These irresistible Strawberry Bites are the perfect healthy frozen treat featuring frozen strawberries, chia seeds, and a creamy yogurt or luscious chocolate coating. Enjoy as an afternoon snack, after-dinner dessert or serve them at your next summer party!
Updated June 2023
Chocolate Strawberry Jam Bites
Are you looking for a guilt-free dessert or a refreshing snack to beat the heat? These mouthwatering Strawberry Bites are a delightful and healthy frozen treat with a delightful combination of fruity sweetness and decadent chocolate.
With two delicious coatings to choose from the filling is made with frozen strawberries, chia seeds, maple syrup, and either a creamy yogurt coating or a delectable chocolate coating. Whether you’re looking for a guilt-free dessert or a refreshing snack, these chocolate coated strawberry clusters are sure to satisfy and are also gluten-free, vegan, paleo, refined-sugar free and easily keto.
They are the perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess, making them a hit with both kids and adults and are bound to be a family favorite. Freeze a batch for future enjoyment or serve them at your next gathering to impress your guests.
Ingredients you need
- Strawberries: These vibrant berries are the star of the show, providing natural sweetness and a burst of fruity flavor to the bites.
- Chia Seeds: Chia seeds act as a binding agent, helping to thicken the strawberry mixture and create a jam-like consistency. If you prefer not to consume / un-soaked raw chia seeds, you can soak them in 1/2 cup of cold water for 30 minutes and then drain them before adding them to the berries.
- Maple Syrup: This liquid sweetener adds a touch of sweetness to balance the tartness of the strawberries and enhance their natural flavor. You can adjust the amount according to your taste preferences.
- Vanilla Extract: The vanilla extract infuses the strawberry mixture with a warm and aromatic flavor, elevating the overall taste of the bites.
- Water: If needed, water can be added to adjust the consistency of the strawberry mixture. It helps create a spreadable texture and ensures the bites are not overly thick.
For the 2 coatings (Use both or use your preferred chocolate)
- Yogurt Coating: We recommend dairy-free plain Greek-style yogurt, like Kite-Hill, Cocojune, or Yoggu, which adds a creamy and tangy element to the bites. If you’re not dairy-free, regular Greek yogurt works as a great alternative.
- Dark Chocolate or White Chocolate: Depending on your preference, you can opt for dairy-free white or dark chocolate chips/bars. Brands like Hu’s Kitchen, Pascha’s Chocolate, Eating Evolved, Lily’s Sweets, or Enjoy Life offer excellent dairy-free options.
- Coconut Oil: Including a small amount of coconut oil helps make the chocolate coating easier to melt and apply.
- Flakey Sea Salt: A sprinkle of flakey sea salt over the dark chocolate coating adds a delightful savory element, balancing the sweetness and enhancing the overall taste experience of the bites.
How to make Strawberry Bites
Prepare the Strawberry Mixture:
- In a bowl, combine the frozen strawberries, chia seeds, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
- Mash the ingredients together using a fork until you achieve a thick jam-like consistency. You can let the mixture sit for a while to make the mashing process easier.
- Taste the mixture and adjust the sweetness or add water if necessary.
Shape and Freeze the Strawberry Bites:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Drop spoonfuls of the strawberry mixture onto the parchment paper, forming even circular mounds.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer and let the bites freeze for 1-2 hours, or until they become hardened and set.
Prepare the Chocolate Coatings:
- Melt the white chocolate and dark chocolate separately. You can use the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring well in between, or opt for a double-boiler on the stove.
- Add coconut oil to each chocolate variety for smoother melting.
- Choose Coating of Choice: yogurt or melted dark/white chocolate mixed with coconut oil.
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- Coat: Dip the frozen jam bites into the coating of choice and place them back on the baking sheet.
- Optional drizzle: Drizzle dark chocolate-coated bites with white chocolate or yogurt-coated bites with melted dark chocolate.
- Garnish: Sprinkle chocolate-coated bites with flaky sea salt for added flavor.
- Re-Freeze the Jam Bites: Freeze the bites again for 20 minutes until the coatings are set.
- Serve and enjoy: Once the chocolate coatings are firm, your Strawberry Clusters are ready to enjoy. Thaw for a minute or two if they are too hard from the freezer.
Tips for Success
- Slightly thaw the frozen strawberries before mashing them with chia seeds, maple syrup, and vanilla. This will make the mixture easier to work with.
- Ensure the strawberries are properly mashed to achieve the desired jam-like consistency.
- Adjust the sweetness by adding more maple syrup or a sticky liquid sweetener of your choice.
- If the mixture seems too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- When forming the circular mounds, you can use a large spoon or your hands to shape them, whichever is more convenient for you.
- Use parchment paper to prevent the bites from sticking to the baking sheet.
- Ensure the chocolate is melted in short increments, stirring well in between to prevent overheating.
