Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Desserts 28 Valentine's Day Desserts You'll Love at First Bite And over half of these desserts feature chocolate. (You're welcome!) By Betty Gold Betty Gold Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 30, 2024 Close Photo: Getty Images A romantic dessert is arguably the best part of a holiday that celebrates love, yet our collection of Valentine's Day desserts is by no means limited to couples. Homemade desserts make great gifts for beloved friends and children, too. Consider packing up and shipping less fragile treat options—like cookies and brownies—to loved ones in the mail. We're partial to the ooey-gooey decadence of the chocolate mousse and the marshmallow and chocolate shortbread slices, but we're sure you'll find a Valentine's Day dessert recipe to make your loved one's heart go aflutter. 01 of 28 Pink Lemonade Pie How about a slice of pink lemonade for dessert? This delightfully light pie brings the promise of summer to winter's end. A crust of lemon sandwich cookies and cornflakes supports a creamy filling made from frozen concentrate, topped with pillows of whipped cream. GET THE RECIPE 02 of 28 Tiramisu for Two Greg DuPree As the name suggests, this recipe was designed for two, meaning it's the perfect nightcap for a romantic day together. Did we mention there's bourbon in the mix? And if you don't have time in your Valentine's itinerary to make a dessert, no worries! It can be made two days in advance so that you can focus on celebrating your love. GET THE RECIPE 03 of 28 Superthick Chocolate Chip Cookies Greg DuPree Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen Let your boo know you love them with nearly a dozen of these massive chocolate chip cookies. They have an unbeatable moist and chewy interior that you'll certainly find addictive. Sprinkle with flaky salt while the cookies are still warm. GET THE RECIPE 04 of 28 Cherry Vanilla Bundt Cake Antonis Achilleos It looks like a nondescript, ordinary Bundt until you slice it and discover a cache of sweet, gooey cherries oozing onto its tender, vanilla crumb. Allow at least an hour to cool, and then dust with powdered sugar just before serving. GET THE RECIPE 05 of 28 Easy Chocolate Mousse with Croissant Crumbs Caitlin Bensel The only thing better than homemade chocolate mousse on Valentine's Day is an easy-to-make, ultra-decadent mousse filled with folds of fresh whipped cream topped with croissant breadcrumbs. Serve alongside Champagne and fresh strawberries. GET THE RECIPE 06 of 28 Raspberry Mango Ice Cream Cake Victor Protasio This no-bake dessert looks and slices like a cake but doesn't spend a minute in the oven. The recipe layers vanilla ice cream with mango and raspberry sorbets atop a buttery round-cracker crumb crust. A garnish of fresh fruit and whipped cream makes this colorful treat irresistible. GET THE RECIPE 07 of 28 Strawberry Dust Meringues Caitlin Bensel Create a bit of Valentine's Day magic with just eggs and sugar. These light-as-a-feather meringues are dusted with freeze-dried strawberries, but freeze-dried blueberries or raspberries would also work well. GET THE RECIPE 08 of 28 Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Brownies Alison Miksch This rich brownie layers creamy cheesecake batter, whole Oreos, and chocolaty batter topped with a cheesecake swirl. Work quickly on this one before the brownie batter sets to make swirling the cheesecake mixture easier. These brownies are super fudgy, so let them cool completely in the pan before cutting. GET THE RECIPE 09 of 28 Raspberry Sorbet With Whipped Cream and Meringues Marcus Nilsson Let's do the math: four ingredients plus three easy steps equals one delightfully light dessert for two or more. Despite the nonsensical arithmetic, this Valentine's Day dessert recipe earns an A+. It tops scoops of refreshing sorbet with homemade whipped cream and crushed cookies. GET THE RECIPE 10 of 28 Tahini S’mores Blondies Antonis Achilleos This Valentine's Day dessert is part s'more, part brownie, and part halva—a Middle East confection made of sesame flour and honey. This mashup recipe represents the best of each treat. Jarred tahini gives it that Middle Eastern vibe, while a quick turn in the broiler mimics a campfire char on its marshmallow topping. GET THE RECIPE 11 of 28 Marshmallow and Chocolate Shortbread Slices Caitlin Bensel Think of these sweet, creamy shortbread cookies like a homemade candy bar, but better. Thanks to their crunchy cookie base, marshmallow filling, and chocolate coating, they look super fancy but only require half an hour of your precious Valentine's Day time. Don't forget the layer of apricot preserves for a sweet-tart zing. GET THE RECIPE 12 of 28 No Churn Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream Samantha Seneviratne Yes, you can make ice cream without an ice cream maker! For this recipe, allow 8 hours for it to freeze until firm, and don't skip the roasting strawberries step. It releases the berries' excess moisture and concentrates their fruity flavor. GET THE RECIPE 13 of 28 Churros With Chocolate Sauce Caitlin Bensel Making