Strawberry Santas....HO-HO-HO!

You will be the talk of the party if you arrive with these cute little Santa's.  I made these little guys for the first time today for the 10th floor Holiday Potluck at work, and they were a big hit!  I also took a plate down to the CMPD South Division.  Served on a bed of shredded coconut to resemble snow....so cute!

Here's what you need...and strawberries, of course!

Santa Strawberries

Adapted from this recipe

1 dozen strawberries

1 8 oz. Cool Whip    

Handful of chocolate sprinkles
Pastry bag and tips (or) two large ZipLoc bags

Using a paring knife, slice the leafy end off each strawberry so they stand up evenly. Then slice the tip off to make a little hat.  I did about 7-8 Santa's at a time and lined them up on a folded paper towel to absorb some of the juice.  This way you can place the hat in front so the hats don't get mixed up (no laughing -- I'm sure I have a little OCD somewhere in my family.)

All shapes and sizes....just like us.  :o)

I used a pastry bag to pipe out the Cool Whip.  If you don't already own one....it is a very inexpensive kitchen tool that you will use over and over and over and over!  Pipe out the Cool Whip for the little head, then plop the little hat on top.  

This is the size pastry bag and tips I used.  

You can buy these Wilton products at Micheal's and other craft stores.  The tips are very inexpensive (something like $.99/ea.)  If you don't have a pastry bag or you don't think you'll use it often, a large ZipLoc bag works very well.  For the buttons and hat, the hole should be no larger than a pin-head. Super tiny.  Use a separate bag for the face and cut a slightly larger hole.  Cut a very small hole for the face and test it.  If it's not large enough, cut a little more and test it again.  Keep testing until you get the size face that looks like the picture.  You can make the cut larger -- you can't make it smaller.

  

A Zip-Loc bag works well to pipe out the Cool Whip if you don't have a pastry bag, but
Wilton pastry bags and tips are an inexpensive addition to your kitchen gadgets.
Don't be scared....go get one! ;)

Place two chocolate sprinkles on Santa's "face" for the eyes.  

TIP: I found the sprinkles very hard to pick up and put on the face without messing up the face.  Dip your finger in water and then pick up a sprinkle using the flat side of your wet finger -- that made it easier to place the sprinkle on the face.    

This was the first time I've made these Santa's -- the next time I think I will chop up some of the sprinkles so the eyes are smaller.
  

You're done! Store them in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Enjoy! 

♥ 

Updated photos from 2014:

2014 Gift Shop Treat Table

I served these little guys on a bed of shredded coconut to give the appearance of snow
(an idea I saw in a magazine). Very cute!