FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2025
82 Valentine's Day Desserts That Are Better Than A Dozen Roses
Dessert > flowers.
By Camille LowderUpdated: Jan 10, 2025
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pink brownies topped with pink icing and strawberry heartspinterest
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: SAM SENEVIRATNE
Growing up, Valentine’s Day is all about the paper cards (and accompanying candy). But as an adult, the whole day becomes more amorous, ditching candy and cards for romantic dinners and outings. This year, we’d like to make a push to bring it back around to what has always been the best part—the sweets! We’ve got everything here, from cookies to cupcakes, with truffles, pies, cheesecakes, and more in between. These 82 Valentine's Day desserts are sure to warm the heart of your mom, friends, partner, kids, yourself... whoever needs something sweet come February 14.
We’ve truly got something for everyone here. Looking for something to end a romantic evening? You’ve gotta go chocolate-y. Our chocolate pots de crème, our chocolate cheesecake, and our chocolate strawberry mousse cake do take a bit of extra effort (but really, if not on Valentine’s, when?), but if you’re looking for something a little simpler, we’ve got you too. Try our chocolate pizza, our Nutella blondies, or our hot fudge cheesecake bars instead. Not a chocolate fan? Try our strawberry upside-down skillet cake, our honey & peanut butter blondies, or our cannoli bites instead.
Throwing a fun Valentine’s Day party, and want to fill out your app table with some sweet snacks? Try our chocolate-covered cherries, our tiramisu truffles, or our heart-shaped sugar cookies. Want something that’s less of an app and more of a spectacular party centerpiece? Try our espresso martini cheesecake, our triple chocolate trifle, or our red velvet cake. Put one of these out as your guests arrive and you’re sure to elicit some oohs and ahhs.
Looking for kid-friendly treats you can bring to a classroom Valentine’s Day party? Check out our conversation heart cookies, our cheesecake-stuffed strawberries, our candy heart bark, or our strawberry love notes. Kids of all ages (and adults who just want to feel like a kid again) will flip over these.
Speaking of adults on Valentine's, we've also got some incredible V-Day cocktails you've just gotta see. For everyone else, check out our favorite Valentine's Day snacks too—they're perfect for sharing with a sweetheart (or keeping all for yourself 😉).
large chocolate lava cake topped with vanilla ice creamPHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON
1
Big-Batch Lava Cake
She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’s big-batch lava cake. Words cannot fully express how we feel about this particular cake. It's fudgy yet light, salty and sweet, and rich as can be. If you’re intimidated by the thought of making lava cake, this is your perfect starter recipe. It only requires 10 ingredients, and because it’s one large batch, there's no need to stress about overcooking the center.
Get the Big-Batch Lava Cake recipe.
chocolate whoopie pies with cream sandwiched betweenPHOTO: LINDA PUGLIESE; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
2
Tiramisu Whoopie Pies
Whoopie pies have endless possibilities, and this tiramisu version might be one of our favorites. The filling is a mascarpone and coffee whipped cream, giving it all of the flavors you’d normally find in a tiramisu and also that silky, whipped texture that makes it so decadent. These treats are great for cold-weather gatherings, but no one will complain about them in the heat of the summer either.
Get the Tiramisu Whoopie Pies recipe.
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twisted chocolate heart drizzled with pink icingPHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
3
Pull-Apart Heart
Nothing says “I love you” like a melt-in-your mouth pastry that is both irresistible and ridiculously cute. This heart-shaped, shareable dessert has just the right amount of sweetness to make anyone’s heart skip a beat. Bursting with Nutella and brushed with raspberry glaze, this heart screams romance with every tear.
Get the Pull-Apart Heart recipe.
pink brownies topped with pink icing and strawberry heartsPHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: SAM SENEVIRATNE
4
Strawberry Brownies
Channel your inner Glinda the Good Witch because these spellbinding strawberry brownies are pretty in pink, unapologetically charming, and ready to steal the spotlight at any Valentine's Day celebration. Made from scratch with fresh strawberries and decorated with white chocolate-strawberry ganache, these beauties might sound complicated, but trust us—they’re simple!
Get the Strawberry Brownies recipe.
