4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
24 mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Start by washing the strawberries thoroughly and patting them completely dry with a paper towel. Remove the green leafy tops by cutting a flat slice across the stem end so the strawberries can stand upright on a plate. Then, cut off the top third of each strawberry to create the hat piece and set these small triangles aside.
In a small mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and alcohol-free vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. You can use a hand mixer for the best results or simply whisk it vigorously by hand until no lumps remain. Transfer this mixture into a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip or a plastic storage bag with the corner snipped off.
Pipe a generous mound of the cream cheese mixture onto the flat top of the large strawberry bases. This will serve as Santa’s face and the base of his hat. Be careful not to pipe too much or the hat might slide off, but ensure there is enough white showing to create a clear face area.
Gently place the reserved strawberry tops back onto the cream cheese mounds to form the hats. Pipe a tiny dot of the cream mixture onto the very tip of each hat to create a pom-pom. You can also pipe two small dots on the front of the strawberry base to look like buttons on Santa’s coat.
Carefully press two mini chocolate chips into the cream cheese face to create the eyes. If you find this tricky, you can use a pair of clean tweezers to place them precisely. Once finished, place the treats on a serving platter and keep them chilled until you are ready to serve them to your guests.
