How to Dip Candy in Chocolate Without a Mess: Easy Guide

Last Updated on January 14, 2023

Struggling to dip your caramel candies? Always end up with a dirty kitchen after dipping food in chocolate? Knowing how to dip candy in chocolate without making a mess will save you stress in the kitchen.

From caramels to truffles, dipping candies in chocolate makes for a delightful treat. They are great for serving at parties or for holidays, as your guests will love them. However, working with chocolate can be messy, which can result in a dirty kitchen. So how to dip candy in chocolate? Let’s take a closer look.

What You Will Need to Dip Candy in Chocolate

For this tutorial on how to dip candy in chocolate without making a mess, you will need:

• Prepared candies
• Dipping chocolate
• Microwave safe bowl or double broiler
• Rubber spatula
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheet
• Dipping tool or fork
• Paper Towels
• Paring Knife

Wilton Candy Melts Candy Dipping Tool Set, 3-Piece

Step By Step: How to Dip Candy in Chocolate Without Making a Mess

Step One: Prepare a Clean Workspace

Clean a workplace on your kitchen counter. Make sure you allow yourself plenty of space to work. If you are worried about spilling any chocolate on your counters, put down some paper towels.

Step Two: Allow the Candies to Form a Skin

Allow your candies to form a skin so they will hold together when dipping them in chocolate. You can achieve this by letting them sit out overnight at a cool room temperature, or by placing them in the freezer for 10-30 minutes. The skin prevents them from being too soft when dipping, which can lead to messy, misshapen candies.

Step Three: Melt the Chocolate

With a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler, carefully melt the chocolate. If using the microwave, microwave in 30-second intervals until the chocolate is fully melted, stirring after every interval.

Step Four: Line a Baking Sheet

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it somewhere easily within reach of your melted chocolate.

Step Five: Dip Your Candies

Using a dipping tool or fork, dip your candies in the chocolate. Place the fork or dipping tool under the center of the candy. Carefully lower the candy into the chocolate, pushing it just under the top of the chocolate.

Slowly lift the candy out of the chocolate and tap the fork several times on the side of the bowl to remove any excess. Gently slide the bottom of the fork over the lip of the bowl to remove any additional excess. Carefully set the chocolate-covered candy on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step Six: Allow the Candy to Set

Allow the candy to set on the parchment paper until it is dry. Though it may be tempting to move the candy early, you want to avoid doing this as this may cause smudges. The candy should dry at a cool room temperature, or in the fridge for a few hours.

Step Seven: Trim the Candies

Once the candies are set, you can trim off any excess chocolate at the bottom. Use a sharp paring knife to carefully trim the edges.

Tips and Tricks on How to Dip Candy in Chocolate 

To get the best results for your chocolate-covered candies, it is recommended to use high-quality dipping chocolate. Not only will the candies taste better dipped in high-quality chocolate, but they will also look better as well.

If you want to spruce up your chocolate-covered candies, you can add toppings such as sprinkles or sea salt. Not only will this enhance the taste, but it will also give them a lovely look. Simply add your toppings right after placing the chocolate-covered candies on the parchment paper. 

If you want your chocolate to have a professional finish with a shiny coating and satisfying snap, you can temper your chocolate. Tempering chocolate is not hard, but it does require a candy thermometer and time. However, if you are pressed for time, you can simply melt your chocolate and skip tempering it.



Be sure to avoid working with dipping chocolate in hot temperatures. This will not only make it extra messy but your chocolate will not be set properly. It is best to work in a cool environment, where the temperature is between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit, to prevent messy candies.

Find more Delicious Recipes here:

• The Most Incredible Chocolate Fudge Frosting Recipes
• 2 Amazing Chocolate Buttercream for Candies

What is the Best Dipping Tool for Chocolate?

If you’re looking for the perfect tool for dipping candy in chocolate, a chocolate dipping fork is exactly what you need. As well as that, you should buy a chocolate skimmer. They usually come in a duo pack and are reasonably inexpensive. A chocolate dipping fork is perfect for foods such as fruit and fudge. Whereas the chocolate skimmer is ideal for foods such as nuts and truffles. These will help you to dip into chocolate with ease.

How to Dip Candy Balls in Chocolate

If you’re looking to coat candy balls in chocolate, it’s easier than you may think. You can either use a chocolate dipping fork or a standard fork (the chocolate dipping fork will have a much better grip). Then all you need to do is place the fork into the candy ball and dip it entirely into your melted chocolate. Once coated, tap the fork onto the side of the bowl so any excess falls into the bowl. Then, you’ll need to use a toothpick to gently ease the candy ball onto a lined baking sheet.

Best Dipping Chocolate Recipe

If you want to make quick and fun dipping chocolate, then look no further. It doesn’t require many ingredients and doesn’t take long to make at all! For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 200g of chopped milk chocolate
• 100ml of double cream
• 2 tablespoons of golden syrup
• 40g of unsalted butter

Now all you need to do is:

1. Grab a heat-proof bowl and pour in the double cream, as well as the chopped milk chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
2. Heat a small amount of water in a pan and wait until it’s simmering. Once simmering, place the bowl of chocolate and double cream above the water (make sure it does not touch). Wait for the chocolate to melt and then remove it from the heat.
3. Add the syrup and butter to the pan and mix well until the dipping chocolate becomes smooth. Leave to cool, and serve. Enjoy!

Can I Use Chocolate Chips for Dipping?

Of course! While it’s best to use candy melts for dipping chocolate, you can use any chocolate that you like. For ease, chocolate chips are the best option. It’s important to mention that this type of chocolate won’t temper and it may not look as appealing as chocolate made for tempering…but it will taste just as good!

How to Melt Chocolate Effectively

If you’re looking for ways to melt chocolate effectively, there are two ways that I’d recommend. Let’s take a look:

• Double Boiler. For this method, you’ll need to heat around an inch of water in a pan and place a heat-proof bowl over the top of the pan. Once the water is simmering, add the chocolate to the top bowl and heat on low. Stir occasionally until melted.
• Microwave. For this method, you’ll need a microwave-safe bowl or Tupperware. Now all you need to do is add your chocolate and melt in 20-second intervals. After every 20 seconds, stir and place back in the microwave. Repeat until melted.

What is the Best Candy for Dipping?

I’ve found that the best candy for dipping is one of the following:

• Wilton
• FunCakes
• Ghirardelli

These brands are available in most grocery stores and online.

Mess-Free Melted Chocolate Candies

Though working with chocolate can be messy, it doesn’t have to be. By carefully following these steps, you can avoid stress by neatly dipping your candies without making a mess. This will result in better-looking chocolate-covered candies and less of a mess. 

Did you enjoy this tutorial on how to dip candy in chocolate without making a mess? If so, please share your thoughts in the comments down below and share this article with your friends and family. Sharing is caring!