20+ Valentine's Day Dessert Recipes Worth Loving
Valentine's Day seems to be a holiday that people either love or hate. But, we argue that any holiday that gives you an excuse to bake up something sweet and delicious is a holiday worth celebrating!
Whether you have a special someone in your life, a group of gals you like to spend the day with, a kiddo that loves heart-shaped everything, or your own sweet self to love on, here are some of our favorite dessert recipes to share with all your Valentines!
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Cherry Trifle
The beauty of this trifle is that it looks elegant but is really quite simple to make!
Calling for just 6 ingredients, this trifle features layers of sponge cake, fresh cherries and preserves, and mascarpone cheese.
Top it off with a generous layer of whipped cream and fresh cherries.
Lemon Rose Shortbread Cookies
If you want to go the cookie route, consider these adorable and dainty lemon-rose shortbread cookies.
With rose petals and lemon zest baked in, these cookies have a unique flavor that you won't find at the store.
Prepare a batch of these and wrap them up in Valentine's packaging for a sweet and thoughtful gesture.
Photo Courtesy of Once Upon a Chef
Chocolate Mousse
Or, maybe chocolate is your Valentine's favorite dessert!
In this quick and easy mousse recipe, semi-sweet chocolate is melted and whipped up with eggs, sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.
What you'll end up with is a light, yet decadent dessert that's the perfect after-dinner sweet treat.
Find the full recipe at Once Upon a Chef
Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta with Blood Oranges
Chocolate and orange go together so perfectly, and this rich and elegant panna cotta is the perfect example of that.
The panna cotta itself features a dark chocolate flavor while the blood oranges are candied to balance out their tanginess.
Serve them up in small ramekins or cocktail glasses.
Find the full recipe at Feasting at Home
Dreamy Chocolate Lava Cakes
With a cakey exterior and a warm and gooey interior, these lava cakes are perfect for the chocolate-lover in your life this Valentine's Day.
Calling for just a handful of ingredients that you likely have in your pantry already, these lava cakes come together in just 20 minutes and are a great last-minute dessert.
Serve your chocolatey treats with a dusting of powdered sugar, some whip cream, or vanilla ice cream.
Find the full recipe at Gimme Some Oven
Easy Chocolate Heart Donuts
Are donuts the key to your Valentine's heart? If the answer is yes, don't swing by the grocery store, make these homemade ones instead!
With a simple sugary exterior and a warm and chocolatey interior, these doughnuts are almost too pretty to eat.
And while these donuts will definitely impress your valentine, they'll never know just how easy they were to make!
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
Part brownie, part cake, and part pudding, this easy to make chocolate cake will definitely fill that love-induced sweet tooth.
You can either make this cake in one pan or separate it out into cupcake tins or ramekins to make them individual-sized.
Serve them with a dollop of whip cream on top along with some fresh raspberries or strawberries.
Find the full recipe at Co+op
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie
When you can't decide between cheesecake, ice cream, and pie, go for all three!
Ground graham crackers, sugar, salt, and butter are combined to create the crust, while cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon zest, and vanilla are whipped up to create the cheesecake filling.
The whole pie is topped with a homemade strawberry sauce and a whipped cream topping before being served. Yum!
Photo Courtesy of Love & Olive Oil
Yellow Sheet Cake with Strawberry Rose Buttercream
Delightfully sweet and simple, this yellow sheet cake with homemade buttercream is a great option for a Galentine's day get together.
The cake is made up of simple pantry ingredients like flour, buttermilk, baking powder, sugar, and more, while the frosting is made of butter, powdered sugar, freeze dried strawberries and rose water.
Keep the sprinkles as simple or as over the top as you like -- there's no wrong way!
If you wanted to make this a fun Valentine's Day activity for the kids, make a few smaller cakes and let them do the decorating!
Find the full recipe at Love & Olive Oil
Strawberry Turnovers
With a sweet strawberry filling and crunchy pie-crust exterior, these strawberry turnovers are a wonderful addition to a Valentine's Day brunch.
Fresh strawberries are simmered with maple syrup, arrowroot, and lemon juice to create a sweet and jammy filling. Next, the filling is added to rolled out pie crust before being pinched into a hand pie shape.
A quick brush of an egg wash gives the turnovers a golden brown color and satisfying crunchy texture.
Photo Courtesy of Once Upon a Chef
New York-Style Cheesecake
Another classic Valentine's Day dessert, New York cheesecake is simple but satisfying and a breeze to whip up.
With a simple crumb crust and a sweet, tangy cheesecake filling, you can serve them as is or add a topping of syrupy berries or cherries.
Keep your cheesecake nice and cool in the fridge until you're ready to slice and serve.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Creamy Strawberry Panna Cotta
This elegant Italian-style custard is easy to whip up and is a light and airy dessert to enjoy after a Valentine's day feast.
To create this eggless, bake-less treat you'll need some common pantry ingredients and about 3 minutes of your time.
Serve your panna cotta nice and cold with a topping of fresh strawberries, mint, and some graham cracker crumble.
Chocolate Truffle Tart with Hazelnut Crust
Is your sweetie vegan or gluten-free and a big fan of chocolate? Here's the recipe for you!
Made up of a simple hazelnut crust and a decadent dark chocolate filling, this tart has a silky smooth texture that's simply divine.
Top your tart with some whole hazelnuts, and if you're feeling fancy, some chocolate shavings.
Find the full recipe at Feasting at Home
Chocolate Caramel Tart
Here's another tart recipe, but this time the homemade caramel filling is the real star of the show.
A simple chocolate crust is pressed into a tart pan before being filled with a homemade caramel sauce and topped off with a salty-chocolatey ganache topping.
This isn't a quick and easy dessert recipe, but it is worth it for that ooey-gooey caramel goodness.
Find the full recipe at Smitten Kitchen
More Dessert Recipes to Fall in Love With
Chocolate Maraschino Layer Cake from Love & Olive Oil
Triple-Cherries Jubilee from Epicurious
Valentine’s Day Heart Sugar Cookies from Sally's Baking Addiction
Chocolate-Covered Prosecco Strawberries from EatingWell
Sweetheart Thumbprint Cookies from Martha Stewart
Raspberry-Chocolate Parfaits from Food Network
Rich and Creamy Tiramisu from Serious Eats