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chocolate covered strawberry mousse topped with chocolate ganache, whipped cream, chocolate oreo crunchies, and a fresh strawberryPHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: SAM SENEVIRATNE
5
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Mousse
A box of chocolates might be traditional, but if you really want to express how much you care this Valentine's Day, make this chocolate-covered strawberry mousse. Light and creamy strawberry mousse is topped with a rich chocolate ganache and adorned with whipped cream, chocolate-covered Oreo crunchies, and fresh strawberries for light but decadent dessert that will say “I love you” to anyone lucky enough to eat it.
Get the Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Mousse recipe.
strawberry palmiers with pink and white icingPHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
6
Strawberry Palmiers
These little palmiers are simple to make with ingredients you likely have on hand, making them an ideal last-minute surprise if you forgot to order flowers. Puff pastry is rolled in a generous amount of granulated sugar, sprinkled with freeze-dried strawberry powder, and dipped in white chocolate. The result is flaky, jam-filled bites that will outshine any box of chocolates.
Get the Strawberry Palmiers recipe.
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red velvet and cheesecake swirls in browniesPHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
7
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
They say that after a while you start mimicking, or even mirroring, your partner and we believe that is the case with these red velvet cheesecake brownies. The flavors swirl together and complement each other in a way that just makes sense. The fudginess of the red velvet and the tang of the cheesecake make a beautiful partnership, while the brownie is the perfect base to hold it all together. It’s a true celebration of love.
Get the Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies recipe.
chocolate covered strawberry swiss roll cakePHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
8
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Swiss Roll Cake
Good news: Swiss rolls look more intimidating than they actually are. This version is filled with a light and fluffy strawberry filling that's perfect for a Valentine’s Day treat, or just because you love the combo of chocolate and strawberries. If you're feeling extra, serve some freshly dipped chocolate-covered strawberries alongside the cake for decorations, but the beautiful spiral of this cake also speaks for itself.
Get the Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Swiss Roll Cake recipe.
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cheesecake bites rolled in red velvet cake piecesPHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
9
Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites
Covered in red velvet cake crumbs, these sweet cheesecake balls are the perfect small bite for any party or romantic night in. With a creamy cheesecake center and a soft red velvet cake exterior, my red velvet cheesecake balls almost resemble a cake pop, but are so much creamier. Besides, who likes to limit themself to one piece of cake? With individual bite-sized cheesecake balls, nobody is keeping track. Enjoy and enjoy again!
Get the Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites recipe.
brownies topped with french silk piePHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
10
French Silk Brownies
Perfect for parties, potlucks, or just a cozy night in, these French silk pie-inspired brownies are a versatile treat that will impress your friends and family. The silky chocolate layer gives an elegant touch, while the brownie base keeps things casual and fun.
Get the French Silk Brownies recipe.
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delish chocolate covered strawberries
11
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
In our book, no Valentine's Day is really complete without chocolate-covered strawberries. Plus, they're so easy to make, there's really no excuse to not whip up a batch for someone you love (or as a simple sweet treat to enjoy all to yourself 😉).
Get the Chocolate-Covered Strawberries recipe.
heart shaped sugar cookies iced with red, white, and pink frosting and sprinklesPHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
12
Heart Cookies
What could be sweeter than baking the cutest heart-shaped cookies for your special someone (or yourself) this Valentine's? We went with a cream cheese frosting, but feel free to go with buttercream if you like. Dye the frosting any colors you wish or use any sprinkles your heart desires.
Get the Heart Cookies recipe.
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pound cake with a strawberry swirl and topped with a bright pink strawberry glazePHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
13
Strawberry Pound Cake
Classic pound cake gets an upgrade with swirls of strawberry jamthroughout and iced with tangy strawberry glaze. This streamlined recipe relies on a few crucial ingredients to maximize the flavor while the method remains extremely simple.
Get the Strawberry Pound Cake recipe.
chocolate tart with a caramel middlePHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
14
Caramel Crunch Tart
This chocolate tart is great for a last-minute dessert because it mainly uses store-bought ingredients, and the majority of time required for this recipe is just letting it chill in the refrigerator. If you really wanted to feel like you made something homemade, you can always opt for a homemade caramel instead of store-bought caramel. Sometimes, though, you just need an easy dessert that doesn’t require a lot of effort.