churros from scratch is a lot easier than you think! You're in for a real treat when you dip these sweet fried cinnamon breadsticks in the rich chocolate sauce. (If your sweetie's more of a caramel fan, that works wonderfully, too. Better yet, make both!) GET THE RECIPE 14 of 28 Carrot Cake Cupcakes Hector Manuel Sanchez Browned butter adds a luxe caramel note to this rich cream cheese frosting. But be warned: Once you taste it, you may never go back to the plain version. The nutty flavor works perfectly with the tender crumb and gentle sweetness of the spiced carrot cake, and a flurry of toasted coconut is a simple but festive garnish. GET THE RECIPE 15 of 28 Cherries Jubilee Joseph De Leo This beloved dessert was made for a queen, literally! French chef Auguste Escoffier is credited with inventing this dessert to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Like the original, this recipe poaches cherries in simple syrup and then adds Kirsch or Brandy to the mix. Unlike tradition, it nixes the dramatic flambé part, but feel free to light it up on your own before pouring over vanilla ice cream. GET THE RECIPE 16 of 28 Chocolate Espresso Truffles Hector Sanchez Coffee and chocolate: Need we say more? The sweet notes of dark chocolate complement the sharp taste of the espresso for one perfect bite. Instead of actual espresso, this recipe calls on espresso powder and optional coffee liqueur to infuse that distinctive coffee flavor into each chocolatey bite. GET THE RECIPE 17 of 28 Chocolate Raspberry Skillet Cake Samantha Seneviratne Try a skillet cake this Valentine's Day. The secret to this dish is graham flour, a coarsely ground wheat flour. It adds a pleasant texture and nutty flavor to the dessert that's, dare we say, healthy-ish? GET THE RECIPE 18 of 28 Mini Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes Victor Protasio While olive oil is common in many savory dishes, you'll also find it in these extra-moist mini cakes. Another surprise in this recipe is brewed Earl Grey tea, which gives the batter floral, aromatic, and citrusy notes. GET THE RECIPE 19 of 28 Chocolate Bar Fondue Anna Williams A must-have for Valentine's Day: Melty chocolate for coating fresh fruit, cake chunks, marshmallows, or an empty spoon. No fondue pot? No problem. Melt the two-ingredient chocolate fondue on the stove and serve in a pretty ceramic bowl. GET THE RECIPE 20 of 28 No-Churn Papaya Ice Cream Victor Protasio Brighten your Valentine's Day with this no-churn papaya ice cream. It's so easy to make (no special equipment needed!), and you can shower your sundae with coconut flakes, fresh pineapple chunks, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. GET THE RECIPE 21 of 28 Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Cookies Levi Brown This cookie is the ultimate in decadence and the clear way to go if your valentine is a chocoholic. There's melted chocolate in the batter as well as chocolate chunks throughout. GET THE RECIPE 22 of 28 Chocolate Ganache Tart Victor Protasio Serve this rich tart, and your guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen. Little will they suspect it was surprisingly simple to make. The flaky tart crust is made from buttery, salty crackers. GET THE RECIPE 23 of 28 Pink Hot Chocolate Alison Miksch Why serve regular hot chocolate when you can drink it pink? It's the perfect Valentine's Day beverage for a cold winter evening. Add a touch of booze for a rich, after-dinner cocktail. GET THE RECIPE 24 of 28 Raspberry S'mores James Baigrie The addition of bright, fresh raspberries takes this Valentine's Day dessert to the next level, lending a decidedly adult twist to a childhood favorite. No, we don't expect you to shiver around the fire pit outside to cook the marshmallows. Stay inside and use your broiler. GET THE RECIPE 25 of 28 Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Cake Antonis Achilleos This decadent dish is as beautiful as it is tasty thanks to its mesmerizing swirls. The crunchy hazelnut streusel topping mimics a coffee cake, but add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you're clearly in dessert territory. GET THE RECIPE 26 of 28 Pistachio Pudding Hector Manuel Sanchez You don't have to bake a luscious Valentine's Day dessert. Case in point: This easy pudding recipe is made entirely on the stovetop. Packed with nutty nutrients, this pistachio pudding requires a little forethought to accommodate a 4-hour chill to set. GET THE RECIPE 27 of 28 Orange Soufflé Beth Galton They're French, so soufflés are inherently finicky and hard to make, right? Absolument pas! This dessert recipe calls for simple pantry and refrigerator staples, along with Grand Marnier liqueur and orange zest for a citrusy twist. GET THE RECIPE 28 of 28 Chocolate Almond Cake Greg DuPree This cake recipe has it all, except there's no layering, no flour, no frosting, and no fuss. Its minimal approach belies its dense, rich, and delicate chocolate goodness with a crispy, crunchy top. Finish with a flurry of powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream. GET THE RECIPE Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit