50 Valentine’s Day dessert recipes that everyone will adore

Cupid and Aphrodite have nothing on this epic lineup of Valentine’s Day desserts, from the fresh and foolproof to the deeply rich and decadent. After all, nothing says I love you more than taking the time to make a romantic dessert for your special someone, whether that be your spouse or your closest group of Galentine’s gal pals.

Valentine’s Day is undeniably a time for chocolate. And it’s nearly impossible to go into the grocery store without putting a bag of some sort of red or pink-tinted chocolate candy in your cart — who can blame us? If chocolate is what your heart desires, we’ve got you covered. Luscious cream pies, fudgy caramel layer cakes, molten lava cakes and skillet cookies all make the list in the chocolate category.

Decadence isn’t the only option, though. Vibrant red berries are also a surefire way to add some festive flair to a Valentine’s Day dessert. Here, both fresh and freeze-dried strawberries and raspberries make their way into cheesecakes, buttercream frosting, one-bowl cookies and traditional French macarons.

There is truly a little something for everyone, whether you have an elevated adult sweet tooth or are looking to make something sweet for your kids (see: rice cereal treats and colorful puppy chow). Read on for the best Valentine’s Day desserts to bake in 2025.

Skip the hassle of turning on the oven with this simple no-bake cheesecake. The graham cracker crust is topped with a mixture of cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk, which keeps it from turning icy in the refrigerator. Garnish with a high mound of fresh berries — all the better if they have a red tinge to them.

When you cut into this cake, a colorful mosaic of pink, red and cream colors is revealed. It all starts with a simple sheet cake, which is cleverly cut and assembled to create the fun pattern. Bonus — any cake scraps can be used to make cake pops for gifting.

Nothing compares to a classic like red velvet cupcakes. The cocoa and buttermilk-based cakes are topped with a swirl of luscious cream cheese frosting. For some added flair, sacrifice one of the cupcakes to create crumbs to garnish the tops.

If ever there was a time to indulge in chocolate desserts, it’s Valentine’s Day. This cream pie has a crumbly chocolate cookie crust, homemade chocolate pudding and plenty of whipped cream for good measure.

If you’re looking for a holiday baking project, this one’s for you. Cover buttercream-frosted chocolate cakes (they have hidden candy heart messages too) with store-bought fondant, then use more fondant to create your own unique phrases.

Classic crème brûlée is much easier to make than you might think. Cornstarch makes the custard almost impossible to mess up. Just prep the dishes a few hours in advance, chill in the refrigerator and torch right before serving.

We’re all about the vibrant pink and red colors at Valentine’s Day, so naturally our desserts need to follow suit. This pink-hued no-bake cheesecake can be made up to a day ahead of time and topped with more fresh strawberries before serving.

Cookies meet brownies in this fudgy dessert that’s sure to become an instant classic. Break into the crackly tops and you’ll find that each bite is bursting with gooey melted chocolate chips.

“There’s nothing sweeter than making someone you care about a Valentine’s Day cake perfectly suited to his or her taste,” says Christina Tosi of Milk Bar.

Want to make something extra special for your sweetheart? Once you’ve perfected the art of French meringue, making these cookies will come naturally. They get their pink look and festive flavor from freeze-dried raspberries.

These chocolate cupcakes may look unassuming, but they have a rich, complex flavor. Half a cup of Joe goes into the cake batter and the deep chocolate flavor of the frosting is enhanced by a dash of instant espresso powder.

This classic Southern dessert is named for the muddy banks of the Mississippi River but trust us, you’ll want to eat it. You’ll find chocolate from top to bottom, from the chocolate fudge layer that coats the crust to the simple stovetop chocolate pudding.

This is our idea of a great Valentine’s Day dessert — cake that’s packed with strawberry flavor and vibrant pink colors. Stack the buttery strawberry cake layers with strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream, which is both flavored and colored with pink strawberry powder).

Coconut lovers will be smitten with this tropical cake. There’s plenty of coconut flavor to go around — it can be found in the delicate cake layers, coconut milk pastry cream and sweetened coconut buttercream frosting.

No matter your age, we’re all filled with a childlike wonder when we see molten chocolate pour out of a lava cake. Believe it or not, you only need five ingredients to make this elegant French dessert.

For a subtle nod to Valentine’s Day, bake this deceptively simple pound cake. One easy cake batter is used to make all three flavorful layers.

Not all Valentine’s Day desserts need to be complicated. Sometimes the simplest things, like rice cereal treats, are the most beloved. These are decorated with themed pink and white sprinkles for a festive treat you’ll fall in love with.

Berries and cream are a classic combination in any form. These soft and chewy cookies prove that point — there’s a bit of freeze-dried strawberry and white chocolate in each bite. ​

Get a triple dose of chocolatey goodness in this dense, rich skillet cookie cake. Lots of milk and dark chocolate chips folded into the batter, becoming ooey-gooey once baked. Serve it warm with a few scoops of vanilla ice cream to take it over the top.

Angel food cake is instantly recognizable. The light-as-air dessert is easy to make at home and it’s endlessly customizable. For Valentine’s Day, keep it simple by adding a few dollops of whipped cream and a handful of fresh red berries.

No springform pan? No problem. These vanilla bean no-bake cheesecake bars are assembled in a standard rectangular baking dish. Both the cheesecake and the fruity raspberry sauce can be made a day in advance, so you can spend more time with your loved ones outside of the kitchen.

When you need a little pick-me-up, it’s natural to reach for a cup of coffee. Make things even sweeter by incorporating that coffee into the well-known Italian dessert, tiramisu. This one is layered in a sheet pan — no special equipment needed.

Whether you call them cake pops or truffles, these bite-sized desserts are fun to make and eat. Form balls from crumbled red velvet cake and cream cheese icing, then dip them in melted white chocolate and roll in red velvet crumbs.

Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be complete without a chocolate-dipped fruit of some sort, be it cherries or strawberries. Here, fresh cherries are dipped into melted white chocolate that’s tinted in varying shades of pink for a dessert that will make your heart swoon.

A true French silk pie is made with a chocolate mousse filling, rather than the pudding you see in some recipes. It sets in a flaky baked pie crust before being covered with a generous mountain of whipped cream.

You get a two-for-one deal with this recipe. The bottom layer is made with fudgy chocolate brownies; on top of that sits a soft layer of cheesecake. Each bite features a swirl of store-bought cherry preserves to give it a Black Forest feel.

For all of the flavors and textures of French eclairs without the fuss, look no further than this no-bake eclair cake. Store-bought pudding mix is layered with graham crackers, whipped cream and a chocolate ganache coating.

This cake can go two ways — keep it simple by keeping it as a sheet cake or take an extra step and stamp out circles for layering. Either way, choose between chocolate cheesecake or red velvet frosting and decorate the edges with chocolate cookie crumbs.

Macarons are the perfect sweet treat for gifting. The chewy cookies are filled with whipped chocolate ganache, but you could also use strawberry or raspberry buttercream for a more festive approach.

This impressive dessert is our favorite way to cap off a delicious dinner. Dip anything and everything into the rich chocolate mixture — we like to prepare an assortment of fresh berries, marshmallows, cubed pound cake and pretzels.

This showstopping cake takes some time and patience, but even novice bakers can accomplish it without a hitch. Layer the moist chocolate buttermilk cake with a gooey stovetop caramel and rich chocolate frosting.

Chocolate and cherries are a match made in heaven — that’s why Black Forest cake is such a popular flavor. Chocolate cake layers are soaked in a kirsch cherry syrup before being layered with whipped cream frosting. To keep the iconic Black Forest look, add a drizzle of chocolate ganache down the sides and decorate with fresh cherries (maraschinos work if you can’t find fresh).

When red velvet cake is done right, nothing beats it. Cake flour keeps the batter light and delicate, and the cream cheese to butter ratio is ideal for the frosting.

For a quick Valentine’s Day dessert, all you need to do is grab a box of cake mix from the grocery store. The mix can be jazzed up by adding peanut butter and chocolate chips.

There are a few things that take a chocolate cake from good to great. The addition of sour cream and buttermilk ensures that the batter stays moist once baked, while a few cups of hot coffee enhance the flavor of the cocoa powder.

This no-bake cheesecake tastes just like an Italian cannoli. The vanilla wafer crust mimics the crisp pastry shell, and the ricotta and cream cheese filling is flavored with familiar flavors of orange zest and cinnamon.

If you’re looking to impress your date this Valentine’s Day, check out this recipe. Gooey chocolate brownie slabs are dipped in glossy chocolate and topped with a decorative piping of whipped chocolate ganache. Pro tip: practice your piping skills on a piece of parchment before working on the brownies — you can scoop the practice swirls back into the piping bag before you begin.

Don’t let this cheesecake’s distinct burnt top scare you away — it actually gives the dessert a rich, caramelized flavor. A drizzle of salted caramel sauce, either homemade or store-bought, will make each slice even more special.

If you’re a fan of old-fashioned peanut butter cookies, you’ll love these heart-shaped variations. They’re delicious as is, but even better when dipped into melted chocolate and dressed to the nines with sprinkles.

Made without any refined sugar, these bite-sized bars are a healthier holiday treat. The plant-based bars are made with an almond flour shortbread crust, a date-sweetened peanut butter caramel filling and a melted chocolate shell.

This one is for the vegan and/or gluten-free folks out there). You’d never know these soft, chocolatey cookies are made without butter, eggs or regular flour.

Skip the candy aisle this year and opt for a homemade version of the popular peanut butter cup candy. You can even use the peanut butter to make fun swirls on top, unlike the store-bought ones.

If you prefer brownies over cupcakes, you can still enjoy classic red velvet flavors. Red food coloring tints the chocolate brownies a deep red hue. Pipe a mound of cream cheese frosting over each individual brownie or spread it over the top before slicing.

If you don’t count water or salt, this recipe actually transforms one single ingredient — chocolate — into a creamy homemade mousse. Simply heat the chocolate and water over a water bath, then whisk it by hand until it’s fluffy like mousse.

With a treat this rich and decadent, all you really need is a bite or two. Chocolate is melted into a sticky condensed milk caramel sauce and rolled into individual balls. For Valentine’s Day, roll them in festive sprinkles rather than regular cocoa powder.

For a kid-friendly take on tiramisu, dip the lady finger cookies into chocolate milk instead of liqueur-spiked espresso. Layer the classic mascarpone cream with more bright red strawberries.

A chocolate tart is an elegant dessert for any occasion, especially when it dons a crown of fresh raspberries. This tart is dairy-free as well — the filling is made with dark chocolate, hot cocoa powder, vanilla and silken tofu, which makes it nice and creamy.

Kids and adults alike will be happy to accept this non-traditional Valentine’s Day dessert. These handheld cakes are sandwiched with fluffy vanilla buttercream — add a few drops of pink food coloring if desired.

Make a batch of this Valentine’s-themed chow to snack on all day long. It’s tossed with a colorful mix of crushed freeze-dried raspberries, white chocolate chips and pink M&Ms candies.