Gourmet Chocolate Spoons Knockoff!

I've been busy crafting up a storm for Christmas! I am so excited to see the reactions on everyone's face when I give them their personalized gifts! Since some of them might be reading, though, I'll probably have to share those projects after Christmas.

Most of the day yesterday I was shopping for groceries and making chocolate covered spoons to go with some other gifts that I made. I've always seen these spoons in gourmet cafes or little gift shops and thought they looked so cute {and yummy!}, but I had never made them. After I made these spoons,. I wish I had known sooner how easy they really are to make! My head is reeling with possibilities now; birthday favors, weddings, winter get-togethers, coffee time, the list could go on and on!

First, I had to gather all of my ingredients.

Chocolate Chips
Toppings (this could be anything: peppermint, sprinkles, coconut, chopped nuts, etc.)
Shortening
Spoons (most any kind will do!)
Wax Paper
Cookie Sheet

Optional"

Small Plastic Treat Bags
Twist Ties

*Note: I used milk chocolate chips for these spoons. I tried the below recipes with white chocolate chips, and it didn't turn out so hot. There must be some other *secret* recipe for making these with white chocolate. If someone knows the secret to getting the white chocolate right, let me in on it!


Once your ingredients are together, make sure they are in appropriate sized pieces to fit on each spoon. I used candy canes for my peppermint spoons. Well, turns out that candy cane crushing business was a bit more involved than I had anticipated. I actually used a pizza cutter {hey, it's what was on hand} to cut the candy canes into the pieces you see in the bowl above. Those pieces weren't small enough, though. So what does a woman resort to when she's frustrated? That's right, a hammer!

 I went out in my garage and laid down an old bath towel. Then I placed the candy canes into a plastic baggie and laid it in between the two sides of the towel and went at it with a hammer! See? Much better. :)

I started by melting 2 teaspoons of shortening and 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl until it was nice and runny, but didn't wait too long for fear that the chocolate would burn = not fun! This much chocolate should yield at least a dozen spoons.

Then I dipped each spoons in the chocolate mixture and waited until all of the excess chocolate dripped off.

Once I got rid of the excess, I laid each spoon down onto my cookie sheet covered with wax paper.

When the chocolate was not yet "dry," I sprinkled my toppings over all of my chocolate covered spoons.

Then I got impatient. [Me, impatient? Never!...Yea. Right.] So instead of waiting 20 minutes or so for the spoons to dry, I placed some of mine in the freezer. It's your choice on how you decide yours should dry, either way works.

Once I made sure that each spoon was totally dry and hardened, I used small plastic treat bags and twist ties to cover each spoon.

Don't they look lovely? I hope my family enjoys stirring their hot cocoa with them this Christmas!

Project was shared here, here, here, here, here, here,  here, here, here, here, and here.