fridge. Position the berries upright and close to each other so they don’t fall over. Keep in mind that the strawberry juices will release after a while and soften the filling a bit.

How long do chocolate stuffed strawberries last?

• At room temperature: The cheesecake strawberries can be at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours during serving.
• Refrigerator: Stuffed strawberries will be good for 3 to 4 days, but the strawberries will begin to lose their freshness after the second day. Remove any gone-bad berries.

Making stuffed strawberries ahead of time

Chocolate cheesecake stuffed strawberries taste best freshly made, and I recommend preparing them only 1 day ahead of time.

However, you can whip up the chocolate cream cheese filling up to 3 days in advance. Be sure to store the mixture tightly covered in the refrigerator. When it’s time for serving, stuff the berries and serve them right away.

Can you freeze chocolate filled strawberries?

No, stuffed strawberries aren’t suitable for freezing. The cream cheese filling holds up well, but the texture of the strawberries will change quite a bit. Frozen and thawed strawberries tend to be soft, close to mushy, and lose some of their juices. Honestly, though, I doubt you’ll have any leftovers!