Once heart-shaped candy boxes start to dazzle the end caps of grocery store aisles, I am reminded of how much I adore two things: dessert and Valentine’s Day. Not only do I love love, but I also love making desserts for others, so come February, I get especially excited thinking about all the Valentine’s Day desserts I’m going to surprise my loved ones with. There’s simply no better way to show someone you care than with a delicious treat made just for them. If planning my whole month around dessert is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
With that said, there are so many dessert recipes on the internet that would be perfect for Valentine’s Day that it can be almost impossible to choose which one (or three) to make this year. Whether you plan to attend a Galentine’s Day party, prepare a sweet treat for your significant other, or simply indulge in your favorite dessert while you rewatch cheesy rom-coms on the couch, here are 35 of the best Valentine’s Day desserts to choose from.
1. Raspberry Blondies
A little pop of red works just as well in your dessert as it does in your outfit. These blondie bars are rich, sweet, and perfect for a post-dinner treat. The secret to their soft, tender texture? Applesauce!
2. Salted Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
A cookie skillet is an elite-tier date-night dessert. It’s warm, gooey, shareable (romantic), and finished with a pinch of sea salt for that sweet-salty magic. Even better: The only equipment you need is a skillet and one mixing bowl, so cleanup is minimal.
3. Lemon Pistachio Cake with Lovely Lemon Frosting
If you’re hoping to impress someone special this Valentine’s Day, this fluffy pistachio and lemon cake is the way to go. Sandwich the layers with strawberry jam and top with fresh strawberries for an extra fancy touch. This cake is also gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free as well.
4. 3-Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake
“Flourless” might sound suspicious, but trust me—this fudgy, decadent cake is perfect as is. The recipe only requires three simple ingredients: dark or semi-sweet chocolate, eggs, and salted butter (a lot of butter). I bet you have everything you need in your kitchen right now!
5. Italian Cherry Almond Cookies
These cute little bite-sized treats are easy, gluten-free, and perfect if you’re hosting Galentine’s this year. The maraschino cherries add a fun pop of red and the perfect touch of sweetness to complement the almond cookies. The almond flour is key for the best texture, so don’t swap it out.
6. Affogato
An affogato is an Italian dessert with only two ingredients: espresso and a scoop of gelato or ice cream. It’s simple but so elegant—the perfect dessert to finish off a delicious homemade Valentine’s Day dinner. Pour your hot espresso over a scoop or two of ice cream and enjoy right away!
7. White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
If baking a whole cheesecake sounds too ambitious, this recipe makes a perfect alternative that’s just as delicious, if not more so. Made with white chocolate cheesecake filling, fresh raspberry swirl, and an Oreo cookie crust, these cheesecake bars do still take a bit of chilling time, but the wait is so worth it.
8. Salted Caramel Crème Brûlée
For a Valentine’s Day dessert that tastes straight out of a fancy restaurant, try your hand at this crème brûlée recipe. Made with a delicious salted-caramel custard and a crispy, crackly sugar topping, it’s sure to impress. While the recipe suggests using a kitchen torch to achieve the crust on top, you could totally pop these under your oven’s broiler for a similar effect.
9. DIY Ferrero Rocher Chocolates
Only eight ingredients stand between you and these Ferrero Rocher-inspired truffle bites. They’re rich, chocolatey, and rolled in crispy cornflakes for the perfect crunchy bite. Be sure to leave plenty of time for chilling to achieve a nice rounded shape.
10. 5-Ingredient Raspberry Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
Thumbprint cookies were some of my favorite treats growing up. A buttery, crumbly base with a little jammy middle, it’s basically a Pop-Tart in cookie form. While this recipe calls for raspberry jam, you could substitute any other kind of topping you fancy—apricot jam, lemon curd, blueberry preserves, or apple butter work just as well.
11. Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
If you want something with a little protein kick that’s also melt-in-your-mouth perfect, these chocolate-coated protein balls are a guilt-free way to indulge this Valentine’s Day. Bonus: This recipe doesn’t require any baking, so it couldn’t be easier.
12. Classic Homemade Tiramisu
Tiramisu is another dessert favorite of mine, but something I have never dared to make myself. Luckily, this recipe makes the layered, creamy Italian dessert feel doable. While it does take some love and labor, the payoff is so worth it.
13. Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Made with olive oil instead of butter, this cake is super moist in texture and packed full of zesty lemon flavor. It’s perfect if you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day dessert option that isn’t overly rich. It all comes together in just one hour, with a light dusting of powdered sugar on top to make it look extra fancy.
14. Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes
Brownies, but make them dramatic. This molten chocolate lava cake has the ultimate fudgey center and only takes a few simple ingredients to make. Note: The recipe recommends chocolate bars over chips for the best melt.
15. White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
If you want something dressed in Valentine’s Day hues, these white chocolate strawberry cupcakes are seriously perfect. The recipe calls for strawberry purée in the cupcake batter and freeze-dried strawberries in the frosting for maximum fruity flavor.
16. Chocolate Shortbread Heart Cookies
Nothing screams Valentine’s Day dessert like a heart-shaped cookie. This recipe makes three dozen cookies, so it’s great to share with loved ones. Dip the baked cookies in chocolate and your favorite sprinkles for an extra festive touch.
17. Strawberry Tart
Made with a nutty almond crust and fluffy coconut cream filling, this recipe is both dairy- and gluten-free, so it’ll satisfy all kinds of eaters. Top with fresh strawberries for a light, refreshing Valentine’s Day dessert.
