59 Delicious Valentine's Day Dessert Recipes That Are Better Than a Box of Chocolates

There's more to pie than the slice. These pretty hand pies are the perfect way to indulge without having to share. We think they're best filled with strawberry jam or chocolate hazelnut spread. Use a heart cookie cutter set ($5, Michaels) to create festive designs.

This Valentine's Day cake is a showstopper! Topped with colorful heart sugar cookies and plenty of sprinkles, this party-worthy dessert is easy and impressive. It's covered with a luscious almond whipped cream frosting and filled with tart strawberry-rhubarb jam. 

These beautiful red velvet bars are the perfect Valentine's Day treat. Be sure to add a generous drizzle of chocolate over the yummy cheesecake filling.

Make-Ahead Tip: Bake and freeze this easy dessert up to three months before serving.

These mini chocolate and peanut butter pies are tasty any day of the year, but a ruffle of chocolate whipped cream and a DIY chocolate heart turn these treats into a festive Valentine's Day dessert. To make the heart, pipe melted chocolate onto waxed paper; once it's dry, gently peel the paper away and use the hearts to top the pies. 

Valentine's Day is the perfect time to indulge in something decadent. This rich dark chocolate pudding is just that—with an extra sprinkle of cinnamon. Top each bowl with a swirled heart made from whipped cream.

Calling all mint- and chocolate-lovers: These cookies were made for you. Wrap store-bought chocolate-mint patties in a homemade chocolate dough and bake. To finish, top each Valentine's Day cookie with melted chocolate.

Red velvet cake takes cookie form in these adorable Valentine's Day sweets. Add designs with our free stencils and a shake of powdered sugar. These sugar-dusted treats also make a wonderful DIY gift.

Step up your brownie game this Valentine's Day with these chewy and decadent treats filled with dry cherries. Top with fresh raspberries for more fruity flavor.

There is nothing better than an old-fashioned cherry cobbler, so why not try making one this Valentine's Day? The fruit dessert is topped with spoonfuls of sweet biscuit dough that turn golden brown when baked. For variety, replace the cherries with blueberries, peaches, or apples.

This Valentine's Day cake recipe is a total showstopper. Layer our rich buttermilk almond cake with piles of whipped cream and fresh strawberry sauce.

Test Kitchen Tip: To get the classic flavors and texture of tres leches cake, we recommend soaking the cake for at least three hours or overnight.

Love is sure to be in the air when you serve this simple vanilla pudding decorated with heart-shape sprinkles. The silky dessert is easy to whip up and can be served hot or cold.

This easy Valentine's Day dessert recipe starts with a homemade lemon verbena ice cream. Spoon the finished ice cream into a ginger shortbread crust and top with a sprinkle of edible flowers like roses or phlox.

Test Kitchen Tip: Be sure to use edible flowers that are meant for consumption.

Red velvet could vie for the title Official Flavor of Valentine's Day (if it weren't for that pesky dark chocolate that always seems to take the win). These cupcakes hit all the holiday high notes: Taste, color, and a powdered-sugar dusting in the shape of a heart. Get the look by placing a heart-shape cookie on top before sprinkling.

Something sweet (oat-and-chocolate cookies) with something salty (flaked sea salt) with something indulgent (3-ingredient Bourbon Ganache) makes an adults-only cookie that your valentine will swoon for.

As dessert or a luscious breakfast, this rich chocolaty bread pudding is Valentine's Day baking on-point. Don't skimp on the decadent homemade chocolate ganache drizzle.

Bake a heart-shape cake for your sweetheart on Valentine's Day. Rows of almonds, raspberries, maraschino cherries, and icing stripe this chocolate-frosted red velvet cake for a sweet and romantic dessert. Bake it in a heart-shaped baking pan ($9, Michaels) to make it extra festive. 

Purchased puff pastry makes these turnovers easier than they look. Our easy stovetop jam recipe makes a fruity filling that's lightly spiced with cardamom. 

These Valentine's Day shortbread cookies get their pink and red color from maraschino cherries and red food coloring. Nonpareils and edible glitter give them an extra holiday-ready touch.

Creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread and rich chocolate swirl together in these gooey chocolate pudding cakes. Coffee or vanilla ice cream and sliced strawberries complete the indulgent chocolate Valentine's Day dessert.

Whether as a sweet Valentine's Day dessert or a special wake-up breakfast on February 14, do-it-yourself crepes are a delicious way to celebrate the day.

Test Kitchen Tip: Cut the tops of the sliced strawberries so they look like little hearts.

These nutty cookies are almost too pretty to eat! Dip half of each finished chocolate cookie into melted chocolate and pistachios. These heart-shape desserts are perfect for Valentine's Day, but feel free to vary the shape depending on the season.

Brownie-textured cake layers are topped with smooth, rich buttercream frosting. The result? A decadent Valentine's Day cake enjoyed by chocolate and fruit lovers alike.

These strawberry bars boast a peanut butter base, which can be made and frozen ahead of time. In a pinch, simply thaw and top with strawberries and jam.

After mixing up a batch of tangy grapefruit cookies, use a set of heart shape cookie cutters ($3, Walmart) to cut out various sizes of hearts. Once baked, dip the cookies in creamy white chocolate to balance out the grapefruit zest in the dough.

Take a love of doughnuts to the next level. Layers of cream filling and ruby red jam between soft yellow cake mimic your sweetheart's favorite breakfast treat.

This delightful pairing of rich dark chocolate and sweet-tart raspberries makes for the perfect Valentine's Day dessert. Chocolate truffle icing adds a sweet touch. Bake up the individual cakes in a nonstick muffin pan ($11, Target).

For a fancy finish to your romantic Valentine's Day dinner, serve your loved one a chocolaty twist on classic Italian cannoli. Rolled up with love in a homemade chocolate shell, creamy ricotta cheese flavored with cocoa and orange peel gets a gorgeous garnish from shaved dark chocolate.

Prepare a Valentine's Day dessert that shines with the help of bubbly Prosecco. Pour the fizzy drink onto homemade grapefruit sorbet and scoops of vanilla ice cream for a sparkling sweet-tart indulgence.

Shortbread-like sticks make great companions for cinnamon candies. Bake and cut the sticks, then dip in white chocolate and sprinkle with crushed cinnamon candies.

Gooey cherry filling is the key to charming your sweetheart on Valentine's Day. To thicken the fruity filling in this slab pie, we incorporated cornflakes with the cherries. Use heart-shape cookie cutters ($17, Williams Sonoma) for a sweet reveal.

Our Best-Ever Chocolate Cake mixes with cream cheese and graham cracker. Dunk the chocolately cake balls in more chocolate, then top with cocoa powder!

Test Kitchen Tip: Finish your homemade Valentine's Day candies with red heart sprinkles.

Drizzled in chocolate sauce, this custardlike dessert gets a boost of elegance from fresh raspberries, toasted almonds, and dreamy dark chocolate. The easy Valentine's Day recipe is sweetened with honey rather than sugar for a more natural sweetness.

Fudgy, almond-studded brownies topped with a love note make a swoon-inducing Valentine's Day dessert worthy of true love. Don't skimp on the chocolate frosting—heavy whipping cream gives it a smooth, velvety finish.

The ultimate "I love you" treat is a box of chocolate-covered strawberries. Here's how to make the easy Valentine's Day dessert at home. Customize them with your favorite toppings like shredded coconut, sprinkles, and chopped nuts.

These Valentine's Day sugar cookies start with one batch of basic dough. We'll show you how to decorate them using three simple techniques. For a Midas touch, finish the baked cookies with a touch of gold luster dust ($5, Hobby Lobby).

Softly sweet lavender infuses these mini lemon pudding cups with light ambrosial flavor. Make this personal Valentine's dessert in heart-shape ramekins ($17 for 2, Macy's) to show extra love.

There's no dye in this pretty Valentine's Day cheesecake recipe! Freeze-dried fruit gives this decadent sweet its color and flavor. Finish the cheesecake with whipped cream, fresh berries, and colorful sprinkles.

Homemade sugar cookies are so much better than candy. Customize your batch with names, sweet notes, or funny sayings. Package them up with one of our free printable tags for a delicious edible Valentine's Day gift.