Get the Caramel Crunch Tart recipe.
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strawberry jam filled cookies that are folded and baked to look like love notesPHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: FRANCESCA ZANI
15
Strawberry Love Notes
Valentine's Day doesn't need to be over-the-top lovey dovey or seriously sad and depressing. Instead, February 14 should be fun! These strawberry "love notes" are the most fun—to make, to give, and to eat.
Get the Strawberry Love Notes recipe.
chocolate cake topped with powdered sugar sliced into with chocolate fudge spilling outPHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
16
Chocolate Lava Cakes
With their fancy name and presentation, chocolate lava cakes sound a lot more daunting than they actually are to make. The basic ingredients you need are just butter, chocolate, sugar, eggs, and flour (but we add some espresso powder and vanilla extract to take things up a notch). If you're looking for a show-stopping dessert to impress the chocolate lover in your life, this is it. Warm and gooey, these mini cakes are the perfect dessert to present for any special or romantic occasion (Valentine's Day anyone?).
Get the Chocolate Lava Cakes recipe.
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chocolate truffles topped with candy canes, sea salt, and cocoa powderPHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON
17
Chocolate Truffles
If you're looking for the most classic truffle recipe, then these chocolate truffles are what you should turn to. Not only a chocolate lover's dream, they're also completely customizable and so easy to make. Set them out at a romantic dinner, or make them for the sweetest homemade gift to give to loved ones and neighbors.
Get the Chocolate Truffles recipe.
apples and puff pastry shaped like rosesPHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE
18
Apple Roses
When you see “apple roses,” what comes to mind? Slices of apple encased in puff pastry should be the answer. These adorable treats are great for a romantic dinner, or to replace the basic frosted cupcakes at any birthday party. Whatever you make them for, they will be the center of attention.
Get the Apple Roses recipe.
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strawberry cheesecake barsPHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS
19
Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
To make these, we topped a simple graham cracker crust with a creamy cheesecake layer and a sweet pink strawberry layer, then crumbled a cinnamon-spiced streusel on top. The result is a cute, shareable dessert that's perfect for Valentine's (or Galentine's!).
Get the Strawberry Cheesecake Bars recipe.
jello cake topped with frosting and strawberry slicesPHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
20
Jell-O Cake
This Jell-O cake is a delicious and easy dessert that was all the rage at potlucks and parties in the '70s and '80s, and we want to bring it back. It's giving nostalgia, kitsch, and strawberry shortcake vibes, and we are here for it.
Get the Jell-O Cake recipe.
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strawberry chocolate mousse cakePHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: FRANCESCA ZANI
21
Strawberry Chocolate Mousse Cake
This takes chocolate-covered strawberries to a whole new delicious level. Fair warning, this is an involved recipe you'll want to read through a few times before you get started. Trust us, it's 110% worth it.
Get the Strawberry Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe.
slices of opera cake on plates with gold forksPHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER
22
Opera Cake
Opera cake is one of those baking projects that will make you feel like a pastry chef superstar. Coffee- soaked almond cake, coffee buttercream, and chocolate ganache are layered together to create a French masterpiece that’s equally stunning to look at and enjoy on Valentine's day.
Get the Opera Cake recipe.
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red velvet ice creamPHOTO: KATE JORDAN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON
23
Red Velvet Ice Cream
This creamy homemade red velvet ice cream is made with a buttermilk base and cocoa powder for that iconic chocolatey, tangy red velvet flavor. It's an ideal treat for Valentine's Day and beyond. A cream cheese frosting is crucial to red velvet, so we added a swirl of the frosting throughout and crumbled some red velvet cake in too so you get bits in every bite.
Get the Red Velvet Ice Cream recipe.
individual cannoli bites topped with chocolate chips, crushed pistachio and powdered sugarPHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM
24
Cannoli Bites
There's no debate: The combination of the crunchy exterior and creamy filling of a cannoli is one of the world’s best bites. Unfortunately, that bite is usually a messy thing to navigate, with the shell and filling going in all sorts of directions. That’s where these one-bite wonders come in!
Get the Cannoli Bites recipe.
