Let's build little Santas out of strawberries, with a cream beard and a pointy hat! This easy no-cook recipe is for ages 5 to 10 (grades K–4th), takes about 15 minutes and serves 4. Crumb, our tiny chef, reads every step aloud with a picture, so a child can follow along.
Strawberry Santas are one of the quickest Christmas treats: a strawberry cut in two, a blob of whipped cream, and two chocolate-chip eyes. A grown-up does the one knife cut, and a child does the rest, so the whole plate is ready in about fifteen minutes.
Ingredients
8 strawberries
½ cup whipped cream½ cup (120 ml) whipped cream
2 tablespoons chocolate chips
Tools
A cutting board, A sharp knife (grown-up), A plate, A big spoon.
Steps
Wash your hands with soap for twenty seconds.
Rinse 8 strawberries under cold water and pat them dry.
Grown-up step: A grown-up cuts off the green tops, then slices the pointy tip off each berry for a hat.
Stand each big berry on the plate, cut side up.
Spoon a blob of ½ cup of whipped cream onto each berry.Spoon a blob of ½ cup (120 ml) of whipped cream onto each berry.
Press a hat on top of each blob, pointy end up.
Dot a little cream on the tip of each hat for a pompom.
Press two chocolate chips into each cream beard for eyes.
Line up your Santas on a plate. Ho ho ho!
Safety notes
Sharp! A grown-up does this part.
Contains milk, soy. Tap "Allergies?" on the Kitchen's front page and the swaps fill themselves in where there is one.
Read the label on packets for allergies.
Kitchen science
A strawberry wears its seeds on the outside: each little seed is really its own tiny fruit stuck to the red, juicy part.
Make it your own
Use a mini marshmallow for each pompom.
Swap the chocolate chips for blueberries and make blue-eyed Santas.
Try thick yogurt instead of whipped cream.
Questions about strawberry santas
How do you make strawberry Santas?
Cut the green tops off, then slice the pointy tip off each berry for a hat. Stand the wide bottom up, add a blob of whipped cream, set the hat on it, put a dot of cream on the tip and press two chocolate chips in for eyes.
Can I make strawberry Santas ahead of time?
Make them up to a few hours ahead and keep them in the fridge. Cream can slump, so add the eyes and the pompom just before serving.
What can I use instead of whipped cream?
A thick yogurt works, as does cream cheese softened with a little sugar. Check the label for allergens.
Are they safe for young children?
A grown-up cuts the berries. Whole berries and chocolate chips are small, so for little ones under 4 cut the berries into pieces and leave off the chips.