Test Kitchen Tip: We used cookie imprinting stamps to create the phrases.

Every nibble of this easy Valentine's Day dessert features crumbly shortbread crust and classic cheesecake filling. The sweetest part? The naturally heart-shape strawberry slices.

Candy conversation hearts are the quintessential Valentine's Day treat! Place one cute-as-can-be candy on the rim of this ultra-rich chocolate drink and serve to your sweetie.

Fudgy brownies made with dark chocolate get a sweet surprise from a swirl of tart raspberry puree. Heart-shape cutouts give this chocolate Valentine's Day dessert a charming finish.

Pound cake gets a pink Valentine's Day makeover thanks to fresh grapefruit. The peel of the tart ingredient is used to flavor the deliciously dense cake, while the juice helps create a tangy syrup that complements the crunchy sugar topper.

Scrawling a love note in frosting is a sweet way to celebrate Valentine's Day. Start with a mix for German chocolate cupcakes, and top off the dessert with one (or all!) of our three frosting recipes.

Test Kitchen Tip: To make these Valentine's Day cupcakes extra-special, use a piping bag ($12, Target) to write sweet messages in the frosting.

Show your love with a dreamy cup of vanilla custard. Sprinkle in raspberries or strawberry slices before baking these sweet, fruity bites.

Dote on your valentine with homemade chocolate candies that look oh so charming but are finished in about a half-hour. With four flavors, one (or more) is sure to make your holiday sweeter.

Get to the heart of your valentine with a decadent cutout cookie. Light and delicate, this sandwich cookie is crisp, but the filling is soft and sweet.

Test Kitchen Tip: Use tiny heart-shape cookie cutters ($3, Michaels) to make the cutouts. A few drops of red food coloring will tint the filling pink. Or substitute chocolate frosting for the filling.

Chocolate and cinnamon always go great together on Valentine's Day. Melt some bittersweet chocolate and mix in a sprinkling of cinnamon candies to make Valentine's Day bark candy that's a sweet surprise for the holiday.

Your valentine will be smitten with this delightfully rich white chocolate cheesecake recipe. Raspberry sauce covers the dessert with a dramatic red flair.

Fresh raspberries, bittersweet chocolate, luscious mascarpone, and rich whipped cream pile into a flaky crust for this over-the-top Valentine's Day dessert. Top off each slice with a dollop of homemade white chocolate whipped cream.

Creamy mascarpone cheese fills these tender cookies with just the right Valentine's Day flourish. Tart cranberries and citrusy lemon peel add a subtle tangy kick.

Red is the color of Valentine's Day, but the taste of this luscious dessert recipe is all chocolate. This elegant cheesecake marries red velvet flavor with a creamy twist.

Exquisite is the only word for these raspberry-filled delights. As elegant as this special Valentine's Day dessert looks, the pastries are surprisingly easy to prepare, bake, and fill.

Creamy layers of cherry-flavor frosting between each tier of rich chocolate cake will make your Valentine's Day unforgettable. Chocolate-covered cherries are a gorgeous topper.

This airy chocolate-raspberry dessert offers a light bite at the end of your romantic Valentine's Day dinner—and it takes just a few minutes to prepare.

The romance of chocolate-covered strawberries takes a delightfully elegant turn in this Valentine's Day dessert recipe. Upside-down cupcakes are smothered in rich ganache and topped with fresh strawberries.

Whip up a batch of homemade ice cream in just 10 minutes of hands-on time. Customize your quart with your favorite flavors or try one of our recipe combinations like salted mocha, wildflower honey, or birthday cake.

This isn't your basic bundt cake! Blogger Yossy Arefi adds cardamom, rye flour, and a fresh blueberry glaze to make this berry dessert truly special.

Test Kitchen Tip: Need a make-ahead Valentine's Day dessert? Make the cake up to one day ahead and store at room temperature.

This make-ahead Valentine's Day dessert requires an overnight chill in the freezer. Before serving to your sweetie, top the homemade pie with fresh whipped cream and our pan-roasted strawberry sauce.