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espresso martini cheesecakePHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
25
Espresso Martini Cheesecake
Espresso martini connoisseurs, this cheesecake is for you. The cheesecake filling is spiked with coffee liqueur and espresso to make it super-rich and creamy, and the top gets the iconic dusting of cocoa powder over an espresso-infused whipped cream. 😍
Get the Espresso Martini Cheesecake recipe.
petit foursPHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER
26
Petit Fours
Hoping to make some homemade edible gifts that are sure to impress? Make petit fours. Featuring confetti cake layered with raspberry jam and buttercream and covered in a shiny white glaze, these stunning mini cakes will delight anyone who receives them.
Get the Petit Fours recipe.
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raspberry cheesecake with raspberry sauce swirlPHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
27
Raspberry Cheesecake
This creamy, decadent cheesecake is swirled with a raspberry sauce to create a showstopper of a dessert, perfect for Valentine's. The raspberry sauce recipe will make more than you need for the swirls, so spoon it over top each slice right before serving.
Get the Raspberry Cheesecake recipe.
cookie cake with oreos mixed in and on top with chocolate frostingPHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
28
Oreo Cookie Cake
This version of our OG cookie cake takes things to the next level by putting cookies INSIDE the "cake." It’s packed with chopped Oreos (in place of chocolate chips), decorated with a rich Oreo buttercream (in place of plain chocolate or vanilla), and crowned with even more Oreos. 😍
Get the Oreo Cookie Cake recipe.
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Candy Heart BarkSally Quinn
29
Candy Heart Bark
This chocolate bark only takes about five seconds to make (though it does chill in the fridge to firm up after) and is the best way to eat Valentine's chocolate and candy at the same time.
Get the Candy Heart Bark recipe.
chocolate covered pizza dough topped with marshmallows, pretzels, and candyPHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON
30
Chocolate Pizza
We start with our favorite homemade pizza dough for this dessert, but you can absolutely use store-bought if that's what you prefer. Add some sliced strawberries, marshmallows, pretzels, candy or just leave it at Nutella! The best thing about this easy dessert? You absolutely can't mess it up.
Get the Chocolate Pizza recipe.
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chocolate covered strawberry cheesecakesPHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: FRANCESCA ZANI
31
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cheesecakes
Chocolate-covered strawberries + cheesecake = OMG. Plus, since you're covering them in chocolate, you don't have to worry about your cheesecakes cracking. Win!
Get the Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecakes recipe.
brownie cookiesLUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
32
Brownie Cookies
Is it a cookie? Is it a brownie? It's... well... both! These fudgy, SUPER-chocolatey cookies are truly the best of both worlds.
Get the Brownie Cookies recipe.
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tart with chocolate chip cookie crust, filled with caramel and topped with chocolate ganachePHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE
33
Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Tart
The crust here is like a shortbread version of a classic chocolate chip cookie to make it sturdy enough to perfectly hold its shape and the caramel and chocolate layers on top. It’s a sliceable, shareable cookie and a really wonderful option for any Valentine's dessert.
Get the Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Tart recipe.
tiramisu truffles on a marble boardPHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON
34
Tiramisu Truffles
Craving a sweet pick-me-up at the end of a romantic meal? These tiramisu truffles are for you. Luscious espresso and mascarpone white chocolate ganache is coated in a crisp chocolate shell for a dreamy bite-sized dessert that’s sure to delight every coffee lover.
Get the Tiramisu Truffles recipe.
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cherry chocolate chip cookiesPARKER FEIERBACH
35
Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
We're saying it: These might be our FAVORITE version of the classic chocolate chip cookie. The cherries add a bit more sweetness with a pop of tartness that makes them unforgettable!
Get the Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
food, cuisine, sprinkles, dish, heart, dessert, buttercream, pink, baked goods, ingredient,Parker Feierbach
36
Heart-Shaped Cake
This easy hack utilizes a square and round cake pan, as well as our absolute favorite red velvet cake recipe. If you're in a hurry, boxed cake mix works just as well! Don't sleep on the homemade cream cheese frosting though, it makes everything 1,000x better.
Get the Heart-Shaped Cake recipe.
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chocolate cheesecakePHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: ERIKA JOYCE
37
Chocolate Cheesecake
Have you ever wondered what a gooe
Posted 11:32 AM