Chocolate Dipped Goodies

Chocolate dipped goodies is a wonderful snack any time of the day! You can dip chocolate into anything such as fruit, popcorn, pretzels, you can even dip chocolate into chocolate! You can dress them up with other things as well, such as sprinkles, nuts and even candy. They are great for holiday get togethers, parties, or a late night snack. Children are always finding new things to dip into chocolate and I have some great recipes that I know you and your children will love!

Chocolate-Dipped Popcorn Pops

Ingredients:

• 4 quarts popped popcorn ( about 2/3 cup unpopped)
• 1 cup peanuts
• 1 cup light molasses
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 16 popsicle sticks
• Chocolate chips

Directions: Combine, popped popcorn and peanuts in a large bowl. In a 2-quart saucepan combine molasses, sugar, and salt. cook over medium heat to hard ball stage ( 260 degrees) Pour syrup slowly over popped corn and peanuts. Mix well. Press into 5-oz cold cups. Insert popsicle sticks, let cool. When cooled, just tap the bottoms of cups, and they should come out easy. Melt chocolate chips and dip each pop into the chocolate or you can drizzle pops with chocolate. Just put melted chocolate into a sandwich baggy, snip one end with scissors, and drizzle! Makes: 16 servings

Chocolate-Dipped Breakfast Waffles

Ingredients:

• 4 frozen waffles
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 tsp shortening
• colored jimmies
  
• ice cream (1/2 cup scoops)
• whipped cream (optional)
• Chocolate syrup (optional)
  

Directions: Toast waffles in a toaster. Cut each waffle in half. Melt chocolate in microwave with a microwave safe bowl. Add shortening to melted chocolate. Mix well. Dip each waffle half in chocolate. Place on a waxed baking pan sheet. Sprinkle jimmes on the chocolate end and place in refrigerator to let harden. When chocolate is completely hard take out and scoop ice cream on each waffle. Top with whipped cream and syrup. Makes 8 servings

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dipped Pretzels

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
  
• 1 bag of mini pretzels
  

Directions: Melt chocolate and peanut butter chips on a stove or double broiler. Make sure you do not burn it. Stir constantly as you melt them together. When fully melted, place one pretzel at a time on a fork, lowering it into melted mix. Coat entire pretzel. Place them on a waxed baking pan sheet and place into refrigerator for about 1 hour. Let harden. When completely hard they are ready to eat. Enjoy!

Chocolate-Dipped Cherries

Ingredients:

• 60 cherries with stems
• 3 tbsp butter, soften
• 3 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 1/2 pounds chocolate, (candy coating)

Directions: Wash cherries and place them on a paper towel. Combine butter, corn syrup, and salt. Stir in sifted powdered sugar. Knead sugar mixture until smooth. (let chill if your mixture is too soft) Shape 1 teaspoon of the sugar mixture around each cherry. Place on a waxed-paper lined baking sheet. Chill. In a small heavy saucepan melt chocolate, stirring constantly. Do not add any liquid. Holding cherries by stems, dip one at a time. Spoon chocolate over cherries to make sure well coated. Place cherries on another waxed-paper baking sheet. Chill until chocolate is hard. Store candy in a covered container in a cool place. Let candies ripen a week or two. Makes 60 chocolate covered cherries!

Chocolate-Dipped Bananas (pictured above)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 3 medium ripe bananas
• Peanuts (cut long ways)
• 6 popsicle sticks
  

Directions: Peel ripe bananas and then cut in half. Put one popsicle stick in each banana in the middle where you cut, leaving round tip at top . Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Be careful not to burn the chocolate. Hold bananas at the stick and dip each one about halfway in melted chocolate. Sprinkle with nuts. Place bananas on waxed paper baking sheet and put in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Take out and enjoy! Makes 6 servings

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries (pictured above)

Ingredients:

• 16 oz milk chocolate chips
• 8 oz white chocolate chips
• 1 pound strawberries

Directions: Wash all strawberries in a colander, place on a paper towel to dry. Melt only milk chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Once chocolate is melted, dip strawberries half way in chocolate then lay them on waxed paper baking sheet. Place in refrigerator until hard. When chocolate is hard, melt white chocolate and drizzle over strawberries for a finishing touch. Place strawberries back into refrigerator and let harden for about 1 hour. Makes: 3-4 servings

Chocolate-Dipped Gummy Bears  (pictured above)

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. gummy bears
• 1 bag milk chocolate chips

Directions: Melt chocolate chips on the stove, be careful not to burn chocolate. Stir chocolate constantly. When melted, take off heat. Dip gummy bears and lay them on a waxed paper baking sheet in the refrigerator for 1 hour to harden. After chocolate is harden, take gummy bears off waxed sheet and place over ice cream.

Chocolate-Dipped Mini Marshmallows

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 pkg mini marshmellows
• 1 cup crushed peanuts
• toothpicks

Directions: Melt chocolate chips in the microwave. Place a toothpick halfway in the marshmallow (looks like a Q-tip.) Hold other side of toothpick and dip each marshmallow in melted chocolate. Place them on wax paper. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts. Let harden. When chocolate is hard put them in your favorite ice cream or on any dessert.