- Drizzling the contrasting chocolate over the coated bites adds a beautiful touch.
Storage and Freezer Instructions
- Once the Strawberry Bites are fully set, transfer them to an airtight container.
- Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
- To freeze, place the bites in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper in between the layers to prevent sticking.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve these strawberry jam clusters as a delightful dessert at parties or gatherings.
- Pair them with a refreshing glass of iced tea or lemonade for a delightful summer treat.
- Add them to a dessert platter alongside other bite-sized treats for a stunning presentation.
- Elevate these chocolate coated strawberries by serving them with a dollop of coconut whipped cream or a sprinkle of powdered sugar. These bites are perfect for a light dessert after a meal or as a refreshing treat on a hot day.
Variations and Substitutions: Get creative and personalize our Strawberry Bites with these variations:
- Mixed Berry Bites: Swap the frozen strawberries for blackberries, raspberries like these Chocolate Jam Bites, blueberries like these Blueberry Yogurt Clusters, or use a combination of all four for a mixed berry twist.
- Nutty Crunch: Add some shredded coconut or chopped nuts, such as almonds or walnuts, to the strawberry mixture for an added crunch.
- Seeds: Instead of chia seeds, you can use ground flaxseeds as a binding agent.
- Chocolate Coating: Experiment with different coatings such as milk chocolate, caramel, or even matcha white chocolate.
More healthy frozen fruit recipes you will love:
These irresistible Strawberry Bites are the perfect blend of sweet and tangy treat featuring frozen strawberries, chia seeds, and a luscious chocolate coating. They are an indulgent and delightful treat for any occasion and the perfect blend of sweet and tangy and are also vegan, paleo, refined-sugar free and easily keto.
- 1 cup frozen strawberries , unthawed or thawed very slightly enough to mash with a fork. Feel free to use raspberries, blueberries or blackberries if preferred.
- 2-3 tsp chia seeds , if you prefer not to consume / un-soaked raw chia seeds, you can soak them in 1/2 cup of cold water for 30 minutes and then drain them before adding them to the berries.
- 2-3 tsp maple syrup , or sticky liquid sweetener of choice (can use Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup, liquid monk fruit for keto). Add more to taste depending on preference and how sweet the berries are
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tsp water , only as needed if the mixture seems too thick
- ½ - 1 cup dairy-free plain Greek-style yogurt , we like Kite-Hill, Cocojune or Yoggu. (or sub regular Greek yogurt if not plant-based / dairy-free). Use less or more as needed - for melting and coating.
- ½ - 1 cup dairy-free white OR dark chocolate chips / bar (or sub regular white, dark or semi-sweet chocolate of choice if not dairy-free). Use less or more as needed - for melting and coating. We like Hu's Kitchen, Pascha's Chocolate, Eating Evolved, Lily's Sweets or Enjoy Life for dairy-free option.
- ½ - 1 tsp coconut oil for easier melting
Add the strawberries to a bowl. Add the chia seeds, maple syrup and vanilla. Use a fork to mash together (this may take a while or let the mixture sit for a bit prior to mashing or in the middle of mashing so that it’s easier once the fruit melts) until the mixture resembles a very thick jam (that you can mold into separate circle mounds). Taste and add more sweetener / or water only as needed.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop a large spoonful (about 2 tablespoons full or bigger) of jam onto the parchment paper in an even circular mound / shape (can also use hands to form into circle mounds). Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze for 1-2 hours, or until hardened and set.
- Once the jam bites are almost set, melt the white chocolate and dark chocolate separately with coconut oil in the microwave in 20-second increments (stirring well in between) or over a double-boiler on the stove.
For the Yogurt Coating: Carefully dip one of the frozen jam bites into the yogurt. Place the yogurt coated jam bite back on the baking sheet. Drizzle the jam bites with a tiny bit of melted dark chocolate in a zig-zag pattern, if desired.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer again for another 20 minutes or until set. Serve and enjoy. (Thaw for 1-2 minutes if the bites are too hard).
For the White Chocolate OR Dark Chocolate Coating: Once the jam bites are almost set, melt the white chocolate OR dark chocolate separately with coconut oil in the microwave in 20-second increments (stirring well in between) or over a double-boiler on the stove.
Carefully dip one of the frozen jam bites into the melted white / dark / semi-sweet chocolate. Place the chocolate coated jam bites back on the baking sheet. Drizzle the white / dark chocolate jam bites with a tiny bit more of melted chocolate in a zig-zag pattern, if desired. Lightly sprinkle the dark chocolate jam bites with a little bit of flakey sea salt.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer again for another 20 minutes or until set.
Serve and enjoy. (Thaw for 1-2 minutes if the bites are too hard).
Disclaimer: This updated post was generated on June 24, 2023 by ChatGPT, an AI language model, and all info should be reviewed and validated by a human for accuracy and relevancy before implementation.
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