Chocolate dipping spoons

An edible holiday gift the kids can make!

These spoons – perfect for stirring extra deliciousness into a mug of hot chocolate, steamed milk or coffee – were one of our favourite teachers’ gifts for years. Easy enough for the kids to make themselves, they looked so pretty packaged up with a gift card for a coffee shop or (ahem) ‘other type of beverage’ store. My kids were so proud to deliver something they had handmade, and I know they were appreciated by the recipients too. Look for metal spoons at your favourite thrift store, dollar store or hardware store if you would prefer them over plastic. The recipe calls for white and dark chocolate chips but you can use also milk chocolate, mint chocolate or salted caramel baking chips to make these festive dipping spoons.

Ingredients

Dark chocolate spoons:

• 3/4 cup (185 mL) dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 mL) ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon (.65 mL) chili powder
• coarse (sanding) sugar
• 12 metal or plastic spoons

White chocolate spoons:

• 3/4 cup (185 mL) white chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) vegetable oil
• crushed peppermint candies
• 12 metal or plastic spoons

Method

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a microwave-safe glass measure or sturdy mug, carefully melt dark chocolate chips on medium power, stirring every minute or so until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
• Add cinnamon, chili powder and vegetable oil to chocolate mixture and stir well to blend (the oil will make the chocolate smoother and easier to dip).
• Dip a portion of each spoon’s bowl into the chocolate mixture (you don’t want the coating to be too thick).
• Place on the parchment-lined baking sheet and immediately sprinkle with coarse sugar.
• Let stand about 10 – 15 minutes until set.
• Repeat the above process in a clean vessel with the white chocolate chips; stir in vegetable oil and dip the remaining spoons. Immediately after dipping, sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies and let set.
• Wrap spoons individually in small candy bags and tie with a ribbon or butcher’s twine, labelling with instructions to use as a stirring spoon for coffee, hot milk or hot chocolate.

Yield: 2 dozen.