18. Chocolate Mousse
Silky smooth chocolate mousse is a sexy dessert that just seems fitting for the holiday. It’s also surprisingly easy to make and comes together in just 15 minutes. Top it off with a dollop of whipped cream and enjoy.
19. Strawberries and Cream Puppy Chow
Puppy chow was my absolute favorite when I was younger, and this Valentine’s Day version could not be cuter. The recipe uses white chocolate and strawberry cake mix in place of the usual chocolate and peanut butter flavors. Since you won’t be baking the cake mix, be sure to heat-treat it before mixing it into the puppy chow so it’s safe to eat.
20. Baked Chocolate Doughnuts with Stout
A splash of stout (AKA a dark beer with a coffee-like flavor) gives these baked chocolate doughnuts an extra-rich taste. Any chocolate lover is sure to devour these! You’ll need a doughnut pan for this recipe, along with some festive sprinkles for topping.
21. Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
Red velvet cheesecake brownies might be my favorite combination of words ever. As a huge red velvet fan, I can’t think of any better dessert to make for Valentine’s Day. These loaded brownies are incredibly easy to whisk together and can be ready to eat in under an hour!
22. Strawberry Covered Dark Chocolate Truffles
The inside-out version of a chocolate-covered strawberry, these strawberry-covered chocolates are possibly even more delicious. If you don’t have any fancy dinner plans, making these on Valentine’s Day evening can be a fun staying-in activity that comes together in under 20 minutes!
23. Red Velvet Cake for Two
If you want a Valentine’s Day dessert that’s perfectly sized for two, this red velvet cake recipe is your answer. The final product is a small 6-inch cake covered in a sweet cream cheese frosting—ideal for splitting with your SO as an after-dinner treat.
24. Gluten Free Almond Flour Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Grain-free and gluten-free, these cookies are made in just one bowl and topped with velvety, chocolate frosting. Reviewers said they are just as good with flax egg if you want to make them a vegan dessert option, too.
25. Strawberry Cheesecake Chocolate Cookie Cups
These chocolate and strawberry cookie cups are the ultimate Galentine’s Day party treat. They look super cute and on-theme but are fairly easy to make. Just bake some brownie batter in a muffin pan, mix up the strawberry cream cheese topping, and top with a fresh strawberry.
26. Vegan Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry shortcake is such a deliciously simple dessert. Comprised of crumbly biscuits, fresh strawberries, and fluffy whipped cream, it’s the perfect treat for Valentine’s Day. This version is made with coconut cream instead of dairy for an equally yummy vegan alternative.
27. Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Of course, you can always splurge on a box of chocolate-covered strawberries from your favorite chocolatier, but this homemade version guarantees you get the freshest, juiciest bite for a fraction of the price. Decorate with pink icing, crushed Oreo, sprinkles, or whatever else you fancy.
28. Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Chocolate and cherries are an elite dessert combo, and these soft and chewy cookies strike the perfect balance of tart and sweet. The recipe also takes just twenty minutes to make, which is somehow even sweeter.
29. Strawberry Coconut Milk Sorbet
All you need for this Valentine’s Day dessert is some frozen strawberries, coconut milk, and maple syrup. Add to your blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. That’s it!
30. Red Velvet Cake Balls
This recipe starts with red velvet cake mix, so it’s great if baking from scratch is not your vibe. It’s also a fun way to get your hands dirty, as crumbling the cake, rolling the balls, and dunking them in chocolate is sure to make a mess. Have your partner join in for a cute date night activity!
31. Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Bars
No oven involved here. Best enjoyed chilled, these no-bake strawberry cheesecake bars are made with a Golden Oreo crust, fresh strawberries, and layers of creamy cheesecake. They’re basically strawberry shortcake in bar form!
32. Valentine’s Day Fudge
Requiring just four ingredients, this Valentine’s Day fudge recipe is super easy and perfect for anyone with a serious sweet tooth. Simply microwave the white chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk, stir to combine, add some vanilla and sprinkles, refrigerate to firm, and enjoy!
33. Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Brownies
Chocolate-covered strawberries meet your favorite fudgy brownie. The brownie base is dotted with chocolate chunks for extra richness and texture, then topped with strawberries and even more melty chocolate.
34. Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
Grab a bag of freeze-dried strawberries to dress up your typical Rice Krispies treats with strawberry flavor and a cute pink hue. All you have to do is crush up the freeze-dried strawberries before mixing with marshmallow, butter, and Rice Krispies. Slice them into squares or use a heart-shaped cutter to make this treat extra festive.
35. Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Dip
Blended with protein-rich cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, cocoa powder, and peanut butter, this dip tastes indulgent but is actually surprisingly nutritious. Serve it with fresh fruit, graham crackers, or pretzels for easy dunking.
Hailey Bouche, Assistant Managing Editor
As Assistant Managing Editor for The Everygirl, Hailey Tagliarino oversees, writes, and edits content across various categories on the site. From the pitching stage through publishing, she works alongside the team to ensure that the content that our readers see every day is inspiring, relatable, and timely.
Madigan Will, Assistant Editor
As an Assistant Editor for The Everygirl, Madigan writes and edits content for every topic under the digital media sun. As the oldest of four siblings, she enjoys utilizing her big sister persona to connect and inspire readers—helping them discover new ways to maximize their everyday.
